Epiphany, the Presentation (Candlemas)

My Epiphany daybook for these 5 weeks of witness. Join me, won't you? 

(Read here for a brief description of the liturgical season of Epiphany. See previous Epiphany daybook 2016 posts here)

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look

Simeon Holds the Christ Child
Rembrandt, 1666

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read

Psalm 84:1-4 / Luke 2:27-33, 36-38:  How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah. / Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple... (read the rest here) / And there was a prophetess, Anna...She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day...(read the rest here)

all readings for the day: Malachi 3:1-4  • Psalm 84 or Psalm 24:7-10  • Hebrews 2:14-18  • Luke 2:22-40

You are welcome, also, to read my reflection on Anna, the prophetess: Seeing Salvation by the Light of Candlemas

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pray 

God of steadfast love, you sent your Son to be the light of the world, saving people everywhere from sin and death. As Anna gave thanks for the freedom he would bring, and Simeon saw in him the dawn of redemption, complete your purpose once made known in him. Make us the vessels of his light, that all the world may glory in the splendor of your peace. Amen. (source)

We give you praise with your servant Simeon:

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;

Your word has been fulfilled.

My eyes have seen the salvation

You have prepared in the sight of every people,

A light to reveal you to the nations 

and the glory of your people, Israel.

Amen.

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listen

Listen to a recording of T.S. Eliot reading A Song for Simeon

Candlemas playlist

(Also, feel free to listen with me to my ever-evolving Epiphany playlist.)

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do

Light candles, give thanks for the season of light,
pray for the Light of Christ to go out into your neighborhood and the world

February 2 is Candlemas -- also known as the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. In Jewish custom, parents would bring their newborn children to the temple 40 days after their birth, and thus, February 2 is the closing out of the season of Light (Advent, Christmastide, Epiphanytide).

Since the 4th century, special candles are lit during communion services on Candlemas and all the parish Church candles are blessed to remind us of this season. The tradition grew and people brought their candles from home to be blessed so that now each time a candle is lit we remember the light of Christ coming into the world. (source)

February 2 is also the mid-point between winter and spring. We head toward the light of longer days, even as we head toward the dark nights of Lent.

This week, light candles each night, recall together the joys of the weeks of light since Advent began, pray for eyes to see the light of Christ in your neighborhoods and in the world.

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Epiphany, week 1: I have called you by name, Beloved

My Epiphany daybook for these 5 weeks of witness. Join me, won't you? 

(Read here for a brief description of the liturgical season of Epiphany. See previous Epiphany daybook 2015 posts here)

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look

Baptism in the River Jordan during pilgrimage  Location widely considered to be where John baptized Jesus. source

Baptism in the River Jordan during pilgrimage 
Location widely considered to be where John baptized Jesus.
source

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read 

Isaiah 43:1- 2 / Luke 3:16:  But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. / John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

all readings for the day: Isaiah 43:1-7  • Psalm 29  • Acts 8:14-17  • Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

also read: a sonnet for Epiphany by Malcolm Guite:

Beginning here we glimpse the Three-in-one;
The river runs, the clouds are torn apart,
The Father speaks, the Spirit and the Son
Reveal to us the single loving heart
That beats behind the being of all things
And calls and keeps and kindles us to light.
The dove descends, the spirit soars and sings
‘You are belovèd, you are my delight!’

In that quick light and life, as water spills
And streams around the Man like quickening rain,
The voice that made the universe reveals
The God in Man who makes it new again.
He calls us too, to step into that river
To die and rise and live and love forever

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pray

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (source)

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listen

Wash Me Clean

Page CXVI

Epiphany 1: Come to the Water playlist

(Also, feel free to listen with me to my ever-evolving Epiphany playlist.)

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do

Today is a good day to renew your baptism vows -- whether in your corporate worship service or in your family and personal prayer time. May I recommend this post from my son's baptism? It includes the Anglican baptism liturgy, but applicable for all followers of Christ.  

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5 favorite August reads and good stuff I read online this week

before the book list, here's a a favorite image from our week

That's our Natalie on the right,
ready for Homecoming 2014!

5 favorite reads in August

-- 1 --

31 Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton (316 pages)

This important novel of South Africa's history has been on my reading list for years.  When our church book club chose it for August's selection I read along even though I couldn't join them for their discussion night.  The story is exquisite, rich, sad and joyous and Zulu priest Stephen Kumalo has become one of my all-time favorite novel characters. This is a book I will re-read often.

Related link:  

To Better Remember Nelson Mandela, Get To Know This 'Country' at NPR

-- 2 --

32  Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life by Henri Nouwen: (165 pages) 

I have never read a book by this man that did not touch me deeply at the spiritual, emotional and intellectual level.  Reaching Out is no exception.  So much so that we're using the book at a ministry retreat this fall.  Also, Nouwen -- whom I'm pretty sure never had children of his own -- gave me the wisest words I've ever needed for parenting.  You can read about that here:  My top 4 parenting epiphanies, or My Child Is Not My Property But My  Guest

-- 3 --

33  Rick Steves' Ireland 2014 by Rick Steves: (584 pages) 

How many ways can I say that I love this guy and his travel guides?  Let me add one more with this current guide for traveling to Ireland.  Brian and I are dreaming about travel -- maybe even for our 25th wedding anniversary next year.  Both of us are Irish pretty recently in our family lines and we've heard a rumour that we could get a pretty decent fare.  We're not serious enough to buy the book yet, but I took lots of notes from this library copy!

-- 4 --

34  The Story of the World, Early Modern Times (audio) by Susan Bauer

OK, I admit it.  This volume covering the major historical events from the years 1600 to 1850 -- from Elizabeth I to the gold rush in California -- is supposedly for children, but I totally enjoyed it.  We took it with us on vacation from this summer and it made for great listening during traffic jams.  I'd like to listen to the whole set even though I sort of started in the middle because that's what I found on the library shelves.  

-- 5 --

35  Quack This Way: David Foster Wallace & Bryan A. Garner Talk Language and Writing  (123 pages) 

Accidental friends, writer David Foster Wallace and lexicographer Bryan Garner record an interview about the use and misuse of language and the importance of good writing skills across all vocations.  It's informal, easy to read and insightful.  

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Other good words online this week

Liturgical Worship - Part 1 (Gather), 2 (Word), 3 (Thanksgiving), 4 (Send) from Christ Church Anglican, Overland Park, KS: Four brief, clear primers to the four main movements in an Anglican worship service.  Highly recommend!

It's Like They Know Us on Tumblr:  Have you seen this?  Totally snarky and totally hilarious. For example: "Our favorite fall tradition is dressing immaculately and taking photos with goats."  You know it.

Rich Mullins Tribute Special at 20: the Countdown Magazine:   September 19th was the seventeenth anniversary of Rich Mullins' death.  This audio tribute is long, but a wonderful remembrance of songs and interview clips with a man who understood grace in a beautiful way.  One disclaimer:  occasionally the announcer gets a bit campy and slightly  morose, but I think he really loved Rich and, well, he's a radio announcer after all. 

Hoping for a good week for us all, friends.

Peace....

You're not too late: five ways to celebrate Advent starting anytime

I love Advent.  I love it almost more than Christmas (not quite, but close!).  I love the anticipation, the candlelight, the hymns.  I love Advent calendars and Advent wreaths and Advent activities.  

May I encourage you, though, to not stress about this time?  That would be the very opposite response from what we're hoping to practice.  If you didn't figure out what you wanted to do for the 24 days of Advent, it's OK.  The point is to enter where you are with what you have. 

Today I'm posting an excerpt from my parenting blog series: Family liturgies for Advent and a confession from an exhausted Dad at Christmas.  It's a long post, so I'm sharing bits and pieces over the next couple of weeks.

Today, a few simple ways to enter the quiet waiting of Advent.

You are welcome to join me in my Advent daybook series.  

(Get This Sacramental Life delivered by email.) 

1.  We try to spend some time being quiet:

Uneasy Advent:  A somewhat cranky post from 2010 in which I share what I learned about practicing quiet my second year celebrating Advent

2.  We try to stay home more often:  

"The Christmas season is domestic; and for that reason most people now prepare for it by struggling in tramcars, standing in queues, rushing away in trains, crowding despairingly into teashops, and wondering when or whether they will ever get home. I do not know whether some of them disappear forever in the toy department or simply lie down and die in the tea-rooms; but by the look of them, it is quite likely. Just before the great festival of the home the whole population seems to have become homeless."-- G.K. Chesterton's excerpt for today in Advent And Christmas Wisdom

We try to listen to music, occasionally look at the stars together, dream about the feasting we'll enjoy at Christmas, anticipate the fun we'll have giving and receiving gifts.  

We also pray for and cheer each other on as each of us works to finish all the projects, deadlines and assignments that come with the end of the semester and calendar year.  This can be stressful so we encourage quiet naps, hot cocoa and old movies to enjoy together. 

Once in awhile, we even get crafty and make homemade gifts to give when Christmas comes.  Sometimes we just enjoy the ideas of making homemade gifts someday. 

The point is we try to avoid crazy traffic, crazy stores and crazy commercials during Advent (really all year, butespecially at Advent!).

3.  We look for ways to serve others -- locally and globally

There's no better practice to give to Jesus at Christmastime than to serve the hungry, lonely, poor and sick.  

This looks a little bit different every year but our hope is that during the four weeks of Advent we will have collectively served others with our time, energy and money.  Sometimes we do this in secret, other times we join with others in a larger serving event.  

You know better what types of local projects are needed in your area (I'd love to hear about them in the comments below!) May I encourage you to think creatively and give not just money but face-to-face presence as well?  My mother always invited neighbors she knew did not have family to visit them for a beautiful Christmas dinner during December. These are beautiful memories for me.

For global-focused projects, here are some of the organizations we've partnered with during Advent:

Samaritan's Purse Gift Catalog

Live: 58 (Compassion International)

Operation Christmas Child

4.  We light candles, look at art, sing hymns, pray and read Scripture together and we try to do that everyday (but we're more like 4 out of 7 days):  

As far as I can tell, the family practice of lighting candles and reading Scripture together is most often celebrated every Sunday in Advent.  We tend to go overboard a bit around here but it's working for us!

Best tip for you if your family feels awkward doing this: Turn the lights off!  Advent is about waiting for light anyway so it fits.  There's nothing like sitting in the dark looking a few flickering candles to break the ice of awkward family Bible time!

trying not to take ourselves too seriously with G.K. Chesterton

Before you read further, let me assure you if this sounds all holy and somber that is not exactly true to life.  If you know us in real life,  you've already figured that out.  Take for example, the plastic zebra and the 'I heart Bingo' sign that showed up on last year's wreath.  It's a long story, but I'm blaming Chesterton's influence for that one.

Advent devotional books:

• God With Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas:  This is my favorite, favorite, favorite advent devotional.  It covers the weeks leading up to Christmas, goes through the 12 days of Christmas and moves into Epiphany.  The full-color artwork is gorgeous and the writings include authors like Eugene Peterson, Scott Cairns, Luci Shaw, Emilie Griffin, Richard John Neuhaus and Kathleen Norris.  We put this book on an easel next to our nativity along with some Bibles for people to pick up and read when they have quiet moments. 

• Advent and Christmas Wisdom from G.K. Chesterton: This is the reader we used in 2011; it was an excellent choice for our kids' ages!  
• Advent Activities to coordinate with the Chesterton reader: The Advent activities I put together for Advent 2011 when our family used G.K. Chesterton's marvelous -- and witty -- wisdom.

• Advent readers/activities for little ones (some of my favorite little people in the world gave me a thumbs up on the following resources!):
•   Advent Readings for the very young at Part of the Main
• Jesse Tree Advent with the Jesus Storybook Bible via Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs 
• Easy Advent idea with the Jesus Storybook Bible via All These Things

Advent wreaths:

• Really all you need are four candles and some greens.  When I was at Central Market on Sunday I realized they were piling up branches they'd cut off from their tree lot and just stacking them up in a cart.  I took a few home with me!  Like Mother, Like Daughter shares good ideas for busy people here.

• Advent Calendar from The Ambrosium:  I've raved about this new addition to our family Advent celebration here.  (*Note: The shop is only open until December 7.)

photo credit: The Ambrosium

• The Cradle to the Cross Wreath:  I've mentioned before how much we've enjoyed using this wreath for our Advent, Lent and Pentecost celebrations.  You can go to Ann Voskamp's site to see how her family uses the wreathe for Advent.  We have enjoyed it so much, but also do recommend using dripless candles!

Click here to visit a site with all sorts of Advent information and resources.

5.  We sing this song.  A lot.

Blessed Advent to you and yours!