The Presentation of Jesus Christ in the Temple (Candlemas) 2/2/2025
Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 24:7-10; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40
Rev. Mark A. Lafler
Today is the Feast Day of The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple… also known as Candlemas.
It is on February 2nd of every year… and today it falls on a Sunday.
And in some more Roman Catholic traditions and Christian cultures this day is the official end of Christmas…
That is the day of Christmas to Candlemas.
A 40-day cycle…
We are 40 days since December 25th.
Now that will really confuse our cultural Christmas season… right?
Talk about counter-cultural…
Imagine sharing with family, friends, and neighbors that the official end of the Christmas season is on the same day as Ground Hog Day…?
You can try that next year if you like.
Actually, this day was (and is for some) the day you burn your Christmas tree.
Well, that’s our Christian tradition on this day…
The Church calendar though really is about the Feast Day.
On this Feast Day we remember the story from our reading in Luke’s Gospel when the young baby Jesus was brought to the temple…
To be presented in the Temple.
The title, “The Presentation,” reminds us of the Jewish law
from the Old Testament book of Exodus (13:2; 22:29)
that every firstborn son had to be dedicated to God in memory of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt,
when the firstborn sons of the Egyptians died…
and those of Israel were spared.
Mary and Joseph were following the religious customs of their Jewish faith.
They brought Jesus to the temple…
This was 40 days after Jesus birth in Bethlehem…
probably about two years before the Wisemen came.
It was there that a sacrifice was made…
Two turtledoves or two young pigeons were given.
According to the law found in the book of Leviticus (12:6-8).
The law required a lamb, but if the woman was poor,
she could offer two turtledoves or pigeons.
This is once again emphasizing the poverty that Jesus…
God Incarnate…
the Creator of the universe…
was born into.
Born into poverty…
so that we may become rich in Him…
because of his great grace.
Now, while they were at the temple…
Our reading introduces us to a couple of interesting people.
The first is an older gentleman named Simeon.
He is described as righteous and devout…
He was looking forward to the consolation of Israel…
or the comfort of Israel…
In other words, he was searching and waiting for the Messiah.
In Luke’s description of Simeon, he mentions the Holy Spirit three times.
First, Luke writes that the Holy Spirit rested on him.
This idea of the Holy Spirit resting on Simeon or being upon him…
is important.
It suggests that Simeon’s posture toward God was one that invited the Holy Spirit’s presence…
And we can see this from St. Luke’s description of Simeon.
He writes that Simeon was righteous.
That is, he was just and ethical.
He is described as devout.
That is, he was faithful.
Luke also says he was looking forward to the relief of Israel.
That is, he was looking toward the fulfillment of God’s promises…
the fulfillment of the prophecies that there is a Messiah coming.
So, Simeon is someone the Holy Spirit rested upon.
Second, Luke suggests that he listened to the Holy Spirit.
He writes:
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
Whether it was in prayer, daily devotion, a dream or vision…
we don’t know…
but Simeon knew by the Spirit that he would see the Messiah before he died.
He was listening…
He had an attitude of hearing what God was saying…
he listened to the Holy Spirit.
And third, Luke writes that on this day that Simeon came into the temple he was guided by the Spirit.
Simeon, once again whether in a special vision or just in the stillness of daily prayer… he was guided to come to the temple on this day.
He followed the Spirit’s prompting… the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
There’s a lot we can learn from Simeon’s relationship with the Holy Spirit.
He invited the Holy Spirit’s presence…
He listened to the Holy Spirit…
And he followed the lead of the Holy Spirit.
May we meditate on that for our own lives.
So, when Simeon came into that temple area…
he saw the baby Jesus…
and in that moment, he knew in his heart that he had seen the Messiah.
He took Jesus in his arms and began to prophesy.
Saying:
Lord, you now have set your servant free
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior,
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel.
This is known as the Nunc dimittis…
which is Latin for the first words in the original word order…
meaning now release or now dismiss.
It appears in our Prayer Book a number of times –
In Morning Prayer Rite 1 it is Canticle 5.
In Morning Prayer Rite 2 it is Canticle 17.
It is in Evening Prayer… as is the tradition beginning in the 4th century.
It is said in the ancient prayer of Compline.
And is suggested as a prayer at the end of Burial services.
You see, Simeon was close to the end of his life and when the promise of God came true in that moment…
Not only for him to see the Messiah…
But also, the revelation of the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and what this would mean for the world…
He was overcome and sang out the words…
Knowing that his time had come…
You have now set me free to go in peace…
For my eyes have seen the Messiah…
Just as the promise had suggested.
And Simeon knew in that moment…
In that very Jewish world…
In the great city of Jerusalem…
in the presence of the grand Second Temple…
in front of Mary and Joseph…
Perhaps in front of the Priests…
He declared the mission of this baby to be for all the world…
Not just a Messiah for the Jewish people…
But a savior for all the world.
… you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel.
And then he spoke to Joseph and Mary and predicted Mary’s pain with the suffering and death of Jesus – a sword will pierce your own soul too.
Right from the start of Jesus’ life…
His mission…
His purpose…
Was to sacrifice his life for the sake of the world.
Jesus is the perfect offering for our sins and the sins of the whole world.
(1 John 2:1-2)
And then St. Luke introduces us to another character, Anna.
She was a prophet…
Elderly… it says she was of great age… a widow…
at least 84 years old…
some scholars suggesting that the Greek texts points toward her being just over 105 years old.
Anna was another devoted believer in Israel.
The Gospel writer Luke suggests that she never left the temple,
but worshipped there with fasting and prayer… night and day.
She was faithful.
She was dedicated.
She too saw baby Jesus…
She praised God and prophesied about the baby.
Although her words were not recorded…
she spoke of the redemption of Jerusalem through the baby Jesus.
And then Luke ends the reading with Mary and Joseph finishing what they needed to do in order to fulfill the law and they returned to Nazareth…
and Jesus grew in God’s favor and wisdom.
And that’s the story of Candlemas.
Two elderly folks that hung out in the Temple…
That God used to declare that Jesus was the savior of the world.
And this is what I want to leave you with today…
No matter who you are…
God has a plan for your life.
Every person in the story plays a role.
The baby Jesus…
The young new family Mary and Joseph.
The elderly man, Simeon.
The elderly widow, Anna.
Whether you are poor, elderly, widowed, or just had a baby…
God has a plan for you.
Let me put it this way…
If you are alive… God has a plan for you.
You might be in an assisted living home.
You might work 55 hours a week at a stressful sales job.
You might be a stay home mom or dad.
But if you are faithful in where you are at… and what you are doing…
God will use you to share the light of Jesus in the place you are at.
Don’t settle for the distractions in life…
Or the excuses that we are too busy, too old, too young, too stressed… too whatever.
No!
God has called us to shine his light in this time…
and in this place…
and in this moment.
We should be faithful to that calling…
Just as Simeon and Anna were faithful.
Today, is Candlemas.
May we proclaim the words of Simeon:
A Light to enlighten the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel.
May we be encouraged today by the examples of Simeon and Anna.
May we be encouraged by the faithfulness of God in Christ Jesus.
And may we shine the light of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
