Year C

Luke 2:22-40

The Very Rev. Denise Vaughn

Shine the Light of Christ

When February 2 falls on a Sunday which happens every few years, it is celebrated as a feast day in the church. Known as Candlemas, also called The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. It is celebrated 40 days after the birth of Jesus and is a day that honors Jesus as the Light of the World. Jesus brings light into a world that often feels dark or uncertain. Candles in many churches are blessed during the service of which we will do today. These candles that symbolize Jesus the Light or Revelation that Simeon called him today, remind us that Jesus guides us, even when life is challenging, and lighting candles at home, of which I do all the time, can be a way to keep this reminder in our daily lives.

Today’s Feast Day is celebrated in different countries in unique ways. In France, for example, the people make and eat crepes, symbolizing the sun and the light returning after winter. In Mexico, families dress up figurines of baby Jesus and bring them to church for a special blessing. In some cultures, people hold a candlelight procession, walking together in prayer and song, carrying the blessed candles. All these different customs celebrate the joy and hope that Jesus brings to all nations; a day that invites us to renew our commitment to follow Jesus, walk in faith and trust as “children of the light” as we wait for Christ’s return.

Simeon and Anna today teach us about waiting for God’s promises and trusting in God’s timing. They spent their lives in prayer and hope, watching for the Messiah and when the baby Jesus arrived with Mary and Joseph, they recognized him immediately. Mary, showing her obedience to God’s law, 40 days after Jesus was born, takes him to be dedicated in the temple, as required in the Torah, the “Law of Moses.” We read in the book of Exodus, that the firstborn male is to be dedicated to the Lord. The Christian Church for generations has dedicated male and female babies in the Sacrament of Baptism.

Baptism is the presenting, the giving over of a child to God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Unless the child is sick, we usually wait longer than the 40 day period to baptize a child. In the temple that day, Mary and Joseph dedicate their firstborn son. There was nothing outwardly to distinguish them that indicated they were anything other than another poor young couple coming with their newborn son. The Jewish law required that a couple bring a lamb for a burnt offering and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering.

The poor could take two turtledoves or two young pigeons instead. Jesus born of humble origins, his parents could not afford to buy a lamb for the sacrifice. But the Lamb would later be sacrificed on a cross as Jesus, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. The Jewish people had been waiting for a Messiah for centuries and most are still waiting today. The gospel tells us that Simeon, prompted by the Holy Spirit, came to the temple. As the child is carried in, Simeon knew this was the long awaited Christ Child and he was moved to prophesy that this child was destined to change the world. Simeon saw the baby Jesus as the fulfillment of all the hopes and dreams of the Jewish people. He would be a prophet unlike any other prophet, bring the redemption of Israel, and be a light for the Gentiles.

There was no doubt in Simeon’s mind that this small child that Mary and Joseph held would be the Savior of the World. Much the same could be said of Anna whose name means “grace”, an old woman a prophetess who had spent the eight decades of her widowhood at the Temple fasting and praying. The story of Simeon and Anna is a story of grace as they were graced by God. God blessed Anna’s faithfulness by allowing her to see the Savior of the world and God fulfilled the promise he made to Simeon that he would not die before he saw the Messiah.

In thankfulness, Simeon utters the words that are now known as the Nunc Dimittis-often read in the Daily office of Morning or Evening Prayer found in the BCP. “Lord, you now have set your servant free to go in peace as you have promised; for these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, whom you have prepared for all the world to see: a light to enlighten the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.” And we read Mary and Joseph were amazed and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel” and it all happened exactly as Simeon predicted.

Many would fall and rise at his coming. The rich and the powerful would turn away from the Savior. The mighty would be cast down from their thrones and the haughty in their conceit not recognize their Lord. Ultimately, Jesus’ love for all people leads him into a struggle against oppression that results in his crucifixion. The joy of Christmas leads to the agony of Good Friday. When Mary watched her son die, a sword pierced her soul. The Scriptures do not separate the cradle from the cross as this little baby was born to die. The text from Hebrews today reminds us how important Jesus and his works are for us. His death sets us free from the fear of death.

Martin Luther claimed that Christ’s saving work leads to the contempt of death. And we can now proclaim boldly with him: “I conclude, therefore, that for a Christian there is nothing more to fear either in this life or in the life to come, since both death and all evils have been changed into a blessing and a gain.” We will be blessed by God because this little baby was born to save the world. The Hebrews text presents us with a priest who has experienced, suffered, and risen beyond any difficulties we might be facing. The risen Jesus rose from the dead to show us that God cares and loves us.

God’s salvation doesn’t mean that we will never suffer troubles, illness, rejection or death but if we live with faithful obedience as seen in the lives of Simeon and Anna, we are promised we have nothing to fear and we will not only be able to recognize God working in our lives, with the help of God’s Spirit but one day we will also see our savior.  “For good things come to those who wait and with eyes to see.” As those who have been dedicated to the Lord and heirs of a promise, we can glorify God and depart in peace to share Christ’s salvation, to share Jesus, the hope and light of the world because we are called to make a difference.   

So today we celebrate the Epiphany moment of the coming of Christ the “True Light” into the world with the hope that the whole world will someday become illuminated by that light. Because Jesus brings light to our lives, the greatest challenge for us is to take this light of peace, kindness and hope out into a world of injustice and not allow this world to consume our light but allow it to shine.