Christians give a lot of attention to light. We seek to be the light in the darkness. We believe that the darkness cannot overcome the light. And we understand Jesus to be the light of the world.
This Wednesday the Church calendar marks a combination of things. It’s Candlemas, it‘s the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and it’s the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. All three are closely associated with the same reading from Luke’s Gospel in which Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the Temple, where he meets Simeon and Anna. Simeon holds the baby in his arms and speaks the words which are sung at Evensong every Sunday, in which he expresses his gratitude for having seen God’s salvation in the form of the baby in his arms - “A light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of your people Israel”. In some traditions, believers bring their own candles to church on this day to have them blessed, so that this blessed light can shine on them for the rest of the year.
Lord, the light of the world,
Shine your light on each one of us.
Shine light in the darkness and cast out the shadows.
Let your word penetrate the hearts of all who hear,
to show us the path of righteousness.
Amen