Sunday 1st February, The Presentation of Christ (Candlemas)

This Sunday we celebrate Candlemas, traditionally the end of the Christmas season, which remembers the presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple. The highlight of the story is Simeon and Anna’s declaration of Jesus’ destiny as the saviour of Israel. These two faithful people have waited for years – even decades – for God’s messiah to be revealed, and their joy on finally seeing their hopes realised bubbles out of Luke’s words.

For me, though, it’s the intimate, personal detail that stays with me in Simeon’s words to Mary: “and a sword will pierce your own soul too”. Compared to everything else he has said it really jars, and in any case, what kind of thing is that to say to a young mum?

But it reminds us that Luke is not writing a fairy story but a story rooted in the real world, a world where joy and pain are often mixed, where the journey to resurrection goes via the cross. Luke is not selling his reader a daydream or a cheap promise of easy hope. The salvation that Jesus comes to bring is costly, and to walk with him is to accept that sometimes the way will be hard. Mary’s story will be one of bemusement, confusion and loss before the promise of Simeon and Anna is fulfilled. But, as for them, so for her the promise will eventually be realised, and the joy will be complete. As for her, so may it be for us.

Every blessing,

Roger.