Category: Candlemas

Simeon

Now, Master, you may let your servant go 
        in peace, according to your word,
    for my eyes have seen your salvation,
        which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:
    a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
        and glory for your people Israel.
—Luke 2:22-32

Now, Master, let me go
according to your vow,
for I have seen the sky aglow,
the stars and planets bow.

The long-awaited light 
at last has touched my eyes.
I could not die while it was night,
who knew the sun would rise.

This dawn you have prepared
to drive away the dark;
it comes that all the world be spared,
and I have seen its spark.

So I may go in peace
where all my hope's concealed,
for sin retreats and sorrow flees,
now light has been revealed.

Though long you've lent me breath
I cannot pay the debt,
but I am not afraid of death:
This sun shall never set.

My hour at last comes due:
I go into the gloom,
but I have seen your word come true—
Its light will fill my tomb.

Presentation of Christ in the Temple, South German, likely altarpiece wing, late 15th century. (Private collection) By Anonymous – Photograph of old art work (>500 years old)., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55999507

Refiner’s Fire

And suddenly there will come to the temple
    the LORD whom you seek,
And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.
    Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
But who will endure the day of his coming?
    And who can stand when he appears?
For he is like the refiner’s fire,
    or like the fuller’s lye.
He will sit refining and purifying silver,
    and he will purify the sons of Levi,
Refining them like gold or like silver
    that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.
—Malachi 3:1-4

O come, refiner's fire;
now to your temple come
and with your fullness purify
our hands, our hearts, our tongues.

Like one who works in gold
and burns the dross away,
refine our senses to behold
your ever bright'ning day.

Yet we are fragile things
and cannot bear your heat:
Come as a spark, an infant gleam,
your heart with ours to beat,

to grow as we all grow
and show us day by day
the endless stream of light that flows
into your glory's blaze,

that we may learn to bear
the light and heat of truth,
to cast out fear and come to dare
to nearer draw to you.

Then, Lord, we shall endure
your bright eternal flame,
when love and mercy make us pure—
It was for this you came.

Candlemas day by Marianne Stokes, 1901 – https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/stokes-candlemas-day-t02108, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1382468