Candlemas,
marking the end of the Christmas period. The presentation of Jesus in the
temple, when Simeon took the child in his arms, and spoke the words which we
sing at each Evensong, the Nunc Dimittis,
known as the Song of Simeon.
Lord,
now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine
eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared for all people...
The more poignant as we had just learned that one of the
oldest members of our church choir had died the evening before, on her birthday
February 1st. I sang the Nunc
Dimittis for her, who had been a chorister all her life, first in England
where she was born, later in Holland
where they moved because of her husband’s job and where she raised her two
boys, one now a musician, organist, pianist, composer and choir master. We, the
choir, will sing this week at her farewell service, celebrating her life. She
was quite a character, and will be much missed. When I celebrated my 60th
birthday together with a friend from church, she sang a solo, accompanied on
the piano by her son. The illness which killed her in just a year or two was
horrible. Mercifully an end has come to her suffering, which cruelly also
robbed her of her voice, which had been so important to her throughout her life.
May she sing the Gloria in the angelic choir.
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