Rev Sue preached this sermon at St Gabriel’s on Sunday 2 February, on which we celebrated the presentation of Christ at the temple, and blessed the candles to be used in church over the coming year.
The feast we celebrate today has three names: the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple and Candlemas.
Let’s start with candles. I found this quote from a book about the symbolism of candles throughout history and across the world.
One secular source says that “In a quite unique way, candles radiate messages of romance, passion, security, warmth, hope, spirituality, and mystery. They are a burning example that the whole is more than the sum of its parts – be they just a little wax and wick as they are. Deeply rooted in almost every religious and spiritual practice, creed and nationality, there is something peculiar and symbolic in a solitary flame and the aura of light surrounding it. It communicates with our souls. It speaks beyond words. It is the Unspeakable that dwells in the midst of the candle flame. It enlightens, enlivens, inspires, whispers secrets, comforts and ultimately connects. No matter how thick the darkness, the light of one candle conquers it. No matter how solitary one flame is, it is never alone or lonely for its light knows no boundaries and touches eternity.”1
The primary reason to light candles is that Jesus himself said, “I am the light of the world.” The light symbolises both hope and guidance. Darkness is a place of fear where we cannot see the dangers around us. To light a candle is to put away the irrational fears of monsters and intruders that lurk in the back of our minds, and to be empowered to confront our fears. It enables us to see the path in front of our feet, to avoid the obstacles that would trip us up, and the wrong turnings that would lure us away from the correct path. And it protects us on the road, as others can see us and give us space.
I became very aware of the need for light when, a while ago, I spent a very pleasant few days by myself in the Lake District in November. I bought a book about local walks, and one day I decided to venture up one of the hills. In theory, it was a medium-length walk, and I could catch a bus to the town at the end. However, I have no sense of direction, and when the description in the book didn’t match what I could see around me, I decided to just go up the hill. No problem until I came to coming down the hill. Of course, I had a map. But maps don’t help a lot if you don’t know where you are. I walked around in circles for a while, until I found a track and began to descend. What I didn’t have was a torch, so it was a race to reach the road before the light completely faded. As the darkness deepened the track became clearer, and I was on a lane by the time I could no longer see my feet. At the bottom, I checked the bus times on my phone. The next one was in two days. I set about walking. That was OK – I had a few cereal bars to keep me going, and I could plod my way to the nearest town. But my clothing and rucksack were all dark colours, and the road had no pavement. I survived, but I suspect several car drivers were very unhappy at suddenly seeing me at the edge of the road. I now always carry my fluorescent pink rucksack cover, and keep a torch in my bag, so I can see and be seen.
When we feel helpless in the face of someone going through a really bad time, we light a candle and pray. It’s comforting to see the smoke rise towards heaven, imagining that God sees our little light. We know that he hears us anyway, but it feels like doing something in the face of our impotence. So today we are blessing the candles we will use in worship for the next year, and also pray for those we love who are no longer with us.
Secondly, candles are a symbol of purity. They are fire as well as light, and we think of the refiner’s fire purging us of our sin. We all know that, as the welcome light of spring streams through the windows, we usually realise they need a good clean! Light and fire reveal and cleanse. In the Jewish tradition, a woman was made unclean by childbirth, and after 40 days she went to the temple to be purified. I don’t know whether you can remember the days a new mother didn’t come to church until she had been blessed – a practice called “churching”. So today is celebrated as the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when she came to the temple according to Jewish law, and it’s a day when Mary is seen as full of light.
And last but not least we come to the beautiful story of the Presentation of Jesus. Luke tells us how Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple in thanksgiving for his birth, and there they encountered a woman and a man who recognised him for who he was and would become. Anna was a very holy woman. She was widowed after only seven years of marriage and was now aged 84. She had devoted her life to prayer and worship and was known as a prophet. When she saw Jesus, she immediately began to praise God and tell everyone that Jesus was sent as the Redeemer. The man, Simeon, had also lived a devout life. And God had promised him that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah. He took the baby Jesus into his arms and prayed that wonderful hymn of praise we use in Evening Prayer: in prayer book language, “Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace”. Simeon saw in Jesus the light to lighten the nations, so that the whole world – not just the people of Israel – would see him. The climax of the season is here: the baby Jesus has been recognised as the Saviour of the world.
But then, the atmosphere changes, and a chill enters the room. Not everyone will be happy when the light that exposes their darkest secrets comes. Mary is warned that she will see much sorrow. It will be like a sword in her heart. And so, at the end of the service today, we turn away from the joy of the Incarnation and towards the Cross.
1 https://www.candledelirium.com/blog/candles-brief-history-of-symbolism/#:~:text=In%20a%20quite%20unique%20way,and%20wick%20as%20they%20are
St Margaret's Church Prestwich 