As I write this the January freeze is losing its icy grip and new shoots are pushing through the soil. I peer hopefully at the clumps of snowdrops in my garden and will them on. Another period of frost may stop them in their tracks, but they will persevere. By February I should see their delicate white and green blooms nodding gently; heralding Spring. Snowdrops or ‘Candlemas Bells’ generally flower around the festival of Candlemas when people brought their stock of candles to church to be blessed.
Candlemas falls exactly 40 days after Christmas and recalls Mary and Joseph bringing their young son, Jesus, to the Temple in Jerusalem to make the customary offering of doves or pigeons and seek God’s blessing. According to Luke (who also recorded the birth stories) they were met by an elderly man, Simeon, who had been told by God that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s promised Messiah (the Christ). Prompted by the Spirit, he made his way to the Temple that day, met the young couple and took baby Jesus in his arms. He prayed a beautiful prayer in which he acknowledged that the child would bring light to all nations. An elderly woman, Anna, was also in the Temple and rejoiced to see the child and his parents; recognising in Him the presence and promise of God.
I love this story because it speaks powerfully of the connection between generations; the beauty of the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren; the heart which elderly people often have for the young – sharing words of encouragement and a gentle wisdom born of age
and experience. Like Simeon and Anna, many of us with Christian faith long for the next generation to discover the strength, joy and peace which we have found in God and a truth in his Word to guide the many choices in life. Like Simeon and Anna, we are committing time to pray. Perhaps you might like to join us in the month of February by using our prayer diary or simply taking 5 minutes each day to lift to God the young families you know, the school in your village and all those who work or volunteer with young people. If you know it, you could say the Lord’s Prayer.
As you watch the snowdrops flower this year, think of the perseverance they show and the hope they represent… you too can persevere and bring hope through prayer!
Rev Becky Richards
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