The Presentation of Christ in the Temple
Candlemas
This page may be expanded with some more resources and reflections – but, as most begin final preparation for Sunday now, I wanted to get up what I have prepared.
O God,
just as for our sake your only begotten Word became flesh
and was this day presented in the temple,
so may we also be presented to you
with pure minds and hearts,
through Jesus Christ, our Saviour
who is alive with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
I have prepared the above draft to be included in my Book of Prayers in Common that I am working on. I will begin a reflection on this below. Please (after reading that) let me know any possible improvements.
Ordinary 4/ Epiphany 4
Let us pray (in silence) [that God energises us to fulfil our purpose]
Pause
Grant, O God,
that we may love you with our whole being,
and love all people as you would have us love them,
through Jesus Christ, our Saviour,
who is alive with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
The above collect can be used during the week if Sunday is celebrated as Candlemas/the Feast of the Presentation of Christ.
Resources beyond this site:
Textweek Candlemas
Anglican Down Under preaching resources Candlemas
Candlemas Reflections
I think I am correct – NZ’s RCs celebrate Candlemas (“The Presentation of the Lord”) if it falls on a Sunday, otherwise this Sunday is Ordinary 4. I don’t know about other Southern-Hemisphere RCs (or Northern Hemisphere ones). NZ Anglicanism (being the Anglican Church of Or) gives the option (when, unlike this year when 2 Feb falls on a Sunday – ie 6/7 of the time!) of Sundayising this celebration (ie, moving it to Sunday).
Here is a reflection of mine on Southern Hemisphere Candlemas
Other reflections and resources for Candlemas
Reflection on the Collect
My understanding is that the Candlemas collect at the top (shared by RCs, Anglicans, Episcopalians, others) originates at least in the Gelasian Sacramentary where it is found as
Deus, qui in hodierna die unigenitus tuus in nostra carne quam adsumpsit pro nobis in templo est praesentatus, praesta, ut quem redemptorem nostrum laeti suscipimus, uenientem quoque iudicem securi videamus: …
From there it continues into the Gregorian (#124) – I don’t have the copy of this here yet – through the Sarum rite and into the 1549 Book of Common Prayer for The Purificacion of Saint Mary the Virgin. There Cranmer has it as
ALMYGHTYE and everlastyng God, we humbly beseche thy Majestie, that as thy onelye begotten sonne was this day presented in the Temple in the substaunce of our fleshe; so graunte that we maie bee presented unto thee with pure and cleare myndes; By Jesus Christ our Lorde.
My version, above, returns to the simpler address “O God” of the Gelasian (“Deus”). The medieval stressing of this being a feast of Our Lady rather than Our Lord has shifted in contemporary liturgy. It is notable that Cranmer continues the medieval stress. Purification is a thread continuing into this reworking above.
1662 BCP has the title of the celebration subtitled:
The Purification of the Virgin M A R Y .
The Preſentation of CH R I S T in the Temple, commonly called, the Purification of St. MA R Y
the Virgin.
and the collect revised to:
AL M I G H T Y and everliving God, we humbly beſeech thy Majeſty, that as thy only-begotten Son was this day preſented in the temple in ſubſtance of our fleſh; ſo we may be preſented unto thee with pure and clean hearts, by the ſame thy Son Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.
“minds” has become “hearts”. An issue within the collect is not ending up with a Pelagian theology where we cleanse ourselves; and we present ourselves to God – the collect can be (better) read as being presented by (or through) Jesus Christ (rather than simply, or better as well as, the whole prayer being through Christ) cf Eph. 5:25-27; Col. 1:21-23; Jude 24-25.
All-powerful Father,
Christ your Son became man for us
and was presented in the temple.
May he free our hearts from sin
and bring us into your presence.previous ICEL RC
Almighty ever-living God,
we humbly implore your majesty
that, just as your Only Begotten Son
was presented on this day in the Temple
in the substance of our flesh,
so, by your grace,
we may be presented to you with minds made pure.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.Current 2011 RC ICEL
Everliving God,
your Son Jesus Christ was presented as a child in the temple to be the hope of your people;
grant us pure hearts and minds
that we may be transformed into his likeness,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever.NZPBHKMA
This reflection will be improved upon with time. Improvements to my above reworking appreciated.
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