Candlemas | Year B

Today is the feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, also known as Candlemas. We’ve just heard the story of Jesus being present to Simeon and Anna. We heard of Simeon’s love for God, how he was waiting for God to save the people of Israel.

We hear that he had been visited and told that he would not die until he had met Christ. We those words of Simeon’s, words which you will have heard if you’ve been to Choral Evensong or tuned in on Radio 3 in the Nunc Dimittis. Simeon declares that he is now able to die in peace, knowing that Jesus will be a light for all nations, the light of the world.

Candlemas is that time when Christians celebrate the return of light into the world, and it marks the end of the Christmas-Epiphany season.

What do candles mean to you?

When do you light candles?

Why do you light candles?

Lighting a candle is significant. We are encouraged to light candles to recall certain events,

·     Holocaust Memorial Day yesterday,

·     during the Coronavirus Pandemic,

·     to commemorate the day the lights went out at the start of the First World War,

·     following the murder of Sarah Everard.

In this way they become symbols of solidarity, of a collective outpouring, providing beacons for those lost in the darkness.

That is what Jesus is for us, as a light to all the nations, all peoples regardless of faith and belief. Jesus is the Light of the World. As Christians we try to reflect that light, being shining lights in the world. As you listen to the Nunc Dimittis now, I want you to think about:

·     What does it mean for us to shine like a candle in our world? How do we bring light where there is darkness?

·     Hope where this is despair?

·     Joy where there is sorrow?

In a world that can seem dark and lonely, may we shine like lights bringing joy and hope into each other's lives.

Amen.