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Weekly Bible Notes and Worship Resources

Candlemas - Gold or White

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Introduction

Dear friends: forty days ago we celebrated the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Candlemas marks the end of the Christmas season, now we recall the day on which he was presented in the Temple, when he was offered to the Father and shown to his people. As a sign of his coming among us, his mother was purified, as we now come to him for cleansing. In their old age Simeon and Anna recognised him as their Lord, as we today sing of his glory.

Today we celebrate both the joy of his coming and his searching judgement, looking back to the day of his birth and forward to the coming days of his passion.

A service of worship for Candlemas

Opening Verse of Scripture Psalm 118:19

Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.

Collect Prayer for the Day—Before we read we pray

Almighty and ever-living God, clothed in majesty, whose beloved Son was this day presented in the Temple, in substance of our flesh: grant that we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts, by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. CW

Lord Jesus Christ, light of the nations and glory of Israel: make your home among us, and present us pure and holy to your heavenly Father, your God, and our God. CW

First Bible Reading  Malachi Chapter 3:1-5

Thus says the Lord God: See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight – indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.Then I will draw near to you for judgement; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow, and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts. NRSV

Second Reading  Hebrews Chapter 2:14-18

Since the children share flesh and blood, Jesus himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. NRSV

Gospel Reading Luke Chapter 2:22-40

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’ And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed – and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him. NRSV

Post Communion Prayer

O Lord, who didst fulfil the hope of Simeon and Anna that they might live to greet the coming of the Messiah: grant that we, who have received these inexpressible gifts, may be prepared to meet Christ Jesus when he shall come to bring us to eternal life; for he liveth and reigneth, now and for ever. CW

Commentary

Today we focus on Luke's story of the meeting between the Child Jesus and the aged Simeon. In the Greek-speaking world the feast was called HYPAPANTI (the encounter). We have a juxtaposition of the baby Jesus and the old man Simeon. The optimistic words of Simeon could be expressing his hope for someone with a new determination to do better, but it is not just passing all of our hopes onto a new generation - we made a mess of it and we are sure that you will do better - they won't, they will be just as bad as we were. At Candlemas the Church sees the encounter between the world without Christ and the world with a new beginning in Christ, between the fading age of the Old Covenant embodied in the curse of Leviticus and the new era of the Church of all nations. Simeon calls Jesus "a light to enlighten the Gentiles." Accordingly this day was made into a feast of candles. The warm candlelight is meant to be a tangible reminder of that greater light which, for and beyond all time, radiates from the figure of Jesus. We ourselves are reminded of the need to be prepared to burn brightly ourselves in the midst of this dark world. We take a light, but it is not our own light, no light of our own would be bright enough, rather it is the light of Christ. The light which at the beginning of creation shined in the darkness and which no darkness, no blindness, could overcome, and this light was a light to lighten the gentiles, the nations, all the nations and races and culture of people.

This special Sunday has been called by different names ‘The Presentation of Christ in the Temple’, ’The Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary’, and ‘Candlemas.’ Candlemas celebrates the many themes of these events, presentation, purification and light for the world. The presentation of Jesus in the Temple took place 40 days after his birth. For us 40 days after Christmas Day falls on February 2, but it is celebrated in church on the Sunday nearest that date. Candlemas is a watershed in the church year, it marks the point at which we take a last look back at Christmas and then turn our minds firmly towards the Easter cross. We have been working through the Sundays of Epiphany, now we leave them behind and soon it will be Lent, for this reason it has been called a ‘bitter-sweet Sunday.’ This feast of Candlemas which we celebrate today can be traced to at least 543. The Feast of Lighted candles is mentioned by Bede and St. Eligius, who was bishop of Noyon from 640 to 648.

Let’s look at the history behind this festival
So today we remember Jesus as just 40 days old and taken to the Temple by Mary, as ordered by the Jewish Law. Here is the commandment from Leviticus Chapter 12 and starting at verse 1. It is worth quoting in full because it puts our readings and the service today into historical perspective.

The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: 'A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding. "'When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. He shall offer them before the LORD to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood. "'These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'"

What this passage tells us is that according to Jewish law, women were considered unclean after the birth of a child and were not permitted to enter the Temple to worship. This state of uncleanness lasted 40 days after the birth of a son and 80 days after the birth of a daughter. At the end of the 40 or 80 days, the mother was brought to the Temple or synagogue and ritually purified. After this she could once again attend religious services and go out in public.

Since Jesus was a boy, it was 40 days after Mary gave birth that she attended at the Temple to bring a sacrifice. Now we are led to understand from Luke, that Mary did not bring a year old lamb, the reading mentions ‘a pair of doves or two young pigeons,’ one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. This implies that Mary presented the option for poorer people, so we may suppose that Joseph and Mary were not very wealthy. Nevertheless as faithful Jews they did their religious duty and observed the Law of Moses when it came to such things as childbirth, circumcision, and other rituals.

Luke is careful to point out that Jesus was a Jew who had his roots in the Old Testament. But clearly in this passage we see that Luke makes the point that with Jesus there is more than just a following of the old order of law. Candlemas is a time when we remember the old recognised Jesus, who brings in the new. Luke shows that the story of Jesus was confirmed by two prophets, Simeon and Anna, who spoke of Jesus under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We have this marvellous story of Simeon to whom it had been revealed "that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord.’ Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and spoke the beautiful words which we know as the The Nunc Dimittis Luke 2:29. For me it has to be in the King James Version

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

Simeon says that God is setting him free as a slave is granted liberty. He is now free to die (for the Spirit's revelation to him is now fulfilled), and Israel is free of bondage. God has saved Israel, as he promised to "all peoples". God's salvation is for Gentiles as well as Israel. The old could pass away because the new had come and the future for us all would be safe in his hands.

But, Simeon finishes with some disturbing words. This marvellous salvation through Jesus had a dark side. Not everyone will take kindly to Jesus, there will be a falling as well as a arising of many in Israel. Jesus will be a sign that will be spoken against, he will cause a crisis in Israel. Decisions will have to be made for him or against him. The sword of Jesus will divide, discriminate, and judge the thoughts, attitudes, and relationships of all people. Mary the mother of Jesus will go through the same crisis, everyone must decide what to do with Jesus. Simeon recognised something special in Jesus and he knew that he had indeed seen the Lord's Christ, and that young or old he could depart in peace, for the eyes of faith had seen God's salvation: perhaps not the salvation he was expecting, the vindication of a particular people: but something bigger and better, the salvation which God had prepared before the face of all people.
 

The pagan roots of Candlemas

As well as being mentioned clearly in Leviticus and Luke, this date also lies half way between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, so it marks the day upon which winter is half over! Like many Christians festivals, including Christmas itself, Candlemas has roots which lie deep in pagan roots and an understanding of nature.
Imbolc was an important day in the Celtic calendar. (pronounced 'im'olk' also known as Oimelc) comes from an Irish word that was originally thought to mean 'in the belly' although many people translate it as 'ewe's milk' (oi-melc). As winter stores of food were getting low Imbolc rituals were performed to harness divine energy that would ensure a steady supply of food until the harvest six months later.
Like many Celtic festivals, the Imbolc celebrations centred around the lighting of fires. Fire was perhaps more important for this festival than others as it was also the holy day of Brigid (also known as Bride, Brigit, Brid), the Goddess of fire, healing and fertility. The lighting of fires celebrated the increasing power of the Sun over the coming months. For the Christian calendar, this holiday was reformed and renamed 'Candlemas' when candles are lit to remember the purification of the Virgin Mary.

As Candlemas traditions evolved, many people embraced the legend that if the sun shone on the second day of February, an animal would see its shadow and there would be at least six more weeks of winter. Bears or badgers are watched in some European countries, but the German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania found an abundance of groundhogs and late in the 19th century a few residents in Punxsutawney began celebrating the groundhog as weather prophet. So we have Groundhog Day.

If Candlemas be fair and bright, Come, winter, have another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Go, winter, and come not again. 

Meditation

Holocaust Memorial Day

On 27 January every year people gather together for Holocaust Memorial Day Commemorations. It is held on 27 January because that is the day upon which Auscwitz concentration camp in Polcand was liberated by the Soviet Union. eight months before the war officially ended. When they arrived about 7,000 people remained, but in the five years it was open an estimated 1.1 million poeple were killed there and about90% of them were Jewish. On a cold Friday morning this week we gathered at the Anne Frank Memorial Tree in Russell Park in Bedford and listened to a service in which school children gave readings and meditations and prayers were said to remember the victims and commend them to God. A Jewish prayer was said for the for the Souls of the Departed called El Male Rachamim, the prayers are shown below together with a statement of commitment. This statement was signed unanimously by delegates from 44 governments who met on 27 January 2000 in Stockholm to discuss Holocause education, remembrance and research. This statement has become the HMD statement of commitment.

HMD Statement of Commitment

• we recognise that the Holocaust shook the foundations of modern civilisation. Its unprecedented character and horror will always hold universal meaning
• we believe the Holocaust must have a permanent place in our nation’s collective memory. We honour the survivors still with us, and reaffirm our shared goals of mutual understanding and justice
• we must make sure that future generations understand the causes of the Holocaust and reflect upon its consequences. We vow to remember the victims of Nazi persecution and of all genocides
• we value the sacrifices of those who have risked their lives to protect or rescue victims, as a touchstone of the human capacity for good in the face of evil
• we recognise that humanity is still scarred by the belief that race, religion, disability or sexuality make some people’s lives worth less than others’. Genocide, anti-semitism, racism, xenophobia and discrimination still continue. We have a shared responsibility to fight these evils
• we pledge to strengthen our efforts to promote education and research about the Holocaust and other genocides. We will do our utmost to make sure that the lessons of such events are fully learnt
• we will continue to encourage Holocaust remembrance by holding an annual UK Holocaust Memorial Day. We condemn the evils of prejudice, discrimination and racism. We value a free, respectful, and democratic society

El Male Rachamim

God, full of compassion, whoose presence is over us, may the souls of the millions of brothers and sisters who were victims of genocide all over the globe, and who have gone to their everlasting home among the holy and pure on high who shine as lights of heaven, find the safety and rest denied them on earth, beneath the wings of your presence. Merciful God, cover them in the shelter of Your wings forever, and bind their souls into the gathering of life. May they find their destiny in Your nearness. May they be at peace in their place of rest. And let us say Amen.

 

Hymns

1. I will sing I will sing
2. Bethlehem of noblest cities
3. Through long years of watchful waiting (see below)
4. Lord of hopefulness
5. Come on and celebrate
6. Faithful vigil ended
7. When we walk with the Lord
8. I want to walk with Jesus Christ

 

Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead

Almighty and everliving God, we humbly beseech thee that, as thy only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean hearts by the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

O Lord Jesus Christ, as a child you were presented in the Temple and received with joy by Simeon and Anna as Redeemer of Israel: mercifully grant that we like them, may be guided by the Holy Spirit to acknowledge and love you until the end of our lives. Amen (Church of South India)

A Prayer to Bless Candles. God our Father, whose Son was revealed to Simeon as the light of the nations, and the glory of Israel, let these candles (+) be to us a sign of his light and presence, that, guided by the Holy Spirit, we may live by the light of faith until we come to the light of glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Let the flame of your love never be quenched in our hearts, O Lord. Waking or sleeping, living or dying, let us delight in your presence. Let the flame of your love brighten our souls and illumine our path, and let the majesty of your glory be our joy, our life and our strength now and for ever. Amen Johann Arndt, 1555-1621

Let us all hasten to meet Christ, we who honour and venerate the divine mystery we celebrate today. Everyone should be eager to join the procession to share in this meeting. Let no one refuse to carry a light. Our bright shining candles are a sign of the divine splendour of the one who comes to expel the dark shadows of evil and to make the whole universe radiant with the brilliance of his eternal light. Our candles show how bright our souls should be when we go to meet Christ. The God-bearer the most pure virgin, carried the true Light in her arms and brought him to help those who lay in darkness. In the same way we too should carry a light for all to see and reflect the radiance of the true light as we hasten to meet him. Sophronius of Jerusalem

Lord give us the eyes of faith,
to see your presence in the world.
Where fear closes our eyes, help us.
Where tears blind us, heal us.
Where busyness keeps us from noticing, slow us.
Where pride gets in the way, release us
Set us free to see your love at work in the world. Amen

Prayers for Sunday and the Week Ahead

Let us pray to the Father through Christ who is our light and life.
Father, your Christ is acclaimed as the glory of Israel:
look in mercy on your Church, sharing his light.
Father, your Christ in his temple brings judgement on the world:
look in mercy on the nations, who long for his justice. Amen
Father, your Christ, who was rich, for our sakes became poor:
look in mercy on the needy, suffering with him. Amen
Father, your Christ is the one in whom faithful servants find their peace:
look in mercy on the departed, that they may see your salvation. Amen
Father, your Christ is revealed as the one destined to be rejected:
look in mercy on us who now turn towards his passion. Amen

Lord God, you kept faith with Simeon and Anna, and showed them the infant King.
Give us grace to put all our trust in your promises, and the patience to wait for their fulfilment;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Christ the Son of God, born of Mary, fill you with His grace to trust His promises and obey His will,
and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you
and remain with you always. Amen

 

The Candlemas Prayer

Lord God, you are the source of everlasting light.
Your son, our beloved Lord Jesus
was presented in the temple 40 days after his birth.
He was recognised by Simeon and Anna,
and welcomed as the promised Messiah.
May we like them, behold the glory of the Lord Jesus.
Grant that we may stand before you
with hearts cleansed by your forgiving love.
May we serve you all our days
and make your name known
as we worship you as our Lord.
So may we come by your grace
to eternal life .
Amen.

O God, who in the work of creation commanded the light to shine out of darkness: we pray that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ may shine into the hearts of all your people, dispelling the darkness of ignorance and unbelief , and revealing to them the knowledge of your glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Commentary

I am sure that on several occasions over the past few months I have turned on the radio and heard them tell me 'today is the most depressing day of the year.' Are they just making this stuff up or are we getting worse and worse days? I would guess that it is not the most depressing day of the year, - it just feels like the most depressing day of the year.'

Well the good news is that winter is half way over! We are at candlemas, halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Groundhog day as they say. If it is sunny tomorrow we are all doomed– in for more bad weather, if it overcast then by some perverse twist of fate we we are out of the proverbial weather woods.

Spiritually there is also good news as we come to candlemas. We have this beautiful story of the Aged Simeon and the aged Anna in the temple.

The background to the passage from Luke today is seen in the Book of Leviticus Chapter 12:1. This taught that

On the eight day after the birth of a boy, he was to be circumcised
Then the woman was to wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. Here is the reading from Leviticus 12:1 if you find it helpful

The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: 'A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding.
"'When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. He shall offer them before the LORD to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood.
"'These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'"

It is worth noting that Mary and Joseph offer the poor sacrifice. This was a credit crunch time for Mary and Joseph too. Jesus does not grow up in a rich family. It is official they were poor. Their sacrifice was all they could afford. The Reverend Peter Owen Jones did a great series on the television called 'Around the World in 80 faiths?' Peter is one of those people who can join in with other faiths as he goes around. I am afraid I would just not be able to be quite so involved in the way that he does, he is really giving of himself and shares with the people in an honest and open way. But one of the things which Peter finds difficult is the whole sacrifice thing. It becomes apparent just how intrinsic sacrifice is to so many religions still today. So many people believe that the way to God's heart is to kill things.

Now of course this was once the way that things were in our faith. We need to be reminded that Mary and Joseph thought God wanted two little birds to be killed as an offering to God and to make atonement for sin so that God’s appetite for vengeance was satisfied.

The really good news is that the passage from Hebrews today tells us that it is all over. The life of Jesus is God's way of telling us that he does not want the death of anything or anybody. The only death which matters to us now is the death of Jesus, and that was God's way of showing us his love and reassuring us that there is nothing which we can do which will make him love us less.

At Wednesday Holy Communion this week we were looking at the passage from Hebrews where we are told that Jesus sat down. His work was finished. Jesus work was done, once and for all. That phrase Once and for All, really does some up the sacrifice of Jesus, his death was a one time event and it was for all people.

But I want us to think today about Simeon and Anna. These were really old people. These were people who had rheumatism and arthritis and all the aches and pains that we have, without the medication. These were old people who knew how difficult it was being old. Poor old Anna was also a widow and had been for a long time. So they have much to teach us about being old.

Now I receive contacts from lots of people of people complaining. There is a common theme to many of the complaints which I hear. People who are older tell me that things today are just not what they used to be. Once upon a time things were so much better. Now I myself have some sympathy for this line of thought because I can remember a time when my savings, my pension and my endowment mortgage were worth something. But as I listen I realise that for these people there is not just a looking back to specific times of well being. There is a general despair which has so drawn them into a harking back to some past bygone age when the roads were paved with gold, they have been so dragged backwards that they no longer have hope for the future. They have nothing to look forward to because everything back there was brilliant and everything going forward is rubbish.

Well there are lessons to be learned today for all of us and especially to anybody who is all fed up and miserable about the future. Do not allow these people to imprison you in their dungeons of despair.

Remember first of all that when this episode took place, the Romans were occupying the land as a military force. We know from the stories of Jesus that taxation was an issue, they tried to trap Jesus with the question about paying taxes to Caesar. And we know from the life of Jesus also that if you stepped out of line you could end up being punished on a cross. It was when times were like this, so much worse than anything which we experience today, that Jesus was brought by Mary and Joseph, forty days after he had been born to the temple.

Simeon and Anna, these old people greeted him. Now you would be forgiven for thinking that Mary and Joseph would find themselves hearing old Simeon and Anna moaning about how bad everything was. They could have harked back to the good old days. But they didn't.

They were both old but they didn't live in the past.
They both had lots to complain about but they were positive about the future.
Neither of them were moaners.

We are told that the Holy Spirit rested on Simeon. The Holy Spirit leads us into the future with hope, because the future is God's.

The challenge for each of us is to put our trust in God in the same complete way that Simeon and Anna did

We must like Simeon have the faith to recognise God at work in his world. have the faith to trust that God has a plan for his world
We must like Anna be able to look to the dawning of a new age.

We do not know what lies around the corner. However we do know that God has not abandoned us in the dark

The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear.

Commentary

In the shops the Christmas bits have been put in the box and we have moved on to Valentines Day and Easter already. However as faithful Christians taking note of our lectionary we come this week to Candlemas, a feast sadly not celebrated by many churches these days. I say sadly because it is presents to us so many helpful themes.

The Feast of Candlemas is always February 2, 40 days from Christmas. but we celebrate it on the Sunday closest. It is on that date because in accordance with Leviticus 12:1 seven days after Christmas, January 1, we have the feast of our Lord's circumcision, then thirty three days after that, February 2 is the feast of his being offered in the Temple and the Purification of Mary after the birth. (See note at bottom of page)

I know this last week we had what is described as most depressing day of the year. Apparently the 27th is the time when bills arrive after Christmas, we haven’t yet been paid and the Inland revenue are causing people bother, apparently it all converges on this date. Well thank God for Candlemas then. It lies half way between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, so it marks the day upon which winter is half over and we are moving towards brighter and better days. For that reason it has many pagan and rural associations, with practices such as groundhog day and predicting the weather.

At this time we remember Simeon and Anna greeting the baby Jesus as he is presented in the Temple.
And we have these marvellous words of Simeon

"Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou has prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel." Luke 2:25-32.

In these words, Simeon sort of wraps up the Old Testament. The promised salvation has arrived, the Messiah is here. We can now start looking to the new age. Now for the Jews this is not true, the Jews are still looking for someone else, whilst we as Christians assert that the "Coming One" has come. As Christians we say with Simeon: "Our eyes have seen His salvation."

So Candlemas is a time of rejoicing that God has kept his promise and given his Messiah for the sake of the world. When we realise this we can understand how the group of Jews who believed in Jesus would have to move out away from the synagogue. The early believers were Jewish people, who had seen the fulfilment of the prophecies in Jesus and so now they were living in a new age inaugurated by the Messiah. Jews who did not acknowledge who Jesus was were left waiting for somebody who had been and gone.

But there is another side to Candlemas and these words of Simeon to Jesus and Mary. In our reading Simeon goes on to speak some chilling words of prophecy

Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." Luke 2:34-35

Candlemas has been described as one foot in Christmas and one foot in Easter, it is a watershed when we look back at the birth of Jesus and we look forward to the cross of Easter. Candlemas reminds us that Christmas is not an event for one day, but an invitation to a new life.

What does it mean for us ?

Candlemas reminds us that whilst the baby Jesus might appear vulnerable and cuddly, yet there he brings a tough challenge for us which will lead him to the cross of Easter.

Jesus preached a powerful and challenging message which we are called to follow in a life changing way today. We are called to be a holy people. That means taking seriously God’s call to what holiness means. Obviously this has implication in terms of personal piety and seeking to create lives suitable to be called Christian. Our reading today from Malachi calls upon those who worship God to put aside such things as adultery. More importantly there are imperatives placed upon us a Christian church concerning bigger issues.

It is to our eternal shame that the Christian church has been involved in the oppression of people of other different faith positions, different faiths, different colour skin, different sexuality indeed just about any kind of difference has been picked upon and minority groups have been bullied. So we who wish to stand alongside Christ must share his path to the cross and be prepared to stand with him alongside those who are not welcomed by others. Jesus was seen to be prepared to be judged by the religious establishment by friendship with supposed sinners.

So today for example our search for holiness must lead us to

• concern for the oppressed and the poor
• refusing to be a part of systems which oppress minorities
• working for change in our world
  

This might mean that we have to become involved in things which people say do not concern us. There are many Christians who are dualists, they believe that religion should be concerned with saying our prayers, asking God to stop injustice might be OK but getting involved, being God’s agents in our world is opposed. We are sometimes warned that religion and politics should not mix, what a good job great Christians reformers never took that seriously.

Recognising God’s salvation in Jesus means that we have to live different kinds of lives. We are a part of that salvation of which Simeon spoke. We are called to share in that great work.

So we celebrate the light of Christ this Candlemas and we take the risk to stand out as lights in the darkness. We do this knowing the danger, that which took Jesus to the cross. This Candlemas, let us each ask God to challenge the meditations of our hearts and the actions of our lives. Charles Royden

Churching of Women

In Jewish tradition women were considered unclean after the birth of a child and were not permitted to enter the Temple to worship. This was 40 days after the birth of a son and 60 days after the birth of a daughter. At the end of the 40 or 60 days, the mother was brought to the Temple or synagogue and ritually purified. Now she can go to religious services again, and generally go out in public. So we celebrate the ritual Purification of the Virgin Mary, the specified forty days after she gave birth to Jesus. In more recent times people will remember the churching of women after the birth of a child. Women were frequently not allowed into other people's home and were treated as 'unclean' until churching had taken place. It is an interesting paradox that giving birth to the Saviour of the world made Mary unclean !

 

Hymns

When candles are lighted on Candlemas Day
The dark is behind us and Spring's on the way.

A glory dawns in every dark place,
The light of Christ, the fullness of grace.

The kings have departed, the shepherds have gone,
The child and his parents are left on their own.

They go to the temple, obeying the law,
And offer two pigeons, the gift of the poor.

But Anna and Simeon recognise there 
The Christ-child who came at the turn of the year.

The old who have suffered and waited so long
See hope for the world as they welcome the young.

They gaze at God's wonderful answer to prayer,
The joy of the Jews and the Gentiles' desire.

The light is increasing and Spring's in the air.
Look back with thanksgiving! Look forward with awe!

They see before Mary a heart-piercing grief,
But trust is complete at the end of their life.

For Mary will follow, with tears in her eyes,
Her Saviour and Son to the foot of the cross.

O Spirit of God, with like courage inspire
Your everyday saints who face up to despair.

They pass through temptation, through failure, through death.
When darkness descends they plod onward in faith.

Like Anna, like Simeon, may they have trust,
The eyes to see Jesus and peace at the last.

The candles invite us to praise and to pray
When Christmas greets Easter on Candlemas day.

Tune Lourdes

Mary and Joseph
Came to the temple
Brought the boy Jesus,
Offered him there.
People were waiting
Wanting to greet him,
Long had they sought him,
Solace for care.

Anna had prayed there,
Widowed, long waiting;
Worshipping God by
Day and by night.
Now she is praising,
Filled with elation;
Here is God's promise,
Christ is her light.

Simeon sings now
God proffers blessing,
Brilliantly gilding
Dawn of his day;
Light in the darkness,
Never extinguished,
Light of all nations,
Light up our way.

Tune Bunessan

 

The light of Christ has come into the world;
the light of Christ has come into the world.
1 All men must be born again to see the Kingdom of God;
the water and the Spirit bring new life in God's love.
Chorus

2 God gave up His only Son out of love for the world;
so that all men who believe in Him will live for ever.
Chorus

3 The light of God has come to us so that we might have salvation;
from the darkness of our sins we walk into glory with Christ Jesus.
Chorus

 

Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.

REFRAIN
Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today.

2. Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has pow’r to save us.
Make us your living voice. REFRAIN

3. Longing for food, many are hungry.
Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us your bread, broken for others, shared until all are fed. REFRAIN

4. Longing for shelter, many are homeless.
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others, walls made of living stone. REFRAIN

5. Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another, making your kingdom come. REFRAIN

Come on and celebrate
His gift of love, we will celebrate
The Son of God who loved us
And gave us life.
We'll shout Your praise, O King,
You give us joy nothing else can bring,
We'll give to You our offering
In celebration praise.

Come on and celebrate,
Celebrate,
Celebrate and sing,
Celebrate and sing to the King.
Come on and celebrate,
Celebrate,
Celebrate and sing,
Celebrate and sing to the King.

 

The light of Christ has come into the world;
the light of Christ has come into the world.
1 All men must be born again to see the Kingdom of God;
the water and the Spirit bring new life in God's love.
Chorus

2 God gave up His only Son out of love for the world;
so that all men who believe in Him will live for ever.
Chorus

3 The light of God has come to us so that we might have salvation;
from the darkness of our sins we walk into glory with Christ Jesus.
Chorus

1 Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand;
ponder nothing earthly-minded, for with blessing in his hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand.

2 King of kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth he stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture-in the Body and the Blood-
he will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food.

3 Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of light descendeth from the realms of endless day,
that the powers of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away.

4 At his feet the six-winged Seraph; cherubim with sleepless eye
veil their faces to the Presence, as with ceaseless voice they cry,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, Lord most high.

Liturgy of St James, Anonymous Greek, Sigesato pasa sarx broteia translated
Gerard Moultrie (1829-85). Tune Picardy

 

I want to walk with Jesus Christ all the days I live of this life on earth;
to give to Him complete control of body and of soul.
Follow Him, follow Him, yield your life to Him
He has conquered death, He is King of Kings;
accept the joy which He gives to those
who yield their lives to Him

I want to learn to speak to Him, to pray to Him, confess my sin,
to open my life and let Him in, for joy will then be mine.

I want to learn to speak of Him - my life must show that He lives in me;
my deeds, my thoughts, my words must speak all of His love for me.

I want to learn to read His word, for this is how I know the way,
to live my life as pleases Him, in holiness and joy.

O Holy Spirit of the Lord, enter now into this heart of mine;
take full control of my selfish will and make me wholly Thine!

 

1 Bethlehem, of noblest cities
none can once with thee compare;
thou alone, the Lord from heaven
didst for us incarnate bear.

2 Fairer than the sun at morning
was the star that told his birth;
to the lands their God announcing,
seen in fleshly form on earth.

3 By its lambent beauty guided
see the eastern kings appear;
see them bend, their gifts to offer,
gifts of incense, gold and myrrh.

4 Solemn things of mystic meaning:
incense doth the God disclose,
gold a royal child proclaimeth,
myrrh a future tomb foreshows.

5 Holy Jesu, in thy brightness
to the Gentile world displayed,
with the Father and the Spirit
endless praise to thee be paid.

1 Be still, for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One is here;
Come bow before Him now with reverence and fear.
In Him no sin is found, we stand on holy ground;
Be still, for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One is here.

2 Be still, for the glory of the Lord is shining all around;
He burns with holy fire, with splendour He is crowned.
How awesome is the sight, our radiant King of light!
Be still, for the glory of the Lord is shining all around.

3 Be still, for the power of the Lord is moving in this place;
He comes to cleanse and heal, to minister His grace.
No work too hard for Him, in faith receive from Him;
Be still, for the power of the Lord is moving in this place. 

 

 

 

1 Through long years of watchful waiting
Simeon’s deep devotion shone:
gratefully the child he cradles,
humbly holds God’s Holy One;
rests content in life’s quiet evening,
now his Temple task is done.

2 So God’s age–long word of promise
in that place is realised;
his salvation now embodied
as a helpless infant cried;
hearing Simeon’s pointed blessing
Mary’s heart is crucified.

3 In the following years she watched him
as he pondered God’s intent;
in that teeming crowd she lost him,
as his searching way he went;
in her grief, the son she mothered
for the whole world’s need was spent.

4 As the end of Christ’s obedience
on that towering cross appears:
Mary watches with the women
as the soldiers swing their spears;
Simeon’s word she recollected,
and her love dissolved in tears.

5 In Christ’s death outside the city
God’s own heart is pierced with pain:
in this world’s unending conflict,
seeds of hope on earth remain;
in the light of patient servants
Christ’s self–giving lives again.

 

1 Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
Whose trust, ever child-like, no care could destroy,
Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

2 Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
Be there at our labours, and give us, we pray,
Your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

3 Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
Your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.

4 Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
Your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.