Candlemas is one of the oldest Feast Days from the ancient Christian Church, dating back to at least the fourth century (The pilgrim Egeria recorded its celebration in Jerusalem in the 380s...)

Thankfully, now Lent is generally observed as a time of restraint from excess, by almsgiving, and by devoting more than the usual time to religious exercises such as prayer.

We pray to God, knowing our illumination, restoration and our salvation, depends on God. So it is in trust as well as longing that we cry out to God who is tenacious in faithfulness to us all.

This Sunday we celebrate the third Sunday in Advent. This is often called Gaudete (meaning rejoice) Sunday.

The season of Advent, the season of waiting in Hope, Peace, Joy and Love is in opposition to the frenzy that the lead up to Christmas can easily be. It is a time of year in that the regular rhythm of prayer can be of particular importance.

Advent teaches us that God is our source of Hope and the foundation of our love in our lives.

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King which reaffirms that the Kingship of Christ holds the place of ultimate authority over all aspects of human life

So the power of love that is within us is the power of God and with it the generosity and faithfulness through all that happens

Vestments are made in different colours to indicate the feast or season of the celebration, and in different shapes and styles, representing the role of the minister or priest and tradition of Christian vesture across the centuries.

One of the ministries or gifts of the Church is the acknowledgment of grief, of lament. We acknowledge the hard reality of death but “in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord” (ANZPB Committal).

God is praised as the one providing protection, both as a bird nesting her young, and as a shield from the glare of the sun.