The Reverend Philip Banks writes:

Christian Light

Candles have long been used in churches for worship, symbolising Jesus being proclaimed as the ‘Light’ in John’s Gospel, not least as the ‘Light of the World’ (John 8:12).

The church celebration at the start February of Candlemas (or, more fully, ‘The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple’) is a wonderful festival, remembering again the light of Christ in our often dark world. It comes forty days after the celebration of Jesus’ birth, and picks up the proclamation in the ‘Song of Simeon’, read in church on that day – which we know as the Nunc Dimittis (Luke 2:29-32). As usual, we will keep Candlemas this year with a children’s procession around the church during our Family Mass, as we remind ourselves of the elderly Simeon taking Jesus into his arms in the temple, and proclaiming that he was to be a light for all peoples.

Paul James, in his book ‘Kindly Light’, describes how, when he was a teenager, it was the custom in his church during the Candlemas liturgy to bless all the candles which were to be used in church during the coming year. There were stacks of candles all around the priest, of many different sizes and shapes for different altars, processional candles and votive stands. Perhaps we should do that here each year!

This month also sees the start of the season of Lent, with our Ash Wednesday services on 6^th February. As we reflect on the meaning of the Light of Christ for us, there will, as usual, be additional opportunities for us all to grow in our faith as a church family together. Each Monday evening in February and March there will be an informal Eucharist in church at 7.30pm, followed by a reflective Bible study led by the clergy, ending by 9.00pm. For those that can’t make a Monday night, the Bible study will be repeated on Wednesdays at 2.00pm in the church meeting room and at 7.30pm at 30 Wisdom’s Green, the home of Stephen and Audrey Beckett. I do hope that you will be able to come to one of these each week. More details about this and our guest preachers for the Sundays of Lent are in the separate purple leaflet available in church.

There is something about the liveliness of a candle flame which gives hope as well as light, and the flame’s consuming of the wax is sometimes described as representing Jesus’ sacrifice for others, taking our sinfulness away. May we each seek to bring light, liveliness and joy into our homes, communities and relationships, and may the light of Christ always be with us to guide and strengthen us.

This comes with my love and prayers,

Fr Philip Banks

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