Anchored in Hope, Forward in Faith
-
The Presentation of the Lord
Malachi 3:1-4 Hebrews 2:14-18 Luke 2:22-40
Reflection: Fr. Billy
It’s the Month of February, the Month dedicated to the Passion of the Lord and today, forty days after Christ mas, the Church celebrat es The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also called Candlemas Day. In the Eastern Church, this feast is called the Feast of Meeting or Encounter - our encounter or meeting with God, who became a child to bring newness of life to the world. Expectant hum anity is represented by the elderly Simeon and Anna. Today’s feast commemorates Joseph and Mary fulfilling the Law of Moses by bringing the Child Jesu s to the Temple 40 days after his birth. Simeon, a righteous and devout man awaiting the consolation of Israel, declared him a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory for your people Israel. This sparked the tradition of blessing enough candles to last an entire year, and to candle processions in churches and in the streets.As Simeon and Anna hurried to meet the Christ, so we should be eager to meet Christ, as the baptized, and carrying the light of faith. We should note the significance of burning candles. The flame burns away the candle fat to produce light. I wonder what needs to be burned away in our lives in order to be a brighter light for others. We should all carry a light for all to see and reflect the radiance of the true light as we too hurry to meet the Messiah. Let all of us share in the radiant splendor that beckons us to the light whose brilliance is eternal.
When we receive Holy Communion, we take on the role of Simeon who was privileged to hold the Lord in his hands. We too hold the Christ in this meeting and encounter through the Holy Eucharist. For the elderly Simeon, there is nothing more that he wants in life than to meet the Messiah, and so with gratitude, he prays: “At last, all-powerful Master, you give leave to your servant to go in peace, according to your promise. For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared for all nations, the light to enlighten the Gentiles and give glory to Israel, your people.” [Luke 2:29- 32]
Attentive to the fact that we have been claimed for Christ by the sign of the cross and baptized for mission, it’s good to recall that a candle in shedding its light and in burning brightly - is itself consumed. For us, as ministers in time and place, as instruments of God’s glory and the light of Christ, we must know that we will be consumed … A burning candle is a symbol of selfless generosity giving light and warmth. May our lives be a source of blessing and warmth to those around us … There is a song entitled Go Light Your World and the refrain goes like this: Carry your candle, run to the darkness … Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn … Hold out your candle for all to see it … Take your candle and go light your world.