Candlemas: 1st February

Candlemas: Thursday 1^st February 2018

Different points in the turning year may be understood as corresponding with different stages of our lives – which may help us to make some sense of our life experiences, and to go onwards more cheerfully and with greater trust.

The Feast of Candlemas, appropriated by the Christian Church to celebrate the presentation of the baby Jesus at the Temple and the purification of Mary his mother, was previously a festival in honour both of the Goddess (particularly in the person of Brigid) and of the first stirrings of Spring – snowdrops appearing, snows melting, lambs being born. It is celebrated on the evening of 1^st February (or on the evening of 1st August in the Southern Hemisphere). It is a time of

celebration, of poetry and song; and it is a festival of light, when lamps and candles are lit and placed in the windows of the house as a sign of the

re-awakening of the earth as it shakes off the mantle of the winter sleep.

The short responsive liturgy, below, can be used by individuals, but is especially appropriate for use by groups, perhaps before sharing a meal together. If

possible, sit around a table.

You will need five large candles, a small candle or night-light for each person present, and matches to light them. Please exercise common sense when lighting candles, and do not allow there to be any risk of fire.

Ask everyone who attends to bring with them something they have created: a song, a picture, a poem, a cake, a piece of sewing or knitting, some woodwork...

Everyone is invited to join in saying the responsive words in bold type. There may be one leader to say the biddings, or you can take it in turns, round the circle.

I am posting this early, so that you can make any preparations you need to before Thursday.

The liturgies, celebrations, ceremonies, prayers, and reflections offered on this blog are the result of my thoughts, reflections, and experiences, woven together using my own words and sometimes adapting the words others have used: I am

indebted to their wisdom. Please use these liturgies freely, adapting them as suits your own context. I am always pleased to hear from people who have used them.

The Welcome and Lighting of Candles:

Welcome to you all, as we gather to celebrate Candlemas,

and the first stirrings of Spring.

We give thanks for the signs of the turning of the year,

as the warming rays of the sun thaw the frozen earth:

       It is time to stir from hibernation,

       to awaken from Winter, and be renewed by Spring.

The power to change lies within us all:

       We are responsible for our own destinies.

As the Earth provides all that its creatures need,

so may we find fertile soil within our selves

for new ideas and new possibilities:

       Grant us strong roots and nourishment for growth,

       that we may be both grounded and free.

The first candle is lit

As the invisible Air enables the breath of life,

gently stirring the leaves, and roaring around the globe,

so may our imaginations and our abilities be charged and channelled:

       May we be inspired to soar on the winds of change

       above the confusions of everyday life.

The second candle is lit

As Fire warms, refines, and transforms,

so may our consciences be stirred with creativity and compassion:

       May our actions be dynamic and gentle, generous and just.

The third candle is lit

As Water ebbs and flows, to cleanse and to refresh,

so may our hearts learn to accept the gains and losses of life:

        May we release our selves from the past,

       and be granted the humility to receive as well as to give.

The fourth candle is lit

As sunshine follows shadow, as day follows night, as spring follows winter,

so may we trust in the cycle of life, and know that all our needs are met:

       May our souls be filled with hope and joy,

       and may love shine through us.

The central candle is lit

A time of quiet is now kept while we reflect on

which one facet of our lives is most in need of renewal.

When you are ready, take a small candle

and light it from one of the five large candles, saying:

I light this candle for renewal in my life

and the life of those I love.

The Sharing:

Now is the time to share some of our creations.

Go round the circle, giving everyone the opportunity

to show what they have brought,

and to explain something about it and about how they felt while making it.

When everyone has shared their creation,

this is a good time for a meal, for music and dancing, for poetry and song.

At the close of the evening, please use the following blessing.

The Closing Blessing:

Blesséd is the spring, bright season of re-awakening life:

       Our hearts are gladdened as the earth puts on robes of splendour.

Blesséd is the spring, warming our cold spirits into blossoming:

       In You is the life that will for ever return.

Blesséd is the spring, inviting us to sing new songs and dance new dances:

       You call us to life we have not yet tasted.

Blesséd is the spring, glorious gift of the earth, season of promise and renewal:

       You rise up from darkness and sleep,
       with your wand of many colours,
       working your magic in forgotten corners.

Blesséd is the spring, amazing us each year with the miracle of returning life:

       Blesséd is the spring!

As each person leaves the gathering, they take their candle with them,

to be placed, if it is safe to do so, in one of the windows of their own home

and left to burn down through the night (the candle, not the home!)

Food for the Feast:

Dairy food, bread, and young green vegetables and salads are the traditional fare at this time of year, so our menu will be The William's version of galettes, rolled around what he kindly calls 'Magrat's Magic Mix' of onion, spinach, and mushrooms, and topped with spicy tomato sauce; soft seeded bread rolls, cheeses, salads of whatever greens we can find, and finally coffee and honey cake.

Decorative details:

This is the day for taking down any remaining greenery from the Winter Solstice and Christmas, and putting it (and the green spirits which have been nesting in it) outside, now that the spring is coming, thus returning the fertility to the earth.

Having been quite restrained in December, with the green, red, and gold colour scheme, now is our chance to enjoy silvers and whites, including crystal icicles and snowflakes. I shall be using them to decorate the window sills and frames along with lots of candles and, if I can find any, little pots of snowdrops, which we'll later plant out in the garden. The Brigid's Cross we were given at our betrothal will take pride of place over the hearth.