January 28 2007

Hebrews 2:14-end & Luke 2:22-40

The Presentation of Christ

A light for revelation to the Gentiles” – words of Simeon. Or, as the prayer book puts it: “a light to lighten the Gentiles.” Of course that is you and I – we are gentiles, non-Jews. (And apologies if anyone here is Jewish).

Only those in darkness need light. And that is where Candlemass comes from. It used to be the day the Priest blessed all the candles to be used throughout the year (and still is in some churches). That is why you have a candle. The most important part of what I want to do, is a short meditation on light, and that’s when you are invited to light your candle. But let’s first look at this wonderful story, and let’s do so through the characters in it.

Mary and Joseph are fulfilling the requirements of Jewish Law in two ways. The two ceremonies were not always carried out together, but they are here:

1. 
   Purification after child-birth, which after the birth of a boy was 40 days. It is curious that Luke says ‘the time came for their purification’ –probably a recognition that Joseph as well as Mary needed to be ritually cleansed. They were not able to pay for the full sacrifice of a Temple lamb, so made the ‘offering of the poor’ of two young pigeons, as detailed in Leviticus 12
2. .
   Presentation of the child in the Temple. Every first born male is holy in the eyes of the Law and is to be dedicated to God. This involves payment of 5 shekels to ‘redeem’, to buy back the first born. This is found in Exodus 13 and Numbers 18. Parents pay the priest, but no earlier than 31 days after the birth.

So it is we see these devout Jewish parents, with v limited means, doing what the Law asked of them, but leaving the Temple in amazement after the words of Simeon and Anna and having been blessed by the old man too.
Simeon was a holy man, probably not a priest, but the HS was on him. He was looking for ‘the consolation of Israel’, a phrase which means the coming of the Messiah. And he had been told he would witness it before he died. Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit he recognised in this baby of 40 days, the fulfilment of God’s purposes and, taking Jesus into his arms, bursts out in praise, with words we call the Nunc Dimittis, from the Latin “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace”.

And then there was Anna, an old woman of 84 whose suffering through early widowhood had not turned her against God. Rather, she had devoted her life totally to costly prayer, always to be found in the Temple, the House of prayer. Again, inspired by the HS she praised God for Jesus, seeing in Him the means by which God would bring about His purposes for Israel.

After Mary and Joseph had completed the law’s requirements they went back to Nazareth, pondering all that had happened. But it would be wrong to think of this scene as a cosy one, with an old man and an old woman coo-ing over a special baby. There is darkness and pain in this scene. Simeon warns that this child will be the cause for many to fall and others to rise; he will be a sign that will bring opposition. His words and his life will expose the falseness and hypocrisy of many; and his mother’s heart will be pierced because of his suffering. Yes, he is the glory of his people Israel, but not in the way they were expecting. A messiah, yes, but a suffering Messiah who would serve not take political power. And yes, he is a light to the nations, but light shows up what has been hidden in darkness.

And there was much darkness in their world then as there is in ours now. And into this darkness comes the light, light as vulnerable as a baby of six weeks, vulnerable as a young mother confused by the responsibility she finds herself with, vulnerable as an old man and an old woman who have known pain and will soon know death.
And what is our vulnerability? What is our pain? What fears lurk in the shadows within us? What shames stay hidden in the darkness of our lives? Into our darkness can come the light to enlighten every man, woman and child. How was that light revealed to Mary, to Joseph, to Simeon and Anna? Through simple and trusting and honest openness to One who brings light. What did John write? “The light has come into the world and the darkness has not overcome it.” It never has and it never will. This is the theme of our meditation. Please take up your candle which can now be lit. Hold the candle as a sign that light overcomes darkness but darkness can never overcome light. (The candle will go out on its own after about 7 mins so don’t worry about that)…
The light of the candle is a symbol that however dark it gets for us, or in our world, the light of God can never be extinguished.

***********


MEDITATION (With candles & music)
In the beginning there was darkness. And into the darkness and the chaos, God brought light and order. He gave two lights, one to govern the day, and 1 to govern the night.
“The light has come and the darkness has not overcome it.”

The Creator made many creatures, and some He made in His image, those to understand Light and Truth. But they chose darkness and hid in the shadows.
Yet “The light has come and the darkness has not overcome it.”

God sent messengers to bring the light of Truth, those who brought His word to be a lamp to their feet and a light to their path.
But they chose their own way and wandered from His.
Yet…“The light has come and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Then the One who has been Light and Truth from the beginning came into the world and lived among them. But the light of His life was too bright and exposed the darkness in theirs. So they tried to extinguish the light.
But they could not do so.
“The light has come and the darkness has not overcome it.”

And those who welcomed the light into their lives shone in the darkness, but many preferred the darkness to light because their deeds were evil. So they attempted to snuff out those who exposed them.
Yet…“The light has come and the darkness has not overcome it.”

And today there is darkness, there is fear, mistrust and anxiety. There is evil, corruption of the truth and a shadow over the world. And yet, just as surely as that baby was born, “The light has come and the darkness has not overcome it.”

And the darkness will never, will never, overcome it. And at the end all will stand, will stand before the Light that has been there from the beginning….May we be given grace to carry that light within us, now and always. Amen
(music fades)