Word to the Wise
Friday, February 2, 2018 - Feb. 2 - The Presentation of the Lord
[Mal 3:1-4; Heb 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40 or 2:22-32]Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel. [Luke]
The beautiful prayer of Simeon, recited or sung every evening at NIght Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours, gives this feast its principal liturgical imagery - light. The feast has a traditional name: Candlemas, because candles were blessed and carried in a procession. Some of those same candles will be used in another tradition tomorrow on the feast of St. Blase: the blessing of throats.
The specific meaning of light, however, on this feast is Christ, the light of all peoples. Simeon's prayer mentions Gentiles and Jews alike, which is in keeping with the broad scheme of the Gospel According to Luke, in which the gospel spreads from Galilee to Jerusalem and then to the whole world. I can remember from the days of B&W television the program of the Christopher movement with the song line, "If everyone lit just one little candle, what a bright world this would be." I think that song line captures a lot of this feast. Our own faith can be a candle in the darkness to someone in need of some light. On Holy Saturday, when the new fire is blessed, it is spread through the congregation by everyone sharing the light. This feast can help us to remember how powerful our own light can be in bringing Christ to others. AMEN