Rest in the arms of Jesus
Today we think about the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (officially celebrated on February 2 nd ) sometimes known as Candlemas and we heard in the gospel (Luke 2:22-40) of Jesus being taken to the Temple 40 days after his birth as was the custom under the Jewish law. We also reach the end of the Christmas season – you might have thought it went some weeks ago, but actually it officially lasts until today. We’ve reached this point 40 days after Christmas and we go with Mary and Joseph and Jesus to the Temple. At the Temple Mary and Joseph met Simeon... Simeon was a remarkable character – a devoted elderly Jew who had clearly spent time listening to God, something we can all learn from, and God had promised Simeon that he wouldn’t die until he saw the Messiah. When he saw Jesus, Simeon immediately knew he was the one he’d been waiting for. And Simeon spoke of Jesus as the light for all people, and it is these words we symbolise in the candle of candlemas – Jesus as the light of