The Light of Christ Comes
Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
The practice of lighting candles is an beautiful tradition in our churches, communities, and families. In our Catholic tradition, candlelight has a special place because it symbolises Christ who said, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have light and life” (John 8:12).
A lit candle is a thing of beauty. All of us have had the experience of lighting a candle, seeing the purity of the light and experiencing the sense of God’s presence, the atmosphere of peace; the comfort and security that it gives. A lit candle can symbolise a prayer offering when we present our petitions to the Lord and ask for what we need. This light, as it is kept burning, also shows our desire to remain in God’s presence as we go through our daily duties at home and in the workplace.
The association of candles with today’s feast is because, inspired by the words of the Simeon’s canticle, early on in the Church’s history, the custom developed in the Church of blessing candles on the Feast of the Presentation (which became popularly known as Candlemas). The blessed candles were then lit, and a procession took place through the darkened church while singing the Canticle of Simeon, the hymn that Simeon sings when he meets the Christ-child in the Temple.
Today we consider what darkness and difficulty we have or may be still experiencing that the light of Christ can dispel. The light of Christ comes to the temples of our lives to bring hope and comfort.
Today’s Gospel passage narrates the beautiful story of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. This event gathers the great story of Israel into its fulfilment. Out of love for fallen, wounded humanity God raised up for himself a people, the people of Israel, that through them, the Saviour might be given to the world.
In the first reading from the book of the prophet Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, there is the beautiful verse which goes: “The Lord God says this: Look, I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way before me. And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple.” Today the ancient prophecies of the coming of the Messiah are fulfilled, as the Christ-child is brought into the Temple. Mary and Joseph fulfilled the requirements of Jewish Law, going to the Temple to make the sacrifice for their new-born son. The sacrifice that they make is the alternative sacrifice of the poor, turtledoves or pigeons, rather than the lamb or kid, which they would not have been able to afford.
They meet Simeon whom the Gospel describes as righteous and devout and full of the Holy Spirit. Three times in this passage there is a link between the Holy Spirit and Simeon, and we get the picture of a man directed and attentive to the Holy Spirit. Simeon is presented to us as an old man who had been waiting all his life for the coming of the Messiah - the mercy of God who would bring healing and forgiveness to broken humanity. Today, the One for whom he has been waiting enters the Temple. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, Simeon recognises in this tiny, vulnerable baby the fulfilment of all the hopes of humanity, he recognises the Saviour.
Then follows the beautiful prayer of Simeon, a canticle which is known as the Nunc Dimittis, from the first two words of the prayer in Latin. This Gospel canticle is recited each night at Compline or Night Prayer, as part of the Divine Office.
As Franciscan postulants back in the early 90’s we used to pray the prayer of Simeon as part of Night Prayer in common each night before bed with our old postulant master, Fr Marius Banks. I remember Fr Marius saying how significant this prayer was for him and how in his old age he was conscious that one night he would pray this prayer for the last time. He said that he used to wonder each time he prayed it if were the last time he would be saying those words of Simeon. Still every time I pray these words, I think of Fr Marius. When I heard years ago that he had died in his sleep, I imagined him praying these words at Night Prayer before bed that night. I think Fr Marius will always be a Simeon figure for me.
I wonder who are the Anna’s and Simeon’s live among us today in our own families and communities and parish church? Who would you consider to be Simeon’s and Anna’s in your lives? Those of you who are further on in life, know that the Church and the world needs Simeon’s and Anna’s. The Simeon’s and Anna’s among us inspire gratitude and teach compassion by the lessons of their long lives. They are those who have the wisdom that comes with age. They extend love and care to us in their grace and joy. They inspire us in their faith that has been made strong and unshakable through a lifetime of struggle. The Anna’s and Simeon’s of our time and place are rays of God’s light shining through all of our lives, showing us the way to God's eternal dwelling place.
But Simeon’s prophecy to Mary about Jesus was also distressing: ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected’ (Lk 2:34). The prophecy leads our thoughts away from the Incarnation, with its emphasis on God becoming human in Jesus Christ, towards the Paschal Mystery, which emphasises the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ. The prophet Simeon proclaims that this Child will be a “light” for Israel and all nations— but that light will endure great suffering and pain before finally shattering the darkness on the cross. Luke’s Gospel of the Child Jesus reminds us that the crib is overshadowed by the cross, that this holy birth is the beginning of humankind’s rebirth in the Resurrection.
There are a few pointers we can take from this Gospel text today. Firstly, we should continue to reflect on and be awe-inspired by the saga of the Incarnation. There is something humble and beautiful about the way God works as seen in the birth of this holy child, a pattern of humility and beauty that is true to other ways that God intervenes in our lives.
Secondly, this event and the story that we read today is not without its complications and difficulties. The poverty of the holy family, the sign of contradiction that the child is destined to be, the suffering that follow for the child and Mary, his mother, and that Mary and Joseph are amazed, overwhelmed, by what is being said of the child, are all complexities that have parallels in our lives. This means that the holy family has a relevance for us and can be an inspiration and model in the way we live our lives.
Thirdly, the relationship of Simeon to the Spirit of God is an inspiration for us to be attentive to the workings and promptings of the Holy Spirit. We need to cultivate a silence and reflection to make space in our lives to listen to the Spirit directing our lives.
One day we will say prayer of Simeon for the last time in our lives. Our hope should be that we will pray it with the same joyful gratitude of Simeon, with the same peace of mind and heart.
