The true light for the world

Today is the fortieth day after Christmas Day. (Does that feel close or far?) And that number is important, because today, throughout the Christian world, we celebrate the feast known as the Presentation of the Lord Jesus in the Temple. To some extent, this feast belongs to the Christmas season, even though we have now moved into the ordinary time of the year. Some of you may know it by an older name—as Candlemas—but more on that in a minute.

Firstly, we have just heard together the story of that day when Mary, Jesus’ mother, and Joseph, his stepfather, took Jesus up to Jerusalem from Nazareth to be presented to God, his true Father. It was 40 days since his birth in Bethlehem, and it was customary to mark the end of that period by having the child blessed. It was also a chance for the parents to give thanks to God for the gift of this new life of theirs.

That’s what we are remembering today. And like Mary and Joseph, we have much to be thankful for. Though he was once a little baby, Jesus grew to be our Lord and Saviour of the world. Because of his life, death and resurrection, we have received the promise of eternal life. So we have good reason to remember, with a real sense of thanksgiving in our own hearts, the day that Jesus was presented in the temple. Perhaps there is something you would like to thank God for right now. Feel free to do so, quietly in your heart.

Now, back to that other name for today’s feast: ‘Candlemas’. Let’s recall the old man Simeon from the story. We are told that he had come to the temple that day. And can you remember what he said to Mary after seeing the baby Jesus? He said: ‘My eyes have now seen the salvation promised; I have seen the light to all the nations, and the glory of God’s people.’ So Simeon tells us that Jesus is like a light shining in dark places. And what might be a way of symbolising such a light? A candle, of course. So, by calling today ‘Candlemas’, we are reminding ourselves that Jesus, as our Lord and Saviour, is the true light for the world.

I said at the beginning that this feast, to some extent, belongs with Christmas. But there is another season that this day points to, that of Easter. Jesus is the Light of the World in his death and resurrection. It is the light of Easter that illuminates the presentation of Jesus in the temple—he is, in his sacrificial life to be lived, a light to the nations, including this nation, us people.

I am sure you would agree with me that there are many things in our country today where the sacrificial and redeeming light of Jesus really needs to shine out. Perhaps that should especially be our prayer this morning, and through the day: to pray that the light of Jesus will shine out brightly in those places that are dark, both in the world around us, and in our own hearts.

God our father,
Source of eternal light,
Fill our hearts today,
With the light of faith and forgiveness.
May we who carry in our hearts the light of Christ,
Come with joy to the everlasting light of heaven.
We make this prayer in Jesus’ name,
light of the world, and light to the nations. Amen.