Year A Candlemas Sermon Text
Today the Church marks the Feast of Presentation of the Lord, one of the oldest feast days from the ancient Christian Church, dating back to at least the 4th C. It is also known as Feast of the Encounter – when Mary and Joseph brought their child to the Temple in Jerusalem; the first encounter between Jesus and his people, represented by Simeon and Anna, took place.
So what happens on this day? According to the Law of Moses, after a period of time following childbirth, mothers should present themselves in the temple for purification and present their firstborn to God. They were required to give an offering, and we are told that their offering was a pair of young pigeons, the offering of the poor. Mary and Joseph want to do what is required; but are not expecting what happens next.
Simeon, an elderly man, guided by the Spirit, comes into the temple, and immediately recognises that Jesus is the Messiah, and then a second person, Anna, also elderly and devout responds to the revealed truth of Jesus, redeemer of Jerusalem.
What does St Luke say of Simeon and Anna? He underlines, more than once, that they were guided by the Holy Spirit.
Simeon is a wonderful character with multiple layers of significance, not only to Luke’s unfolding narrative, but also for us today. He is portrayed as exemplary in the way he read and reflected upon the Old Testament; a man of profound faith, led by the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit had promised Simeon he would not die before seeing the Messiah. “Inspired by the Spirit “(v. 27) he goes to the temple on this day, and sees a young couple from Nazareth dedicating their baby boy and offering two birds as atonement, a detail Luke mentions probably to point out that they did not have the means to offer the customary lamb and one bird (v 24; see Lev 12:8).
Simeon is not witnessing a political movement or military revolt to overthrow Rome. He does not experience a revival of strict law-keeping led by the Jewish religious leaders of the day. Nor is that the kind of fulfillment he has been expecting. All that Simeon has longed for is wrapped up in this baby he now holds in His arms.
And as he takes the infant he lifts Jesus up to God, and utters the most beautiful prophecy, often referred to by its Latin name, Nunc Dimittis:
“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation
Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
There is also a prophet named Anna in the temple; a widow who spends her days “worshipping with fasting and prayer” in the Temple (v. 37). On seeing the Holy Family, she too recognises who Jesus is, the fulfilment of all that had been promised to the people of God, the one who brings light in darkness, hope in despair, and redemption in brokenness.
Simeon and Anna, these elderly faithful people, are full of life! They are enlivened by the Holy Spirit, obedient to God’s action, and sensitive to God’s call.
This moment of encounter with Jesus, Mary and Joseph is a meeting between the young, who are full of joy in observing the Law of the Lord, and the elderly who are full of joy in the action of the Holy Spirit. It is a unique encounter between observance and prophecy, where the new parents are the observers, and the elderly are prophets!
It is not an ending, but a fulfilment which directs them all to look forward to what is to come, with the pain alongside the joy of the fullness of life.
Candles have long played a role in celebrating the feast of the presentation of Jesus, the light of the world, in the Temple. Today, candles are no longer our essential source of light, and we may regard them as more of a luxury item, often given as gifts, with beautiful scents. But in the past, candles were essential, and highly valued. Some churches would bless all their candles for the following year at this service, alongside a tradition of those gathering bringing their candles to be blessed in a special service whose name was … Candle Mass.
There are various traditions around the world associated with this day.
In the UK, Candlemas was the day when people predicted the weather. Farmers believed that the remainder of winter would be the opposite of the weather on Candlemas Day. An old folk song goes:
If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas bring clouds and rain,
Go winter, and come not again.
So what could this festival mean for us today?
A good friend was telling me recently about their uncle, a lifelong resident of a small crofting community on Lewis. I met him once when we were on holiday there – he was very welcoming, and interested in who we were and more importantly what had brought us to Lewis, yet clearly the world of his wee crofting township was plenty big enough for him.
He had known local people who had fought in both World Wars, and was always bothered that there was no war memorial in their village. So he began his work to right this wrong .
Not long before he died, this long hoped for memorial was completed. And he, along with others, were able to gather on Remembrance Day to honour their family and friends.
He spoke to our friend about this very significant event, saying to him, ‘Now I can die in peace.’
So, I’d like to offer two things for us to take home today…
I offer you this question, a question to ponder, and pray with; what is it that I need to do in my life to be able to wholeheartedly pray the Song of Simeon – Now O Lord, I can depart in peace?
Perhaps you need to do something about a relationship or a hurt that needs some action from you in order for healing to happen, or about an issue that you feel burdened by.
Please, take that question home with you for reflection. And when you’ve reflected and identified the beginning of your process of redemption, then allow the question and your initial steps to its answer as a prompt for action.
Secondly, I offer you something more concrete to take away.
At the end of our service, before the final blessing, I will offer a prayer of blessing for a basket of new candles. You will each receive one of these to take home (they will be distributed (by welcomers/children) during our final hymn). Please use these in your own homes in times of prayer. Perhaps the candle could be a focus as you reflect on that question of what you need to be or do to be able to depart from this earthly life, whenever that may be, in peace. And as you pray with your candle, listen for the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart and your mind, in the blessed light from your Candlemas candle.
Amen