Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. Simeon and Anna. 

Luke begins this story of the presentation of Jesus by emphasising that this was Mary and Joseph obeying the law of Moses and the law of the Lord. Luke may have done this because his audience may not all have been familiar with Jewish laws, or it could be that Luke wanted to emphasise this lineage between the Jewish people and what was accomplished through the coming of Christ and his subsequent death on the cross. 

The parents of the infant Jesus are clearly faithful Jews and partake in all the rituals that are required of their religion, so they take Jesus to Jerusalem to complete the ritual of purification according to the law of Moses. But when they arrive it is clear that there is something different about Jesus. You could image hundreds of infants being brought to the temple for this ritual yet when they arrive they are met by Simeon and Anna. Their appearance and actions highlight a significant breaking in of something new, which comes in the shape of two elderly Israelites. There is something about the fact that it is this elderly pair who are announcing something new that makes it even more significant. 

Their age gives more gravitas to what they are saying, they are not afraid of this new thing coming, they have enough resilience within themselves and their faith to know the old will not be forgotten and that they are part of the continuity for the people of Israel. Simeon is looking forward to the consolation of Israel, the fulfilment of the salvation promised by God in scriptural passages such as Isiah 40.1 and 49.13. 

Anna prophecies about Jesus being the redemption of Jerusalem. They represent continuity with the great figures in Israel's past. They model faithful Israelites who hang upon the ancient promises and who, through prayer and fasting are best equipped to recognise the promised salvation when it comes. 

This is fundamentally what the season of Epiphany is about. A time for us to reflect on these readings from scripture that point to the revelation that Jesus Christ is the son of God. As Anna and Simeon show us, recognising who Jesus is and what God wants from us can only happen through spending time with scripture and spending time with other members of a Christian community.

I love the words of the Nunc Demitas that Simeon basically exclaims at the sight of Jesus.

‘For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,’

 It is a piece of scripture that I value and love as much as the Magnificat as it brings me back to the many evensongs spent singing in cathedrals and chapels. When you are in a place that was built for the glory of God, I find it really helps me to not only feel closer to God, but also understand God. There’s a mystery and stillness about places of worship that I believe allows you to focus on God, which is why I have found it difficult during lockdown to pray and spend time with God. However some people have found that for them churches are a barrier to finding out more about God. I think sometimes we can be overly precious about our church buildings and so fail to see how they could hinder a person to find out more about God. Which is why this is a good time to try something new and to ponder how do we enable people to see the salvation of God that is for all people? 

We won’t have all the answers to this question, nor will we be able to accomplish half of what we think of, but spending time together as best we can as community and listening to each other is a good start. Candlemas brings us to the end of Epiphany and so the end of this time when we reflect on Jesus revelation through the stories of his early life ands early ministry in scripture, but it is only the beginning of the story. As Lent comes upon us, we start to think what this revelation actually means. 

Luke begins this story of the presentation of Christ in the Temple by harking back to the old law of Moses, but this emphasis on what has gone before helps us to recognise the importance of what is to come. Throughout lent we fast from those things that distract us so that we can reflect on what Jesus’ ministry meant for us all. A ministry that would bring about the falling and rising of many, not just in Israel as stated by Simeon, but across the world.

Jesus has never been about staying with the status quo, he has always been about change and turning things upside down. Even before he could speak everything around him was out of the ordinary, from wise men appearing at his birth to elderly women prophesying how he was the redemption of Jerusalem. Yet he wasn’t going to redeem Jerusalem riding on a white horse with an army behind him, he was going to redeem the world on a cross in the dirt and pain of crucifixion. It is this message that we as Christians are encouraged to share with the world. We are charged as disciples of Christ to share this message with others and to think anew how to do this with each generation. Let us encourage those around us who are seeking something new to come and see if the message of Jesus life and death is what is missing from their lives. The doors of the church may be closed, but God is still with us, working amongst us and encouraging us to be lights in the darkness that share the abundant love of God with all people.

Amen.