Epiphany Newsletter article

Newsletter article

February 2nd, celebrates the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, Candlemas, a story showing great trust in God because Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the Temple to give thanks for his birth, showing it as a special place in Jesus’ life as he grew up. There we meet the elderly priest, Simeon who had been told by God he wouldn’t die before seeing the Messiah and Anna the widow who had spent her life waiting for God to reveal himself to her which he did in Jesus the small baby.

Candlemas is THANKSGIVING and WAITING joined by deep faith and trust in God. Candles are lit as signs of hop as we give thanks for God giving his Son to be our Saviour.

Candlemas turns our thoughts from Epiphany to Lent. Christmas is over and our focus is upon the suffering that is to come as Simeon tells Mary, ‘A sword shall pierce your own soul also’ (Luke2:35). Thoughts turn to the events of the last week of Jesus’ earthly life culminating in being crucified for us in order to save us. He has to suffer to complete God’s work for Him and we have to suffer with Mary so that we understand our lives won’t be without pain and challenge.

We know Jesus’ death is followed by the resurrection. We have the Holy Spirit to walk with us in the challenging times of life guiding us closer to God in all that we do and say.

Let us look forward and welcome the light of Christ, rejoicing that the Holy Spirit is always with us strengthening, supporting and driving us until the end of our lives when we can say with Simeon – ‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,’ 

(Luke 2:29).