The Vicars Voice February 2021
Did you know, that as February begins, we are still in the season of Christmas and Epiphany? We may have put all the decorations back in the loft, or in the cupboard under the stairs, and no doubt put the gifts we received in their rightful place, (I’ve already read one of the books I was given, and am now half way through the next, but the jigsaw is still waiting to be started!!), and we are now looking to the day when we are called to have our first dose of the Covid vaccine.
C hristmas draws to close with the celebration of Candlemas. This is the time when, 40 days after Jesus’ birth, his parents, Mary and Joseph, took him to the Temple as part of the Jewish custom of giving thanks for the safe delivery of the child, and the wellbeing of the mother. Mary and Joseph would have said thank you to God for this precious infant by giving a gift of two doves or pigeons to the Temple. And it is here that they met the elders of the Temple, Simeon and Anna, who proclaimed that this was the one who would bring about salvation for the world. It is from this meeting that one of the most well loved canticles, the Nunc Dimittis, is taken, the song that an aged Simeon gives upon seeing the Christ Child, that he had seen the light of the world, and can now rest in peace.
“Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
Which you have prepared before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel”. The Song of Simeon
February is a busy month as it also sees another Christian tradition, that of Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent, a time of reflection and fasting, when we usually give up something which we enjoy as a sense of self discipline. In these modern times however, it is becoming more favourable to take something up, such as additional reading a Lent book, or doing something for charity.
Both Candlemas and Lent are seasons of hope and looking forward.
T he hope we have today of course is, especially in the times we are living through, that things will get better, that we will once again be able to hug our grandchildren, to enjoy the delights of cake and conversation at the local coffee morning, and go to the cinema or theatre or church and not have to sit 2 metres away from friends.
Where there is hope, there is also love. Love came down at Christmas, and continues on, and on, and on.
With love and blessings to you all
Rev Mandy Xx
