02/02/2015

Good morning. There’s a massive building project under weigh just next to the church I go to. It’s a joy that new shops are going to be a blessing to local people and an attraction for others coming into the area. But it’s a truth universally acknowledged that when you get the builders in, there’s always mess: mud on the road, abuse of the car park, high vis workers taking short cuts to the coffee shop. Banging and crashing and banter.

Me to three builders sneaking through the church garden: “Morning!” “Morning!” “On your way to church?” Raised eyebrows, “Are you?” “Yes.” “Say one for us – and for the job”. Of course, they were on their break and their foreman would have missed them if they’d stayed. But they definitely gave the impression church wasn’t for them.

Church is only for little old ladies goes the myth. Is it that such people are insignificant, worn out and uninfluential because of their age perhaps, or gender?

Today, February 2nd is the day when the church remembers a couple of old people whose significance was not ignored. Simeon and Anna – a couple who were always at church – well, in the temple at that time. They see Mary bringing the child Jesus for the traditional ceremonies forty days after his birth. Perhaps they’d been plugging away at their prayers at the back of the temple for years metaphorically: now Simeon takes this baby in his arms and proclaims that he can die happy – can depart in peace – because he recognises the child as the Messiah: the one who’ll bring light to the whole world. And Anna praises God and tells all those who were looking for the healing of the world.

A prayer for today:
Lord, give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and talents in unexpected people, and give me the grace to tell them so. Amen.