3rd February 2023

February 2nd, when I’m writing this is Candlemas – have you seen any snowdrops yet? I’ve just noticed some in my garden.

It’s also the Feast of the Presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple at Jerusalem as Mary and Joseph brought their baby son to dedicate him to the Lord. They would expect to be treated just as ordinary parents, although they knew Jesus was special – but they were greeted by the aged Simeon who had waited long years for this moment. Greeted with rejoicing as he exclaimed ‘Now I can go in peace for I have seen the Lord’s salvation!’ Greeted, too, by Anna the prophetess, taking the baby in her arms and predicting his future, warning Mary of suffering to come.

Two amazing encounters that we can enter into as we thank God again for Jesus and all that He means to us – this tiny, helpless child – yet Son of God – second person of the eternal Trinity, taking on human flesh to live as one of us – to reveal the Father’s love to us – to sacrifice Himself to save us all and bring us new life.

We can never fully express our gratitude but Jesus Himself shows us by example how we are to do it through His life of service. What can I do today, this week, to make God’s love real in a practical way to someone I shall meet or greet or pray for or help in some way?

I hope you can find some snowdrops and winter cyclamen, hellebore, celandine and winter jasmine.

Lesley Fuller