Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leefield Parish on the Feast of Candlemas. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Longing for Light, We Wait in Darkness"
Today's Gospel
Luke 2:22-40Presentation of Christ at the Temple
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
"Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed-- and a sword will pierce your own soul too."
There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.
Reflection
At the beginning of the text we are told that Jesus was taken to the temple in accordance with the law. The law dated as far back as the time of Abraham, [Exodus 13:1-2] and was part of what was known as the purification rite as written down in the Torah, [Lev. 12:1-8].
At the temple, the Holy family encounter Simeon, who has been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would see ‘the comfort of Israel’ before he dies. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon enters the temple and recognises Jesus as the promised Messiah and ‘comfort of Israel’, and takes him into his arms, blessing the Lord.
For those of you who have attended the night service of Compline, you will recognise Simeon’s words, which are also known as the Nunc Dimittis; "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
This heartening moment serves as a reminder of the power of expectant faith and the rewards of perseverance in seeking God’s will, and shows us God’s total faithfulness in keeping His promises.
Simeon’s words would have been highly significant to the Jewish people, who lived during a time of great expectation and were waiting for a Messiah to liberate them from oppression by the Romans and restore Israel’s glory. The phrase ‘comfort of Israel’ in particular would have pointed to towards a sign of hope for redemption and salvation that the nation yearned for.
Simeon also foretold the destiny of Jesus, when he indicated that, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed.” This hints at the divisive nature of Jesus’ ministry, predicting that He would inspire faith and belief among some, while triggering division and rejection among others. As we later learn though the story of Jesus’ ministry, He would not be a leader that many were expecting, one who would come to conquer through might and war; instead as Simeon foretells, He would be a leader who led by opening up the kingdom of God to gentiles as well as Jews and brought the opportunity of salvation to everyone.
Simeon's words to Mary also foretell the pain and suffering that Jesus would be prepared to endure on the Cross for our redemption. It may seem contradictory, that as Simeon is giving thanks and blessing for the Messiah, he is also predicting His suffering. But that is the point! The Good News of Jesus is not about the absence of suffering, it’s about the grace and love of God sacrificing His only Son for our redemption.
Simeon’s song reminds the faithful of the joy and peace that comes from encountering the Saviour not only in person but in our everyday lives. Paul
Our Prayers
Heavenly Father,
We give you thanks for the example of your servant Simeon,
Who waited with patience and devotion,
for your promise to be fulfilled.
We pray for that same level of trust and devotion, that we will in faith, be with you in happiness and delight.
AMEN
Today's final hymn is "Be Thou My Vision"
Notices
Our Sunday services next week are at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes’ and 11 am at St Thomas’. The Tuesday morning service of Holy Communion is at St Thomas’ at 10 am, and Worship for all Generations is at St Agnes’ at 6.30 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On Monday 3rd February we will have our All-Age Worship Singing at 4.30 pm in the Community Room. Everyone is most welcome to join us as we practice some old and new hymns and worship songs. Also, if you have any favourite hymns, please feel free to tell us, and we’ll try to include them in our worship.
This Thursday, the 6th February, representatives from the Churches Together in Lees and District group will be meeting in St Thomas’ Community Room to discuss our plans for upcoming joint services and events during Lent and Easter. Everyone is invited to come along and join our fellow Christians as we work together in unity.
Finally, a little update on the heating at St Thomas’ Church. There has been a leak in the system, which the gas engineer has been unable to trace because the pipework is below the stone flags. We are considering possible options, but repairs are likely to be very costly and take quite some time. In the meantime, we will continue to worship in the Community Room as we do on Tuesday mornings, because that space is on a separate heating system.
