Dear Friends,

February 2nd falls on a Sunday this year. Our Prayer Book indicates that when this happens the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple takes precedence. In other words, we’re called to celebrate a feast rather than a Sunday. Such directives are unusual because a major thrust of our Prayer Book is declaring Sundays as primary; only two other events of Jesus’s life (besides his presentation in the temple) are “higher” than a Sunday: the Holy Name, 1 January, and the Transfiguration, 6 August.

Why do we celebrate this feast?

It’s a commemoration of the presentation of Christ in the Temple, which occurred 40 days after his birth as prescribed by Jewish law. St. Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem to be dedicated to the Lord and to sacrifice a pair of doves or two young pigeons. Once in the Temple, a devout man, Simeon, along with a prophetess, Anna, praised God for Jesus, and then Simeon said,

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace, your word has been fulfilled: My own eyes have seen the salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.

What does that mean for us this Sunday?

We will begin our liturgy with a blessing of candles, and then a procession around the aisles in the church, “to meet the Lord” just as Simeon and Anna did.

Why will we be blessing candles?

The Feast of the Presentation came to be known as the Candle Mass, or Candlemas, because early on, a tradition developed to bless the candles to be used in the church for the coming year.  We will have church candles to bless, and if you would like to bring some candles from your home to be blessed, please do so. There will be a large basket under the table with the church candles, and you can place them there and then pick them up after the service.

Children are invited to start the morning with parents in church, and then proceed to their classrooms at the end of the opening procession.

Christ is our light and salvation. Join us on Sunday to celebrate this Good News.

Faithfully,

Tom