Candlemas
Candlemas is on 2 February 2024
by Claire Law
Suitable for Whole School (Sec)
Aims
To reflect upon the Christian festival of Candlemas.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (Candlemas) and the means to display them.
- Optional: you may wish to light a candle for the ‘Time for reflection’ part of the assembly, in which case you will also need the means to do so.
Assembly
- Show Slide 1.
Ask the students, ‘Who’d like to play a game?’
Explain that the task is to guess the location of the image that’s hidden behind this brick wall. When the students choose a number, that brick will disappear, revealing a glimpse of the picture beneath. - Ask the students, ‘Who’d like to choose a number?’
Students should choose a number, one at a time. When you click the corresponding brick, it will disappear, revealing part of the image.
Encourage the students to guess the location shown in the image. After a few bricks have been revealed, they will probably give the incorrect guess of Egypt. After several incorrect guesses, you can provide the correct answer: Las Vegas. - Show Slide 2.
Here’s the full image. It shows the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas in the USA. The hotel is styled on an Ancient Egyptian theme, hence the pyramid. However, there’s a modern addition that indicates that we’re not in Ancient Egypt: the light beam shining from the top of the pyramid.
This light beam is called the Luxor Sky Beam, and it’s the most powerful human-made light in the world. It gives off the same amount of light as 42.3 billion candles! It shines 11 kilometres into the night sky and can be seen from 275 miles away. - So, why are we talking about the Luxor Sky Beam today?
Well, every year on 2 February, there is a Christian holiday called Candlemas that is celebrated around the world. The lighting of candles is often a key part of the celebration.
Candlemas celebrates Jesus’ presentation as a baby at the Temple. In the Bible, Luke’s Gospel describes how Jesus’ family took him to the Temple 40 days after his birth, according to the tradition at the time. When they arrived, a Jewish man named Simeon took baby Jesus in his arms and declared that Jesus would be ‘a light to reveal God’ to people. - Show Slide 3.
Simeon felt that in meeting Jesus, he was seeing hope and salvation. - Recognizing Jesus as the Light of the World is central to Candlemas. To reflect Simeon’s words that Jesus is a light to people, some Christians take candles to church at Candlemas for them to be blessed.
In Spain, it is traditional for Christians to take beeswax candles to church at Candlemas. These candles are then taken home and used throughout the year to support prayer and reflection. - Show Slide 4.
Some churches hold candlelit processions at Candlemas too. The candles are a reminder to Christians that Jesus helps to light their path through life, revealing what God’s love for us is like. In the darkness of February, the candlelit processions – although not as bright as the Luxor Sky Beam – are still a significant symbol of Jesus as a light to guide us.
Time for reflection
The Luxor Sky Beam lights up the night sky in Las Vegas. People all around see its light and can know the location and direction of the hotel as a result. The light helps to guide people to the hotel.
Christians use the metaphor of Jesus being a Light to the World, and the lighting of candles at Candlemas connects with this metaphor. It helps Christians to express that Jesus shows us how to find God and gives us direction about how to live our lives.
In this month when Christians around the world celebrate Candlemas, let us light our own candle.
Optional: you may wish to light a candle.
Let’s take some quiet time to consider what this theme of light means to us.
What or who helps us to find direction and brings a light to our lives?
Pause to allow time for thought.
What do you make of Simeon’s words that Jesus is ‘a light to reveal God’ to people?
Pause to allow time for thought.
What questions, or problems, would you like to ask for Jesus’ guidance with? What do you want Jesus to help you see more clearly?
Pause to allow time for thought.
Let’s gather our thoughts in prayer.
Prayer
Dear God,
It can be difficult to see which direction to take in life.
It can be hard to know what to place our belief and hope in.
Simeon’s words remind us that you are our light and our hope.
When we feel confused, we ask for your guidance and support.
Help us to see your love more clearly.
Help us to be a light to others, showing your love to people around us.
Amen.
