Christ the King- Epiphany/ Wilbraham, MA

Luke 2: 22-40 The Presentation of the Lord

The Rev Michael Hamilton

February 2, 2025

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be pleasing and acceptable to God. Amen (pbs)

Two people who had been waiting many years for the first coming of Jesus were Simeon and Anna. Simeon is described as a righteous and devout man who had eagerly anticipated the arrival of the Messiah for a long time. Not only did the Holy Spirit’s presence fill him, but Simeon was taught and guided by the Spirit. It was revealed to him that he would live to see the Savior with his own eyes. On the day baby Jesus was 40 days old, his parents brought Him to the Jerusalem Temple for purification rites and dedication. That very day, the Spirit led Simeon to go to the temple where he immediately recognized the baby as the Messiah he had longed to see. Simeon is the only one in the New Testament describes as personally holding Jesus in his arms and he begins to praise God, announcing that Jesus would be a light for the nations.

Although it is assumed that Simeon was elderly (since he was ready for death), Anna’s is undoubtedly even older. She is described as “very old” and only married for seven years before she was widowed. Some versions write that she was 84 when she saw Jesus. Anna is the only prophetess mentioned in the New Testament. Since the time that she became a widow, she remained in the temple, worshiping and serving God continually with prayers and fasting. She, too, immediately recognized Jesus as the fulfillment of the long-awaited Savior. Her enthusiastic response was to begin publicly praising and worshiping God, thanking Him for keeping this special promise. Anna then became the very first evangelist (man or woman) as she began publicly proclaiming Jesus as Redeemer to everyone she encountered.

In this mornings Gospel we heard what has become to be known as the Song or Canticle of Simeon, and it is often referred to as “The Nunc Dimittis” which, in Latin means, “now you let depart”. The canticle is a song of praise that expresses Simeon’s gratitude for God’s faithfulness in allowing Simeon to live long enough to see the One to bring about the salvation of Israel. Listen to the words and imagine the joy that Simeon and Anna felt as Jesus was presented in the Temple and consecrated to God, as all first-born sons were.

Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to the nations to dispel the darkness and to the glory of your people Israel.

What I find particularly striking and powerful is that once again, the image of light, is used to describe Jesus in coming into the world. “A light to the nations to dispel the darkness”.

You might have noticed that the Pascal Candle is lit today. Typically, the Pascal Candle is present during the Easter-season, and then again at

baptisms and funerals throughout the year. Each year during the Easter vigil which occurs while Jesus is still in the tomb and about to be resurrected, a new fire is lit to dispel the darkness that has settled over the Earth. From this new fire, the Pascal Candle is lit and the deacon chants and announces, “The Light of Christ”. Three times the deacon announces, “The Light of Christ”, as the candle is processed into the sanctuary to dispel darkness, sin and death. This Light serves to insure us, once again, that nothing can stand between us and the love of God, not even death.

I wanted to have the Pascal Candle here today because along with today being celebrated as the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord, it is also known as Candlemas. This is an ancient tradition and it’s celebration is found in both the Episcopal and Lutheran circles of community life, it is the day that families would bring candles to the church to be blessed for the coming year.

It is a day to honor light, which symbolizes protection, prosperity, and the triumph of good over evil. There is a great deal of symbolism built into this day. Candlemas is a festival of light, acknowledging Jesus as the "light of the world". Just as Simeon blesses Jesus, proclaiming him to be the light to the nations and the glory of Israel it is not only the presentation and dedication of Jesus, but Candlemas is a day for each of us to dedicate ourselves to God. We are invited to present ourselves and commit ourselves to our relationship to God and to assist in sharing the light of Christ with others.

The collect for today at the beginning of our Liturgy prayed, Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

In presenting ourselves and committing to being bearers of the Light of Christ, how can we imagine our one lonely candle, our singular flicker of light, being of any use in dispelling darkness? It seems impossible that “this little light of mine” can make much of a difference in the world and that would be true, if it was my light alone. But the beauty and magnificence in all of this is that I am not looking to light the world with my little flame, I am looking to magnify the light that Christ has already presented and to do that in community. So it is not my little taper, but rather, the collective light of the Gospel, the torch of God’s love and forgiveness, and the bonfire of power that the Holy Spirit is willing to share and ignite if I am willing to bring that little light of mine to the darkness that I find around me. How about you? Are you willing to walk with me and to bring your candle in order to ease the problems of darkness in our world? Once we dedicate ourselves and our energy to living into the Gospel message, no longer is it, ‘this little light of mine’ but instead, my flicker becomes a beacon, my birthday candle worth of light becomes a warming, comforting, and powerful light that The Holy Spirit will enkindle into so much more that we can ask or imagine…. Because that is how God works- if we show up, God is willing to do the heavy lifting.

Do you see darkness in our world today? Are there pockets of distress, people in despair, issues that oppress and destroy others that could use your flicker of light? After dedicating ourselves once again this morning to the mission of God, and as bearers of the Light of Christ, isn’t our responsibility to be aware of those in need of the warmth, comfort, and protection that the Holy Spirit promises to deliver? It isn’t easy to be an evangelist like Anna at times, it isn’t easy to wait like Simeon did, and I think that fear is what keeps us from stepping out and sharing that little light of ours. Fear torments us with the nagging question of, ‘what if this’, ‘what if that’, ‘what if….’. The counterpoint to fear is faith because instead of the “what ifs”, Faith leds us into a more gospel like model of, ‘even if’. Even if X, Y, or Z happens, I will stand with the Gospel. In times of distress and meeting the needs of those around me, I will recall the most basic message that I am called to by the Gospel; “you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might, and your neighbor as yourself."

Even if, the darkness encroaches around me or another, the little light of mine will shine and the darkness shall not overcome it, if I bring it. That is key, my willingness to bring the light where I see it needs to go and I pray that each of us will bring it to the darkness that we see, and I hope that you will invite me or someone else to go with you so that together, we can embolden each other to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. Amen.