Lyn Valley Mission Community

Feast of the Presentation of Christ or (Year B)

Malachi 3:1-6 Psalm 24 Hebrews 2;14-end Luke 2:22-40

Today we celebrate the feast of the Presentation of Christ, which is also known as Candlemas. It falls forty days after , on the 2nd , but like the can be translated to a to enhance a celebration. It marks the end of the with the story of the revelation of ’ identity in the Temple in . says of Jesus that he is a “light to lighten the nations” and traditionally this image of light has played out through the liturgy of the day – with the candles for the year in being blessed and churches being filled with candle light.

It is a good day to light a candle in your home and renew your epiphany prayers for its .

The arrival of Jesus at the Temple, for his parents to perform the required sacrifices is understood as a fulfilment of the prophecy in Isaiah set as the first reading for today:

“the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his Temple”

The Temple had great significance as a the symbol of God’s presence with his nation, but during Jesus’ life he both honoured this significance and asked people to broaden their sense of where the worship of God is directed, and the presence of God found. His presentation in the Temple is a moment where being in a special, consecrated place helps those present see more clearly who Jesus is, and how his life to come will draw all towards God. Special concreted places give us space to focus on God’s presence. Jesus’ life, ministry, death and resurrection offer an invitation to take the focus we learn and practice in our religious buildings, and use them beyond the walls too.

One of the challenges at Jesus’ trial was that he had talked of the destruction of the Temple, but the gospel writers are swift to explain that he referred to his own body when he talked of a destruction and rebuilding in three days. Jesus’ own person becomes, for his followers, the place of God’s presence which will make him the focus of our worship.

After his death and resurrection, and the giving of the Holy Spirit, his followers were able to reflect even more deeply. St Paul explains that we are baptised into the body of Christ, becoming members of the body in which God’s presence is worshipped; and he can tell his friends that they are temples of the Holy Spirit. Our own bodies become a location for knowing and worshipping God immediately as we are drawn ever more fully into Jesus’ life and relationship with the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Within the liturgies of Candlemas, there is provision for a to the font, the place of our entry in baptism into the body of Christ. The words and images used in this liturgy celebrate the light of Jesus in our lives, recall the gift of his birth and turn us towards travelling with him towards the cross. In the way the liturgy is crafted the idea is to use the consecrated space in church to focus on the how what we celebrate in church is carried out in the world.

So in this time of reflection that we are all experiencing beyond the walls of church and out in our own homes I’m going to use the procession liturgy as a prompt to help us mark the end of the Epiphany season and our turning towards travelling with Jesus towards the cross and where we are now, as members of the body of Christ and temples of the Holy Spirit.

We light a candle – and remember the candles we lit to journey with the people of God through , and the coming of Jesus the light of the world at Christmas. As we light a candle, or imagine that light, let us open our hearts to God’s light in our lives:

We pray:

Lord God, the springing source of everlasting light, pour into the hearts of your faithful people the brilliance of your eternal splendour, that we, who by these kindling flames light up this temple to your glory, may have the darkness of our souls dispelled, and so be counted worthy to stand before you in that eternal city where you live and reign, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. We use Simeon’s words, the nunc dimittis and I encourage you to use its phrase to reflect on your own life, and the world around you. In prayer you might want to make a phrase a question to God, if things do not come to light for you:

A light to lighten the nations and the glory of your people Israel. Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace: ♦ your word has been fulfilled. A light to lighten the nations and the glory of your people Israel.

My own eyes have seen the salvation ♦ which you have prepared in the sight of every people. A light to lighten the nations and the glory of your people Israel. A light to reveal you to the nations ♦ and the glory of your people Israel. A light to lighten the nations and the glory of your people Israel. Luke 2.29-32 Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen. A light to lighten the nations and the glory of your people Israel.

And as we use the final responsory you might like to reflect on what “here” means for you. In its original form it refers to gathering in the church building. It can mean gathering within the body of Christ with as the church, the people, something we do now in pirit not in person. It might also mean, “here in me, in my heart, and mind and soul”. Father, here we bring to an end our celebration of the Saviour’s birth. Help us, in whom he has been born, to live his life that has no end. Here we have offered the Church’s sacrifice of praise. Help us, who have received the bread of life, to be thankful for your gift. Here we have rejoiced with faithful Simeon and Anna. Help us, who have found the Lord in his temple, to trust in your eternal promises. Here we have greeted the light of the world. Help us, who extinguish [bear] these candles, never to forsake the light of Christ. Here we stand near the place of baptism. Help us, who are marked with the cross, to share the Lord’s death and resurrection. Here we turn from Christ’s birth to his passion. Help us, for whom is near, to enter deeply into the Easter mystery. Here we bless one another in your name. Help us, now to live in peace, to shine with your light in the world. Thanks be to God. Amen.