In our Collective Worship at the end of January, we marked the feast of The Presentation of Christ in the Temple which we learnt is also known as ‘Candlemas’.
The story can be found in St Luke’s gospel (chapter 2) and the feast marks the time when Mary and Joseph took the infant Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem so that the purification rites after childbirth could be completed. In the temple they met an old man, Simeon, who had been promised by God that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. Simeon took Jesus in his arms and thanked God that he could now die peacefully, as God had promised, because he had seen the promised salvation describing Jesus as a light to the Gentiles (i.e. the non-Jewish people) and the glory of God’s people, Israel.
It is the reference to Jesus being a light to the Gentiles that the alternative name of Candlemas came into being. Many churches have a procession where everyone carries a lit candle, which is then blessed, whilst they listen to the gospel story.
We adapted the candle ceremonies so that every child received a lit candle in a safe manner to remind them of Jesus being a light to all the world.
Jesus is the light of the world – a light that no darkness can put out. We can shine His light in our world.