Groundhog's Day has been one of my favorite quirky holidays, forever! You are the second person who has blogged on this greater holiday, Candlemas, and it's significance. Even Phil the groundhog is looking for the light on this day!
This is so beautiful - everything about it. The name Candlemas is beautiful. Thank you for the description of the Purification and Presentation history, too! The early bird that comes below my kitchen window in the morning and softly cheeeps, almost like a whisper, has been moving up by about one or two minutes earlier, every few days for the past couple of weeks. The sky begins to get a lighter shade of blue a few minutes earlier as these days go by. The early blooming jessamine and camellias here are saying thank you for the rain. God is Good!
I saw a magnolia bush in pink bud today and thought the earth is waking up and then I read this and thought how wonderful that in the past this was the day when the earth woke up 💛
As to the Cross: In these parts it seems to be assumed that the Substitutionary Atonement view of the Passion is the only known option. I suspect that this is so because it can be used to support the kind of controlling ecclesiastical authority that has become so common among us. Looking forward to your series.
Mr. McCreary, When I looked up Substitutionary Atonement (I'd never heard the phrase) I was dismayed and discouraged to see how anthropomorphically vengeful Anselm's (and current Christian theology's "only known option") God is portrayed.
Interesting. February 2 was my late mom's birthday (in 1925). Lots of jokes about her being a groundhog. After all, we did live in Pennsylvania.
But Candlemas is relatively new to me. Thank you for lifting it up. I long for a community that takes the Christian year seriously, and benefits from the kind of reflection you've given us.
Thank you for this beautiful devotion. I did not know about Candlemas at all! I looked all over my house for a candle and this is what I found. I am thanking God for the light Jesus brought to the world, and the lengthening days, and promising to remember that I, too am a light that needs to shine. God bless everyone on this site! (Sorry, I could not figure out how to share the photo of my one and only candle.)
Inspiring meditation. I understand the assumption/tradition that Simeon is old, but what is the source that he is a “blind prophet?” Please and Thank you.
Diana, thank you for tying together this time on the church’s calendar: we anticipate the light through Advent, rejoice in the light through Christmas, are given responsibility for the light through Epiphany, and now walk in the Light to give us strength for the journey through Lent. Amen.
I'm really looking forward to "hearing" these sermons on the cross. I'm glad you are doing it over time and allowing space for us to think and pray and ponder.
Thanks Diana. I’m in Denver this weekend to hear Nadia Bol Weber preach Candlemas at St. John’s Cathedral. And, I’ll look forward to your sermon on The Cross. With all my struggles in congregations I’ve really run away from the torture of the cross to focus on Jesus of the Fishes and Loaves. Not sure I want to turn back.
could elder mean just older than the younger or perhaps a designation as to church position i don’t think of elder as having to mean elderly. what if he was just a young preacher overjoyed at having seen the messiah. some of us have said all our lives ‘ before i die I hope to ….’. iVe said it since young aduthood
Thank you for this affirmation! I live my life by the liturgical calendar not the secular one. And I love Simeon's song, the Nunc Dimittis, "Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to Thy Word" It is all interwoven with this thread of light.
I love this Diana, and all this season of the growing light. I have come to think of the Transfiguration as the final festival in this season of light.
According to one of my clergy friends it's now time to take down our Nativity scenes!
Groundhog's Day has been one of my favorite quirky holidays, forever! You are the second person who has blogged on this greater holiday, Candlemas, and it's significance. Even Phil the groundhog is looking for the light on this day!
This is so beautiful - everything about it. The name Candlemas is beautiful. Thank you for the description of the Purification and Presentation history, too! The early bird that comes below my kitchen window in the morning and softly cheeeps, almost like a whisper, has been moving up by about one or two minutes earlier, every few days for the past couple of weeks. The sky begins to get a lighter shade of blue a few minutes earlier as these days go by. The early blooming jessamine and camellias here are saying thank you for the rain. God is Good!
I saw a magnolia bush in pink bud today and thought the earth is waking up and then I read this and thought how wonderful that in the past this was the day when the earth woke up 💛
As to the Cross: In these parts it seems to be assumed that the Substitutionary Atonement view of the Passion is the only known option. I suspect that this is so because it can be used to support the kind of controlling ecclesiastical authority that has become so common among us. Looking forward to your series.
Mr. McCreary, When I looked up Substitutionary Atonement (I'd never heard the phrase) I was dismayed and discouraged to see how anthropomorphically vengeful Anselm's (and current Christian theology's "only known option") God is portrayed.
Or did I read what you were saying totally wrong?
You read it right.
Interesting. February 2 was my late mom's birthday (in 1925). Lots of jokes about her being a groundhog. After all, we did live in Pennsylvania.
But Candlemas is relatively new to me. Thank you for lifting it up. I long for a community that takes the Christian year seriously, and benefits from the kind of reflection you've given us.
Thank you for this beautiful devotion. I did not know about Candlemas at all! I looked all over my house for a candle and this is what I found. I am thanking God for the light Jesus brought to the world, and the lengthening days, and promising to remember that I, too am a light that needs to shine. God bless everyone on this site! (Sorry, I could not figure out how to share the photo of my one and only candle.)
Looking forward to the Lenten messages. The cross and its cruelty bother me too and I appreciate reading your thoughts.
Inspiring meditation. I understand the assumption/tradition that Simeon is old, but what is the source that he is a “blind prophet?” Please and Thank you.
Diana, thank you for tying together this time on the church’s calendar: we anticipate the light through Advent, rejoice in the light through Christmas, are given responsibility for the light through Epiphany, and now walk in the Light to give us strength for the journey through Lent. Amen.
I'm really looking forward to "hearing" these sermons on the cross. I'm glad you are doing it over time and allowing space for us to think and pray and ponder.
Thank you. I am working on a poem about Jesus's "you are" sentences. This is what has arrived so far on light:
You are the light of the world.
Am I a wave
or a particle?
How do I make a difference without mass?
Can I live in the quantum of both/and?
May I bring light, heat, illumination, or what I am here for.
Refracting, reflecting, diffracting, shining
Jesus
for the world.
Love the physics of your poem! Mucho.
Jonathan, WOW, is my first thought. As I reread, there is depth. Perhaps this is enough, but if you create more…don’t forget to share!
Thanks Diana. I’m in Denver this weekend to hear Nadia Bol Weber preach Candlemas at St. John’s Cathedral. And, I’ll look forward to your sermon on The Cross. With all my struggles in congregations I’ve really run away from the torture of the cross to focus on Jesus of the Fishes and Loaves. Not sure I want to turn back.
could elder mean just older than the younger or perhaps a designation as to church position i don’t think of elder as having to mean elderly. what if he was just a young preacher overjoyed at having seen the messiah. some of us have said all our lives ‘ before i die I hope to ….’. iVe said it since young aduthood
He was a Jew. There was no church. Tradition has insisted he was a very old man. He wasn’t young.
Thank you for this affirmation! I live my life by the liturgical calendar not the secular one. And I love Simeon's song, the Nunc Dimittis, "Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to Thy Word" It is all interwoven with this thread of light.
I love this Diana, and all this season of the growing light. I have come to think of the Transfiguration as the final festival in this season of light.