Today Liverpool Cathedral is celebrating Candlemas, the Feast of the Presentation of the infant Christ in the Temple. The celebration has its roots in Luke’s birth narratives when Mary and Joseph take the infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem for the ceremony of the purification of the mother forty days after the birth.
In the Temple the Holy Spirit inspires two special, elderly, and holy people to prophesy about the infant Jesus’ future. It is here in the Temple that Simeon speaks of Jesus as a light bringing God’s salvation to the Gentiles as well as to the Jewish people. Simeon’s prophecy was expressed in the canticle known as the Nunc dimittis
My eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel
For those of you who wanted to do some thinking and preparation for today’s service during the preceding week, I invited you to reflect on the image of lights in order to enrich and to deepen the power of Simeon’s prophetic insight into God’s plans for Jesus. In today’s picture from their book Light, Aled and Sian are discovering how the single light bulb in their attic enables them to see the many things stored there.
Lord Jesus Christ,
you bring light in darkness
and hope in despair.
Send your light into our lives,
so we may live to praise your name;
through time and through eternity.
Amen.
Next Sunday is the Second Sunday before Lent when the Gospel reading is the Prologue to John’s Gospel. The image to help us prepare for that reading is words. You can find out more about that theme by looking at the Educational Resources and the Preparation Resources.
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Notice Sheet
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Exploring the Sunday Gospel – Third Sunday of Epiphany