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Ordinary Time: February 2nd

Feast of the presentation of the lord.

Other Commemorations: St. Catherine de Ricci, Virgin (RM) ; Other Titles: Candlemas

MASS READINGS

February 02, 2022 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

Almighty ever-living God, we humbly implore your majesty that, just as your Only Begotten Son was presented on this day in the Temple in the substance of our flesh, so, by your grace, we may be presented to you with minds made pure. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

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Crepes for the Feast of St. Bernadette
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Antiphon for Candlemas Day
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Candlemas Day
Celebrating the Feasts of the Blessed Virgin
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Marian Hymn: ’Tis Said of Our Dear Lady
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Reflections on the Feast of the Presentation
Religion in the Home for Elementary School: February
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Excerpt from the Blessing of Candles
February Devotion: The Holy Family
Prayer for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas)
Family Candlemas Procession
Nunc Dimittis - The Canticle of Simeon
Table Blessing for the Feasts of the Mother of God
Novena for Purification
Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes
Blessing of Candles and the Propers of Mass for February 2, Extraordinary Form
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord: Blessing of Candles and Propers of the Mass for the Feast of the Presentation, Ordinary Form
Prayer for Candlemas Day (February 2)

Library (5)

Light For The Nations, Glory Of Israel | Pope Saint John Paul II
Presentation Prefigures the Cross | Pope Saint John Paul II
Simeon is Open to the Lord's Action | Pope Saint John Paul II
The Purification, Commonly Called Candlemas-Day | Alban Butler
The Season's Finale | Dr. Pius Parsch

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A Sunday Feast: the Presentation of the Lord
Baptism is a New Beginning
Candlemas: The Feast of Light and Hope
Christmas to Candlemas: When is the Real End of the Christmas Season?
Contemplating the Christmas Mysteries: He is Light and Peace
Luke’s Gospel: The Radical Challenge of Jesus Christ
Sing of Mary
Sing of Mary, 3: Living the Rosary
The End of Christmas: Dispelling the Misconceptions
The Presentation of the Lord: A Light for the Nations

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Simeon and Anna were two venerable elderly people dedicated to prayer and fasting and so their strong religious spirit rendered them able to recognize the Messiah. In this sense we can see in the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple an extension of the ‘ Pro Orantibus Day’ (For those who pray) that is celebrated on the feast of the Presentation of Mary (21 November). On this day, the Church demonstrates its gratitude to all those in the community that dedicate themselves in a privileged way to prayer, to those who have a particular religious vocation to the contemplative life. In the figure of the venerable Simeon, Jesus’ presentation in the temple, also reminds us that prayer and contemplation are not just a waste of time or an obstacle to charity. On the contrary, time could not be better spent than in prayer as true Christian charity is a consequence of a solid interior life. Only those who pray and offer penance, like Simeon and Anna, are open to the breath of the Spirit. They know how to recognize the Lord in the circumstances in which He manifests Himself because they possess an ample interior vision, and they have learned how to love with the heart of the One whose very name is Charity.

Simeon’s prophecy also announces that Christ will be ‘ a sign of contradiction’ . St Cyril of Alexandria, in one of his homilies, interpreted the words ‘sign of contradiction’ like a noble cross, as St Paul wrote to the Corinthians ‘a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles’ (1 Cor 1:23) […] It is a sign of contradiction in the sense that those who loose appear as foolish while in those who recognize its power [the cross] reveals salvation and life’ (c.f PG 77, 1044-1049). —Excerpted from Congregation for the Clergy

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Feast of the Presentation of the Lord 2022

Eucharistic Concelebration with the members of the Institutes of Consecrated life and the Societies of Apostolic Life

“The Spirit moves us to see God in the littleness and vulnerability of a baby, yet we at times risk seeing our consecration only terms of results goals and success: we look for influence, for visibility, for numbers”. Pope Francis said this in his homily during Mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday afternoon, 2 February [2022], Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, and World Day of Consecrated Life…. The following is the English text of the Pope’s homily.

Two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, await in the Temple the fulfilment of the promise that God made to his people: the coming of the Messiah. Yet theirs is no passive expectation, it is full of movement. Let us look at what Simeon does. First, he is moved by the Spirit; then he sees salvation in the Child Jesus and finally he takes him into his arms (cf. Lk 2:26-28). Let us simply consider these three actions and reflect on some important questions for us and in particular for the consecrated life.

First, what moves us? Simeon goes to the Temple, “moved by the spirit” (v. 27). The Holy Spirit is the protagonist in this scene. He makes Simeon’s heart burn with desire for God. He keeps expectation alive in his heart: He impels him to go to the Temple and he enables his eyes to recognize the Messiah, even in the guise of a poor little baby. That is what the Holy Spirit does: he enables us to discern God’s presence and activity not in great things, in outward appearances or shows of force, but in littleness and vulnerability. Think of the cross. There too we find littleness and vulnerability, but also something dramatic: the power of God. Those words “moved by the spirit” remind us of what ascetic theology calls “movements of the Spirit”: those movements of the soul that we recognize within ourselves and are called to test, in order to discern whether they come from the Holy Spirit or not. Be attentive to the interior movements of the Spirit.

We can also ask, who mostly moves us ? Is it the Holy Spirit, or the spirit of this world? This a question that everyone, consecrated persons in particular, needs to ask. The Spirit moves us to see God in the littleness and vulnerability of a baby, yet we at times risk seeing our consecration only in terms of results, goals and success: we look for influence, for visibility, for numbers. This is a temptation. The Spirit, on the other hand, asks for none of this. He wants us to cultivate daily fidelity and to be attentive to the little things entrusted to our care. How touching is the fidelity shown by Simeon and Anna! Each day they go to the Temple, each day they keep watch and pray, even though time passes and nothing seems to happen. They live their lives in expectation, without discouragement or complaint, persevering in fidelity and nourishing the flame of hope that the Spirit has kindled in their hearts.

Brothers and sisters, we can ask, what moves our days ? What is the love that makes us keep going? Is it the Holy Spirit, or the passion of the moment, or something else? How do we “move” in the Church and in society? Sometimes, even behind the appearance of good works, the canker of narcissism, or the need to stand out, can be concealed. In other cases, even as we go about doing many things, our religious communities can appear moved more by mechanical repetition – acting out of habit, just to keep busy – than by enthusiastic openness to the Holy Spirit. All of us would do well today to examine our interior motivations and discern our spiritual movements, so that the renewal of consecrated life may come about, first and foremost, from there.

A second question: What do our eyes see? Simeon, moved by the Spirit, sees and recognizes Christ. And he prays, saying: “My eyes have seen your salvation” (v. 30). This is the great miracle of faith: it opens eyes, transforms gazes, changes perspectives. As we know from Jesus’ many encounters in the Gospel, faith is born of the compassionate gaze with which God looks upon us, softening the hardness of our hearts, healing our wounds and giving us new eyes to look at ourselves and at our world. New ways to see ourselves, others and all the situations that we experience, even those that are most painful. This gaze is not naïve but sapiential. A naïve gaze flees reality and refuses to see problems. A sapiential gaze, however, can “look within” and “see beyond”. It is a gaze that does not stop at appearances, but can enter into the very cracks of our weaknesses and failures, in order to discern God’s presence even there.

The eyes of the elderly Simeon, albeit dimmed by the years, see the Lord. They see salvation. What about us? Each of us can ask: what do our eyes see? What is our vision of consecrated life? The world often sees it as “a waste”: “look at that fine young person becoming a friar or a nun, what a waste! If at least they were ugly… but what a waste”! That is how we think. The world perhaps sees this as a relic of the past, something useless. But we, the Christian community, men and women religious, what do we see? Are our eyes turned only inward, yearning for something that no longer exists, or are we capable of a farsighted gaze of faith, one that looks both within and beyond? To have the wisdom to look at things – this is a gift of the Spirit – to look at things well, to see them in perspective, to grasp reality. I am greatly edified when I see older consecrated men and women whose eyes are bright, who continue to smile and in this way to give hope to the young. Let us think of all those times when we encountered such persons, and bless God for this. For their eyes are full of hope and openness to the future. And perhaps we would do well, in these days, to go make a visit to our elderly religious brothers and sisters, to see them, to talk with them, to ask questions, to hear what they are thinking. I consider this a good medicine.

Brothers and sisters, the Lord never fails to give us signs that invite us to cultivate a renewed vision of consecrated life. We need to do this, but in the light of the Holy Spirit and docile to his movements. We cannot pretend not to see these signs and go on as usual, doing the same old things, drifting back through inertia to the forms of the past, paralyzed by fear of change. I have said this over and over again: nowadays the temptation to go back, for security, out of fear, in order to preserve the faith or the charism of the founder… is a temptation. The temptation to go back and preserve “”traditions” with rigidity. Let’s get this into our head: rigidity is a perversion, and beneath every form of rigidity there are grave problems. Neither Simeon or Anna were rigid; no, they were free and had the joy of celebrating: Simeon by praising the Lord and prophesying with courage to the child’s mother. Anna, like a good old woman, kept saying: “Look at them!” “Look at this!” She spoke with joy, her eyes full of hope. None of the inertia of the past, no rigidity. Let us open our eyes: the Spirit is inviting us amid our crises – and crises there are –, our decreasing numbers – “Father, there are no vocations, now we will go to the ends of the earth to see if we can find one” – and our diminishing forces, to renew our lives and our communities. And how do we do this? He will show us the way. Let us open our hearts, with courage and without fear. Let us look at Simeon and Anna: although they were advanced in years, they did not spend their days mourning a past that never comes back, but instead embraced the future opening up before them. Brothers and sisters, let us not waste today by looking back at yesterday, or dreaming of a tomorrow that will never come; instead, let us place ourselves before the Lord in adoration and ask for eyes to see goodness and to discern the ways of God. The Lord will give them to us, if we ask him. With joy, with courage, without fear.

Finally, a third question: what do we take into our own arms ? Simeon took Jesus into his arms (cf. v. 28). It is a touching scene, full of meaning and unique in the Gospels. God has placed his Son in our arms too, because embracing Jesus is the essential thing, the very heart of faith. Sometimes we risk losing our bearings, getting caught up in a thousand different things, obsessing about minor issues or plunging into new projects, yet the heart of everything is Christ, embracing him as the Lord of our lives.

When Simeon took Jesus into his arms, he spoke words of blessing, praise and wonder. And we, after so many years of consecrated life, have we lost the ability to be amazed? Do we still have this capacity? Let us examine ourselves on this, and if someone does not find it, let him or her ask the grace of amazement, amazement before the wonders that God is working in us, hidden, like those in the temple, when Simeon and Anna encountered Jesus. If consecrated men and women lack words that bless God and other people, if they lack joy, if their enthusiasm fails, if their fraternal life is only a chore, if amazement is lacking, that is not the fault of someone or something else. The real reason is that our arms no longer embrace Jesus. And when the arms of a consecrated man or woman do not embrace Jesus, they embrace a vacuum which they try to fill with other things, but it remains a vacuum. To take Jesus into our arms: this is the sign, the journey, the recipe for renewal. When we fail to take Jesus into our arms, our hearts fall prey to bitterness. It is sad to see religious who are bitter: closed up in complaining about things that never go right, in a rigidity that makes them inflexible, in attitudes of supposed superiority. They are always complaining about something: the superior, their brothers or sisters, the community, the food… They live for something to complain about. But we have to embrace Jesus in adoration and ask for eyes capable of seeing the goodness and discerning the ways of God. If we embrace Christ with open arms, we will also embrace others with trust and humility. Then conflicts will not escalate, disagreements will not divide, and the temptation to domineer and to offend the dignity of others will be overcome. So let us open our arms to Christ and to all our brothers and sisters. For that is where Jesus is.

Dear friends, today let us joyfully renew our consecration! Let us ask ourselves what “moves” our hearts and actions, what renewed vision we are being called to cultivate, and above all else, let us take Jesus into our arms. Even if at times we experience fatigue and weariness – this too happens – , let us do as Simeon and Anna did. They awaited with patience the fidelity of the Lord and did not allow themselves to be robbed of the joy of the encounter with him. Let us advance to the joy of the encounter: this is beautiful! Let us put the Lord back in the centre, and press forward with joy. Amen.

L’Osservatore Romano 4 February 2022, page 3

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

"A Light of Revelation to the Gentiles"

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Known originally as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is a relatively ancient celebration. The Church at Jerusalem observed the feast as early as the first half of the fourth century, and likely earlier. The feast celebrates the presentation of Christ in the temple at Jerusalem on the 40th day after His birth.

Quick Facts

Date: February 2
Type of Feast: Feast
Readings: Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40 ( full text here )
Prayers: Nunc Dimities , the Canticle of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32); see below
Other Names for the Feast: Candlemas, the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin, the Meeting of the Lord, the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

History of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

According to Jewish law, the firstborn male child belonged to God, and the parents had to "buy him back" on the 40th day after his birth, by offering a sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons" ( Luke 2:24 ) in the temple (thus the "presentation" of the child). On that same day, the mother would be ritually purified (thus the "purification").

Saint Mary and Saint Joseph kept this law, even though, since Saint Mary remained a virgin after the birth of Christ, she would not have had to go through ritual purification. In his gospel, Luke recounts the story ( Luke 2:22-39 ).

When Christ was presented in the temple, "there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel" ( Luke 2:25 ) When Saint Mary and Saint Joseph brought Christ to the temple, Simeon embraced the Child and prayed the Canticle of Simeon:

Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; because my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel ( Luke 2:29-32 ).

The Original Date of the Presentation

Originally, the feast was celebrated on February 14, the 40th day after Epiphany (January 6), because Christmas wasn't yet celebrated as its own feast, and so the Nativity, Epiphany, the Baptism of the Lord (Theophany), and the feast celebrating Christ's first miracle at the wedding in Cana were all celebrated on the same day. By the last quarter of the fourth century, however, the Church at Rome had begun to celebrate the Nativity on December 25, so the Feast of the Presentation was moved to February 2, 40 days later.

Why Candlemas?

Inspired by the words of the Canticle of Simeon ("a light to the revelation of the Gentiles"), by the 11th century, the custom had developed in the West of blessing candles on the Feast of the Presentation. The candles were then lit, and a procession took place through the darkened church while the Canticle of Simeon was sung. Because of this, the feast also became known as Candlemas. While the procession and blessing of the candles is not often performed in the United States today, Candlemas is still an important feast in many European countries.

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Forty days after Christmas, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, an event that the evangelist Luke recounts in Chapter 2 of his Gospel. In the East, the celebration of this feast dates back to the 4 th century. By the year 450, it was called The Feast of the Meeting of the Lord because Jesus enters the Temple and “meets” the priests, as well as Simeon and Anna, representatives of the people of God. Around the middle of the 5 th century, we know the feast was also celebrated in Rome. At a certain point, the blessing of candles was added to this feast to recall that Jesus is the “light to the gentiles”. Thus, this feast is also sometimes referred to as Candlemas.

The offering

According to the Mosaic law, the first-born male was the Lord’s possession and was destined to serve in the temple. Later, when the descendants of Levi, the Levites, assumed this service in the temple, this prescription was no longer enforced. However, the first-born son had to be redeemed with a monetary offering to maintain the priests.

The meeting with Simeon

“ He came in the Spirit into the temple ”. This is a detail that must be highlighted. Simeon is moved by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This explains how he “recognizes” Jesus as the Awaited One, the light of the Gentiles. He is the Light before whom one needs to take a stand: “ The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world…but the world did not know him” (Jn. 1:9, 10).

A sword will pierce your heart

Simeon blesses both parents, but addresses his words only to the Baby’s Mother. The Baby will be a sign of contradiction: Jesus is the light of the world, but He will be rejected. Jesus will be admired and loved, but He will be crucified, defeated. He will die and rise. He will trod the way of contradiction that will pierce His Mother’s heart.

The meeting with Anna

The Prophetess Anna arrives in the Temple too. From the details the Evangelist gives, it is evident that she too is a godly woman. She is elderly, a widow. Her being a “prophetess”, allows her to discern what others find it difficult to see: the presence of God. She knows how to go beyond appearances in order to see the Baby her people have been waiting for.

The average age at Jesus’ time was approximately 40 years. But Luke says that both Simeon and Anna were “elderly”. People who are elderly generally live on their memories. They are nostalgic for times gone by. It is the young, instead, who live in hope, who look to the future. In this case, we find before us two old people who, before this Child, look toward the future, who expect something, who are awestruck. They sing of joy and hope. These details make us understand how young at heart they were because God and His promises dwelt in their hearts – and God does not disappoint.

We too are involved in this “vision” because all who live the Gospel are and will be signs of contradiction. Courage is required to take a stand before the Lord Jesus, the “ Light for revelation ”. Even more so, this requires first of all being “of God”, like Simeon and Anna. Furthermore, it requires an awareness that everything will not always be completely clear. After all, Joseph and Mary were “ amazed ” by what was said. But, as we know, before this difficulty, Mary “ kept all these things, pondering them in her heart ”.

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The Feast of the Presentation

According to the Church’s liturgical calendar, the feast held on Feb. 2 each year is in honor of the Presentation of the Lord. Some Catholics recall this day as the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary because such was the feast day named until the 1969 changes in the Church’s calendar.

In fact, according to Luke’s Gospel, the presentation of Jesus and the purification of the Blessed Mother took place in the Temple on the same day, and both are remembered during Mass on Feb. 2. Also, in several countries, Candlemas is simultaneously celebrated on this day and involves a candlelight procession that was popularized in the Middle Ages. Until the Second Vatican Council the feasts on Feb. 2 ended the Christmas season. Today, the season ends in January on the feast of the Baptism of our Lord.

As early as the fourth century Christians commemorated the presentation of Jesus in the Temple, but, at the time, there was no feast name attached. In seventh-century Rome, the Church named the celebration the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Mother Mary, and it remained that way for nearly 1,300 years. In the reforms after Vatican II, the feast was given a stronger focus on Jesus (by stressing the Presentation of Jesus), but clearly the events of purification and presentation that took place when Jesus was 40 days old (see Lk 2:22-39) are tied together and thus commemorated together.

Purification and Presentation

Under Mosaic law found in the Old Testament Book of Leviticus, a Jewish woman who gave birth to a child was considered unclean (see 12:1-8). The mother of a newborn could not routinely go out into public and had to avoid all things sacred, including the Temple. If her child was a male, this exclusion lasted for 40 days. If the child was female, the period lasted 80 days. This was a ceremonial seclusion and not the result of sin or some kind of wrongdoing on the part of the mother.

At the end of the 40 or 80 days the woman presented herself at the Temple to be purified. If the baby was her firstborn male child, the infant was brought along to the Temple to be dedicated to the Lord. The law in Exodus specifies that the first male child belongs to God (see 13:2-16). This law is a tribute to God for His sparing the firstborn Israelite males during the time of the Exodus from Egypt. The firstborn Egyptian male children, of course, were not spared.

The mother’s purification ritual obliged her to bring, or purchase at the Temple, a lamb and a turtledove as sacrificial offerings. The lamb was offered in thanksgiving to God for the successful birth of the child; the turtledove was a sin offering. Families that could not afford a lamb could bring two pigeons or two turtledoves. After these animals were sacrificed, the Temple priest prayed over the woman and she could once again resume her normal role or status.

Mary, the ever spotless Mother of God, certainly did not have to comply with this ritual, but did so to honor God and observe all the rules handed down by Moses. She was the holiest of all women, but she still submitted to the humbling requirements of the law. She remained at home for 40 days, denied herself all association with sacred things and on the day required walked the five miles from Bethlehem to the Temple in Jerusalem. Arriving at the Temple, Mary likely stood in line and waited her turn to see the priest.

Nunc Dimittis

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus, Mary and Joseph go to the Temple offering two turtledoves for Mary’s purification. Along with Mary’s willing submission, Jesus is presented into the hands of the priest and thus to God. In accordance with the Old Testament, the child was blessed and then bought or ransomed back by the family who would pay five shekels into the Temple treasury. The Savior of the world is ransomed in the manner of every other Hebrew boy. “When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord’”(Lk 2:22-24; see Nm 18:15-16).

The Gospel of Luke explains that the old prophet Simeon and the prophetess Anna were at the Temple that day (see 2:22-38). They, like many others, had spent their lifetime waiting, longing for a Messiah, and the Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Savior. Among all the children and mothers coming into the Temple, Simeon recognized Jesus as the Christ Child; he held Jesus and exclaimed this hymn of thanksgiving, “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel” (2:29-32). The hymn has traditionally been termed the Nunc Dimittis , from the Latin, “ Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace .”

Like Mary, Jesus the Divine Son of God did not have to undergo these rituals, but His parents willingly complied in order to pay tribute to Jewish laws, to avoid any possible scandal and in so doing demonstrated profound humility. They acquiesced to the law like all poor Jewish families.

The Holy Family must have experienced great joy, even wonder at all that had happened to them. Consider the events of the previous weeks. First, the shepherds miraculously arrived to adore and praise Jesus on the night He was born. And now, Simeon, another stranger, singles out Jesus as the Savior, not only of Israel but of the world. Someday all the other children being presented will know Jesus as their Savior. But here in the Temple there is also pain. The old prophet, moved by the Holy Spirit, tells Mary that she will experience unspeakable grief because of the outrageous way the world would judge and treat her Son. But Mary remained always committed to God’s will and to her Son.

Feb. 2 is on the liturgical calendar as the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, but in addition to the presentation, the Mass recalls Mary’s humble submission to the purification ritual.

D.D. Emmons writes from O’Fallon, Ill.

Presentation of the Lord

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Image: Saint Bernard Church, Burkettsville, OH | v | photo by Nheyob

Saint of the day for february 2.

The Story of the Presentation of the Lord

At the end of the fourth century, a woman named Etheria made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Her journal, discovered in 1887, gives an unprecedented glimpse of liturgical life there. Among the celebrations she describes is the Epiphany, the observance of Christ’s birth, and the gala procession in honor of his Presentation in the Temple 40 days later. Under the Mosaic Law, a woman was ritually “unclean” for 40 days after childbirth, when she was to present herself to the priests and offer sacrifice—her “purification.” Contact with anyone who had brushed against mystery—birth or death—excluded a person from Jewish worship. This feast emphasizes Jesus’ first appearance in the Temple more than Mary’s purification.

The observance spread throughout the Western Church in the fifth and sixth centuries. Because the Church in the West celebrated Jesus’ birth on December 25, the Presentation was moved to February 2, 40 days after Christmas.

At the beginning of the eighth century, Pope Sergius inaugurated a candlelight procession; at the end of the same century the blessing and distribution of candles which continues to this day became part of the celebration, giving the feast its popular name: Candlemas.

In Luke’s account, Jesus was welcomed in the temple by two elderly people, Simeon and the widow Anna. They embody Israel in their patient expectation; they acknowledge the infant Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. Early references to the Roman feast dub it the feast of Saint Simeon, the old man who burst into a song of joy which the Church still sings at day’s end.

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Liturgical Color: White Version: Full – Short

Quote: When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. ~Luke 2:22–24

Reflection: Mary and Joseph were faithful Jews who obeyed the Law of Moses. Jewish Law prescribed that two ritual acts needed to take place for a firstborn son. First, the mother of a newborn son was ritually unclean for seven days, and then she was to “spend thirty-three more days in a state of blood purity” (Leviticus 12). During these forty days she was not to “touch anything sacred nor enter the sanctuary till the days of her purification are fulfilled.” For this reason, today’s feast has at times been called the “Purification of Mary.” Second, the father of the firstborn son was to “redeem” the child by making an offering to the priest of five shekels so that the priest would then present the child to the Lord (see Numbers 18:16). Recall that the firstborn male of all the Egyptians, animals and children, was killed during the tenth plague, but the firstborn males of the Israelites were spared. Thus, this offering made for the firstborn son in the Temple was a way of ritually redeeming him in commemoration of protection during that plague. Since Jesus was presented in the Temple for this redemption, today’s feast is now referred to as the “Presentation in the Temple.”

“Candlemass” is also a traditional name given to today’s feast because as early as the fifth century, the custom of celebrating this feast with lighted candles had developed. The lit candles symbolized Simeon’s prophecy that Jesus would be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” Lastly, this Feast has been referred to as the “Feast of the Holy Encounter” because God, in the Person of Jesus, encountered Simeon and Anna in the Temple.

Today’s feast is celebrated in our Church forty days after Christmas, marking the day that Mary and Joseph would have brought Jesus into the Temple. Though Mary was pure and free from sin from the moment of her conception, and though the Son of God did not need to be redeemed, Mary and Joseph fulfilled these ritual obligations.

At the heart of this celebration is the encounter of Simeon and Anna with the Christ Child in the Temple. It is in that holy encounter that Jesus’ divinity is manifested by a human prophet for the first time. At His birth, the angels proclaimed His divinity to the shepherds, but in the Temple, Simeon was the first to understand and proclaim Jesus as the Savior of the World. He also prophesied that this salvation would be accomplished by a sword of sorrow that would pierce the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Anna, a prophetess, also came forward and “gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38). Thus, these ritual acts were also a moment in which Jesus’ divine mission was made manifest to the world.

As we celebrate Mary’s ritual purification and Jesus’ ritual redemption, we should see them as acts in which we are called to participate. First, each of us is unworthy of entering the true Temple of the Lord in Heaven. Yet we are invited to enter that Temple in union with Mary, our Blessed Mother. It was her consent to the will of God that opened the door of God’s grace to us all, enabling us to spiritually become Jesus’ “mother” by allowing Him to be born in our hearts by grace. With her, we are now able to appear before God, purified and holy in His sight.

We must also see Saint Joseph redeeming us as he presented Jesus in the Temple. In offering Christ Jesus to the priest to offer Him to the Father, Saint Joseph also presents all who strive to live in union with Jesus. The hope is that, like Simeon and Anna, others will see God alive within us and experience the Savior of the World through us.

Ponder, today, your soul being the new temple of the Lord, and acknowledge your need to be purified and offered to the Father in Heaven. As Christ continues to enter into the temple of your soul, pray that He will shine forth for others to see so that, like Simeon and Anna, they will encounter our Lord within you.

Prayer: My saving Lord, Your loving parents offered You to Your Father in the Temple in accordance with the Law You revealed to Moses. In that offering, our souls are purified and we are offered to Your Father with You. I thank You for the gift of salvation and pray that my soul will always radiate Your light as You dwell within me. Jesus, I trust in You.

(Short Version)

As faithful Jews who obeyed the Law of Moses, Mary and Joseph performed two ritual acts that the law prescribed after the birth of the firstborn son—Mary’s ritual purification and Jesus’ dedication. The Presentation of the Lord is celebrated forty days after Christmas, marking the day that Mary and Joseph would have brought Jesus into the Temple. Though Mary was pure and free from sin from the moment of her conception, and though the Son of God did not need to be redeemed, Mary and Joseph fulfilled these ritual obligations.

At the heart of this celebration is the encounter of Simeon and Anna with the Christ Child in the Temple. Simeon was the first to understand and proclaim Jesus as the Savior of the World. He also prophesied that this salvation would be accomplished by a sword of sorrow that would pierce Mary’s Immaculate Heart. Anna, a prophetess, also came forward and “gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38). In the ritual acts in the Temple, Jesus’ divine mission was made manifest to the world.

We are invited to participate in Mary’s ritual purification and Jesus’ ritual redemption. Each of us is unworthy of entering the true Temple of the Lord in Heaven, yet we are invited to do so in union with Mary, our Blessed Mother. It was her consent to God’s will that opened the door of God’s grace to us all. By allowing Jesus to be born in our hearts by grace, we spiritually become Jesus’ “mother.” With her, we are now able to appear before God, purified and holy in His sight.

In presenting Jesus in the Temple, Saint Joseph also redeems us by presenting to the Father all who strive to live in union with Jesus. The hope is that, like Simeon and Anna, others will see God alive within us and experience the Savior of the World through us.

My saving Lord, Your loving parents offered You to Your Father in the Temple in accordance with the Law. In that offering, our souls are purified and offered to Your Father. May my soul always radiate Your light from within me. Jesus, I trust in You.

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Perspectives on the Presentation—A Homily for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

The liturgical focus of the Feast of the Presentation, which we celebrate today, is light. Christ is our light, and the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light! In the Gospel, Simeon holds the infant Jesus and calls Him “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” Thus, this feast has long featured the carrying of candles by the faithful in procession and the blessing of candles. For this reason, the feast was often called Candlemas.

Today’s feast celebrates the “purification” of Our Lady. As a Jewish woman, she presented herself forty days after giving birth to be blessed and welcomed back to the community. I have written more on the history of that practice here: The Churching of Women .

In this reflection, we will attend to four teachings or perspectives gleaned from the readings. We are taught that our relationship with Jesus is cleansing , consoling , compelling , and communing .

Cleansing – The Gospel opens with this description: When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

It might strike us as odd or even irritating that a woman would need to be purified after giving birth, but ancient Jewish practice exhibited great reverence for the rituals of both birth and death. On account of the deep mysteries of life represented by these events, as well as the fluids (e.g., blood, amniotic fluid) that accompanied them, a purification or blessing was deemed necessary for return to the community. (Read more at the link above.)

Remember that this is not a moral purification, for nothing immoral had been done. Rather, it was a ceremonial purification wherein one was cleansed or made fit again to enter into the public worship and liturgical actions of Israel. Consider, for example, that even in our culture a person who has been outside working and comes back sweaty and in soiled clothes is expected to bathe and put on clean clothing before going to Mass; this does not mean that there is anything sinful in good, honest, necessary work. The Jews extended this idea much further than we do today and there were detailed (frankly, often bewildering) rules about what made one unclean and how/when one should be purified. Very early on, the Church simplified and/or largely abrogated these ideas about certain foods being unclean and what made a person unclean (see Acts 15).

While we may wonder (or even scoff) at these older notions, all of us need purification and cleansing. We are sinners, and we live in a world tainted by sin. The Lord must purify us all; unless this happens, we will never be able to endure the great holiness, glory, and purity of God.

Jesus our savior alone can cleanse and purify us to make us able to endure the glory of God. The first reading describes our need for purification and points to Jesus as the one who purifies us:

But who can endure the day of [the Lord’s] coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in the days of old, as in years gone by (Mal 3:2-4).

Yes, only the Lord Himself can purify us to endure His glory. Thank you, Jesus, our light and our savior, for the sanctifying grace without which we could never hope to endure and rejoice in the glory that awaits. Thank you, Jesus for your grace and mercy, by which we are able to stand before our Father and praise Him for all eternity. Thank you, Jesus, our purifier, our savior, and our Lord.

Consoling – Well aware of the burden of sin, ancient Israel longed for a savior. The pious knew well that sin brought strife, pain, and grief. Among the pious who longed for the Messiah were Simeon and Anna, who frequented the Temple looking and longing.

Of Simeon we are told:

[He] was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

Of Anna, who is described as among those who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem , we are told:

[She was] a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.

Simeon and Anna are two of the pious of Israel longing and looking for the Messiah who would save the people and bring consolation and peace.

What does it mean to have true consolation and peace? It is to be reconciled to the Father, Abba; to once again see Him and be able to walk with Him in the Garden in the cool of the morning. True consolation and peace are found only when the gates of Heaven are opened, and we look once again upon the glorious and serene face of our Father who loves us.

This is a gift that can come only by the ministry of Jesus, for no one knows the Father but the Son and anyone to whom the Son reveals Him. Jesus is our peace and our consolation by leading us back to His Father in and through His Sacred Heart and by His Holy Passion.

Holding the baby Jesus, Simeon is holding the Gift of the Father , a tremendous gift of peace and consolation come to him in a kind of prevenient way. So, Simeon can say,

Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.

Such a consolation it was to hold the infant Jesus and know that God so loved the world that He sent His only Son to save us! Simeon could now go forth in peace from this world for He had beheld the light of God’s saving love in Jesus.

Compelling – In today’s Gospel we are told that Jesus is no inconsequential figure. He is the one on whom all human history, collective and personal, hinges. The “hinge” is our choice either for or against Jesus.

Simeon says to Mary,

Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted—and you yourself a sword will pierce—so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Jesus compels a choice. We are free to choose for or against Him, but we must choose. Upon this choice depends our rise or fall.

Jesus says, Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters (Matt 12:30).

St. Paul writes (in Acts), In the past God overlooked ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead (Acts 17:30). And in Corinthians he writes, We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:20).

Where will you spend eternity? That depends on your stance toward Jesus. Will you choose Him? You are free to choose, but you are not free not to choose! On this choice your very life will rise or fall.

Communing – Jesus did not merely save us from on high. He became flesh and lived among us.

In today’s Gospel we read,

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Consider the intimacy of Jesus dwelling among us then and tabernacled among us now in the Blessed Sacrament and in the temple of our heart through His Spirit. Our Lord seeks communion with us and is not ashamed to call us His brethren (Heb 2:11).

On this Feast of the Presentation, allow the Lord into the temple of your heart. Give Him access to your soul by receiving Him in Holy Communion and seeking His presence tabernacled in our churches. Today, Jesus is presented not only in the ancient temple but to you . Reach out to hold on to Him. Like Simeon, receive Him in your heart. Like Anna, run and tell others to come.

Jesus, our light and our salvation, is here. He brings with Him cleansing , consoling , and communing . He also compels a choice. Choose Him now; run to Him. He is here, and He is calling!

2 Replies to “Perspectives on the Presentation—A Homily for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord”

Thank you for this BEAUTIFUL homily. It has deepened my understanding and appreciation for this feast day.

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Feast of the Presentation of the Lord ~ February 2, 2022

“he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before god to expiate the sins of the people.” (hebrews 2:17).

Reflections on the readings for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (February 2, 2022): MAL 3:1-4, PS 24:7,8,9,10; HEB 2:14-18; LK 2:22-40

MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.

We can only ask ourselves about the depth of our own faith...

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord dates back to the 4 th century. Now we focus primarily on Jesus’ first visit to the temple of Jerusalem, when, like all Jewish baby boys, He was offered to Almighty God. Yet, this day also commemorates the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary after the birth of her Child. In the Gospel, we hear about a devout man named Simeon who was promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he saw the Messiah. So when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple, Simeon knew that the moment he had yearned for so long had come. “He took Him into his arms and blessed God, saying: ‘Now, Master, You may let Your servant go in peace, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for Your people Israel’” (Luke 2:27-32). Simeon went on to tell the Blessed Mother that Jesus would change the lives of many and that her own heart would be pierced by suffering.

Then we meet another person dedicated to God: the prophetess Anna, a widow, who had spent years worshipping in the temple. She, too, was given the special blessing of recognizing Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. And she proclaimed the good news to all. We cannot know what the people in the temple that day made of what they saw and heard. After all, the Son of an obviously humble husband and wife were acclaimed by two holy people as the Anointed One. Those present must surely have remembered such an unusual event. It’s even possible that a few of them were there twelve years later when Jesus was in the temple talking with learned scholars when His parents came looking for Him. Or, again, years after that when Jesus started His ministry and often visited the temple. These encounters must have made an impression on people. But whether this eventually led to their faith in Christ we cannot know. We can only ask ourselves about the depth of our own faith in the Redeemer who came to light our way home to Him.

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Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Lectionary: 524

Thus says the Lord GOD: Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; And suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek, And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, Refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the Lord. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord, as in the days of old, as in years gone by.

Responsorial Psalm

R. (8) Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord! Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in! R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord! Who is this king of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle. R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord! Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in! R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord! Who is this king of glory? The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory. R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Since the children share in blood and flesh, Jesus likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the Devil, and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life. Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

R. Alleluia, alleluia. A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel. R. Alleluia, alleluia.

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord , and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons , in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted --and you yourself a sword will pierce-- so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. OR When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord , and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons , in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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The Significance of the Presentation of the Lord

Traditionally, the Church has set aside Feb. 2 in observance of the Presentation of the Lord – or the day in which Joseph and Mary presented Jesus to the priests and elders in the Temple.

For years, this feast – which in the United States is only formally celebrated when it falls on a Sunday – marked the end of the Christmas season. In old days, the Presentation was often referred to as “Candlemas” and was celebrated by a candle-lit procession into the church, signifying Christ as the “light of nations.”

Known originally as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is a relatively ancient celebration. We know that the Church at Jerusalem was observing the feast as early as the first half of the fourth century, and likely earlier.

According to Jewish law, the firstborn male child belonged to God, and the parents had to “buy him back” on the 40th day after his birth, by offering a sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons” (Luke 2:24) in the temple — thus the “presentation” of the child. On that same day, the mother would be ritually purified — thus the “purification.”

St. Mary and St. Joseph kept this law, even though, since St. Mary remained a virgin after the birth of Christ, she would not have had to go through ritual purification. In his Gospel, Luke (2:22-39) recounts the story.

Originally, the feast was celebrated on Feb. 14, the 40th day after Epiphany (Jan. 6), because Christmas wasn’t yet celebrated as its own feast, and so the Nativity, Epiphany, the Baptism of the Lord (Theophany), and the feast celebrating Christ’s first miracle at the wedding in Cana were all celebrated on the same day. By the last quarter of the fourth century, however, the Church at Rome had begun to celebrate the Nativity on Dec. 25, so the Feast of the Presentation was moved to Feb. 2, 40 days later.

When Christ was presented in the temple, “there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel.” When St. Mary and St. Joseph brought Christ to the temple, Simeon embraced the Child and prayed the Canticle of Simeon: “Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; because my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

Because of the words of the canticle — “a light to the revelation of the Gentiles” — by the 11th century, the custom had developed in the West of blessing candles on the Feast of the Presentation. The candles were then lit, and a procession took place through the darkened church while the Canticle of Simeon was sung. Because of this, the feast also became known as Candlemas. While the procession and blessing of the candles is not often performed in the United States today, Candlemas is still an important feast in many European countries.

Things to Do:

— Hold your own candlelight procession at home, teaching your children the significance of the light as a symbol of Christ.

— Ask a priest to bless the candles you hope to use at home this year.

— Read the Gospel account of the Presentation, found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2, verses 22 to 35.

— Pray a decade of the Rosary, focusing upon the Presentation of the Lord, the fourth Joyful Mystery.

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2 February: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

by popadmin | Feb 2, 2022 | CIC Saint Writeups

2 February: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Also known as Candlemas , this feast commemorates three distinct but related historical events in the life of the Holy Family. It marks the day when Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem, exactly 40 days after his birth. The Mosaic Law required them to consecrate their firstborn son to God (Exodus 13). Additionally, the law required Mary to submit to ritual purification forty days after childbirth (Leviticus 12:2-8). The ritual involved making a sacrificial offering in the temple. The Gospel of Luke tells us that as Mary and Joseph were poor, they took the option provided for those who could not afford a lamb, sacrificing “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons” (Luke 2:22-24). Neither Mary (perfectly pure and conceived without sin) nor Jesus (God himself) were in need of being purified and consecrated to God; however, they submitted themselves in perfect obedience to God and to the Law of Moses. Our current church calendar focuses this day on the Presentation but in previous eras the Church highlighted the Purification of Mary. {There also used to be a Church custom of “churching” or blessing women forty days after childbirth. It reintroduced the woman to society after her period of recovery at home. Today, churching has disappeared as a custom and now blessing of the mother takes place at the baby’s baptism ceremony.} Today’s feast also commemorates the encounter in the temple between the Holy Family and Saint Simeon the prophet and Saint Anna the prophetess. This is the third and final infancy epiphany of Jesus (the first was to the Hebrew shepherds; the second to the Gentile kings; this third one to the elders of the Israelites). The next epiphany in the life of Jesus will be to the public, at his Baptism in the Jordan. Today’s feast is known by the title Candlemas because of the words of Saint Simeon when he met the child Jesus in the temple: “For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:30-32). Jesus is the Light of the World , the Messiah who has come not just for the Jew but the gentile; not just the righteous, but the sinner. On this feast day, the Church blesses candles for use throughout the year (this has been a church tradition at least since the seventh century). Traditionally, families also bring their own candles to church to be blessed on this feast. The candles represent the fact that the light of the world is here; the light is coming into a dark world as the Church calendar progresses towards the brightness of Easter.

Ideas for celebrating this feast day:

Go to mass and bring a stack of candles to be blessed for use over the next year! Prince of Peace has mass and blessing of the candles at 8:30am and 7pm on 2 February.
If you are unable to go to mass, do a family Candlemas procession and prayer at home. Instructions here .
Candlemas is known in France as “crepe day”. Make savory crepes for dinner (use whole wheat flour and fill them with ham, cheese, etc.) and sweet crepes for dessert (use white flour and top them with fruit, chocolate, whipped cream).
A Candlemas tradition is to spend the day without electric lights – or at least to eat dinner only by candlelight (using your blessed candles!)
Say a family rosary by candlelight; the Presentation in the Temple is one of the Joyful Mysteries.
Meditate on the constant fiat of Our Lady of Sorrows, who embraced the will of God even as Simeon predicted that a sword would pierce her heart.
If you haven’t taken down your Christmas decorations yet, today’s the day! Candlemas marks the very end of the liturgical season of Christmas.
Read this article to learn about the connection between Candlemas and Groundhog Day.
Read Fr. Butler’s article: The Purification, Commonly called Candlemas-Day and Pope St. JP II’s article: Presentation Prefigures the Cross .

(Sources: catholicculture.org; Catholic All Year Compendium by K. Tierney; Catholicstraightanswers.com)

Gospel in Art: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Father Patrick van der Vorst
Feb 1st, 2024

The Presentation in the Temple, by Elizabeth Wang, 2010 © Code R-60102-CW, Elizabeth Wang / Radiant Light

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 2 February 2024 Luke 2:22-32

When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord - observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord - and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel's comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:

'Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation

which you have prepared for all the nations to see,

a light to enlighten the pagans

and the glory of your people Israel.'

Reflection on the Watercolour on Paper

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Together with Simeon and Anna we contemplate the Christ Child, the Word made flesh, who is brought to the Temple. That temple is not just the physical building but also the temple of our souls--that sacred space that is inside each of us. Today on this feast Christ is also presented to each of us, and it is up to us to open our doors and let his radiant light in.

Today, 40 days after the Lord's birth, we celebrate the coming of the Light of the World. This light is beautifully depicted by the yellow colour tonalities in our watercolour by Elizabeth Wang. We see the Holy Family from the back, about to walk up the steps, being greeted by Anna on the left and Simeon on the right. Note the smaller halo of Jesus in the arms of his mother set against her own halo. Beside the temple gate we see Anna on the left pointing towards the inside of the temple, whilst Simeon on the right has his arms outstretched, welcoming the Holy Family.

At the centre of today's gospel reading are two elderly people, Simeon and Anna. They were both blessed with the gift of recognition or insight. Both recognized the true identity of the child who was carried into the temple by his young parents. Simeon recognized Jesus as the light to enlighten the gentiles and as the glory of Israel. Anna recognised him as the deliverer for whom people had been waiting. They both went on to proclaim to others what they had come to recognize for themselves. Their gift of recognition was the fruit of their prayer. They were indeed people of prayer. Without prayer they would not have recognised who Jesus truly was! In fact Simeon's prayer has become part of the Night Prayer of the church, as we recite his words as part of our Divine Office.

The time we spend with the Lord in prayer makes it easier for us to recognise him when he comes to us through other people.

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/ Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-2-22-32-2024/

Tags: Christian Art , Elizabeth Wang , Fr Patrick van der Vorst

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What is Candlemas? The Beautiful Biblical Celebration Explained

Every year, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and the Purification of Our Lady on Feb. 2, also known as Candlemas.

Candlemas is also the traditional conclusion to the Christmas season.

But what is Candlemas? Why does the Church use candles during this celebration?

This video explains that according to tradition, “the presentation at the temple brought Christ’s light to the core of the Jewish center that began its earthly journey in the small village of Bethlehem, now who for all of Jerusalem to see.

“We celebrate Candlemas as a reminder that the light of Christ is among us, no matter how dark, remote, or impoverished our condition. His light is able to penetrate even the darkest heart.”

Listen to the full explanation below:

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What moves me? Pope’s homily for Feast of Presentation (full text)

REMO CASILLI / POOL / AFP

On February 2, the World Day for Consecrated Life and the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Here is a Vatican translation of the full text of his homily (emphases ours):

To have the wisdom to look at things – this is a gift of the Spirit – to look at things well, to see them in perspective, to grasp reality.

Brothers and sisters, let us not waste today by looking back at yesterday, or dreaming of a tomorrow that will never come; instead, let us place ourselves before the Lord in adoration and ask for eyes to see goodness and to discern the ways of God.

And how do we do this? He will show us the way. Let us open our hearts, with courage and without fear. Let us look at Simeon and Anna: although they were advanced in years, they did not spend their days mourning a past that never comes back, but instead embraced the future opening up before them. Brothers and sisters, let us not waste today by looking back at yesterday, or dreaming of a tomorrow that will never come; instead, let us place ourselves before the Lord in adoration and ask for eyes to see goodness and to discern the ways of God. The Lord will give them to us, if we ask him. With joy, with courage, without fear.

Sometimes we risk losing our bearings, getting caught up in a thousand different things, obsessing about minor issues or plunging into new projects, yet the heart of everything is Christ, embracing him as the Lord of our lives.

When Simeon took Jesus into his arms, he spoke words of blessing, praise and wonder. And we, after so many years of consecrated life, have we lost the ability to be amazed? Do we still have this capacity? Let us examine ourselves on this, and if someone does not find it, let him or her ask the grace of amazement, amazement before the wonders that God is working in us, hidden, like those in the temple, when Simeon and Anna encountered Jesus. If consecrated men and women lack words that bless God and other people, if they lack joy, if their enthusiasm fails, if their fraternal life is only a chore, if amazement is lacking, that is not the fault of someone or something else. The real reason is that our arms no longer embrace Jesus. And when the arms of a consecrated man or woman do not embrace Jesus, they embrace a vacuum which they try to fill with other things, but it remains a vacuum. To take Jesus into our arms: this is the sign, the journey, the recipe for renewal. When we fail to take Jesus into our arms, our hearts fall prey to bitterness. It is sad to see religious who are bitter: closed up in complaining about things that do not go like clockwork. They are always complaining about something: the superior, their brothers or sisters, the community, the food… They live for something to complain about. But we have to embrace Jesus in adoration and ask for eyes capable of seeing the goodness and discerning the ways of God. If we embrace Christ with open arms, we will also embrace others with trust and humility. Then conflicts will not escalate, disagreements will not divide, and the temptation to domineer and to offend the dignity of others will be overcome. So let us open our arms to Christ and to all our brothers and sisters. For that is where Jesus is.

When we fail to take Jesus into our arms, our hearts fall prey to bitterness.

Dear friends, today let us joyfully renew our consecration! Let us ask ourselves what “moves” our hearts and actions, what renewed vision we are being called to cultivate, and above all else, let us take Jesus into our arms. Even if at times we experience fatigue and weariness – this too happens – let us do as Simeon and Anna did. They awaited with patience the fidelity of the Lord and did not allow themselves to be robbed of the joy of the encounter with him. Let us advance to the joy of the encounter: this is beautiful! Let us put the Lord back in the centre, and press forward with joy. Amen.

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Preaching with Sciences

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

By con foley , february 02, 2024.

Lectionary 524:

Ps 24:7, 8, 9, 10

Heb 2:14-18

Luke 2:22-40 or 2:22-32

Wisdom and spiritual insight in old age (example of Simeon and Anna)
The Ancient Temple and the New Temple (Christ)
Light to the Nations – allowing Christ’s light to shine through us (Candlemas)
The Joy of Encountering Christ – Peace and Praise
“He came in the Spirit into the temple.” Listening to the promptings of the Spirit.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6128435/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity also known as Brain Plasticity is a concept that refers to the brain’s capacity to be shaped and evolved in response to life experiences and activity. New neurons can be created, and new networks and connections can be built. Recent research reveals that the brain can refine its architecture, it can re-wire or re-route itself. The good news is that you can indeed teach an old dog new tricks . Recent advances in medical imaging techniques indicate that brain plasticity can be maintained into old age. Habits and behaviour can change, even in advanced age. This has important implications for a rapidly changing society – older people have the potential to adapt and flourish. They should be encouraged to play their part in society, even have new roles, and society needs to value their contribution.
The Neuroscience of mindfulness meditation https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn3916
Religion and the Brain https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/parenting-neuroscience-perspective/201910/religion-and-the-brain

Homily Outline Combining Resources

Homily outline combining the scientific resources:

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is celebrated 40 days after Christmas Day. The Gospel of Luke recalls Mary and Joseph taking the child Jesus for his first visit to the temple in Jerusalem. This feast is also known as Candlemas because of the tradition of blessing and distributing candles and holding a candlelight procession on this day. These practices are drawn from Simeon’s words in the gospel for this feast, in which he prophesies that the child Jesus will become “ a light for revelation to the Gentiles .”
In a sense, this feast celebrates the meeting point of the two “Testaments” for Catholic-Christians: the old and new. Jesus, who is the new temple of God, enters the ancient temple. Jesus, who ushers in the law of love, comes to visit his people in a place in which the law of sacrifice was fulfilled:
thus, bringing to fulfilment obedience to the Law and ushering in the last times of salvation (Pope Benedict XVI).
The Temple is where divinity and humanity embrace, and where the past and the future converge.
Only Simeon and Anna, two elderly people, notice the Holy Family. They recognise a new and special presence. They find fulfilment from their watchfulness, and their long wait comes to a joyful end. Simeon and Anna’s active prayer life kept expanding their brains. Neuroplasticity is not just for children or young adults. Anna “worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer” and Simeon was open to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Their regular spiritual exercises resulted in what we might called “heightened neuroplasticity,” and a refreshed capacity to recognize something (impeding salvation) and to embrace someone (the unexpected Messiah) that no one had ever seen before.
Even the commonness of Mary and Joseph displayed in their everyday poverty, and the deceptive ordinariness of the infant named Jesus – so similar to the untold hundreds of other infants they had seen before – did not blur the vision and insight of these fragile octogenarians. They did not make the common mistake, which S. Eliot ascribes to all of us, when he writes: “We had the experience but missed the meaning” ( Four Quartets: The Dry Salvages II:3).
Old age can be a beautiful although admittedly challenging time of spiritual harvesting. This harvest can be shared with younger generations who speak digital when we speak analogue; who can connect all of our tv’s and computers, though they cannot always connect the dots of their own lives; who do not always understand where they are going, as we are coming to understand where we have been. The role of parents and grandparents, mentors and guides, uncles and godmothers needs to be encouraged for quietly handing on the faith in the families, as senior believers serve as spiritual companions, elders, and treasured catechists in local faith communities.
Anna “spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem” and Simeon blessed Mary and Joseph, and his words amazed them. Who have been the Simeon and Anna’s to you? Who has seen through the ordinariness and unimpressive to reveal Christ to you? Who has quietly but unexpectedly amazed you with their mentoring in pointing out God’s love and the actions of the Holy Spirit in the everydayness of your existence?
Not surprisingly, there are spiritual exercises and activities that can refine and reroute us – no matter what our age – so that we can maintain not only the neurological but also the “spiritual plasticity” to recognise the God of surprises in the temples we trod in our own daily life? Maybe it’s something as simple as a reinvigorated thoughtfulness in praying the rosary, or an Anna and Simeon style examination of conscience wondering about what glimpses of the Messiah we might have overlooked, or a new journey into scriptural reflection.
Simeon and Anna are an example to those of us of every age that we can rewire our brains and our souls to put ourselves in the presence of God in our every day lives. In the ordinariness of our everyday temples of work and home and school and church, we can listen to the prompting of God’s Spirit, perceive God afoot in the mundane, and gracefully live in constant expectation of God adventing in our lives. We can daily experience the power of Christ’s presence point Christ out to others: a candle loses none of its light when lighting another candle (even an old candle).

Related Homily Outlines

Baptism of the lord, dedication of the lateran basilica, 15th sunday of the year a, 26th sunday in ordinary time, year c, 21st sunday in ordinary time, year c, couldn’t find what you’re looking for, try searching with another filter.

Edward Foley, Capuchin Duns Scotus Professor Emeritus of Spirituality Professor of Liturgy and Music (retired) Catholic Theological Union Vice-Postulator, Cause of Blessed Solanus

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New report shows fewer abuse claims brought against U.S. Catholic clerics

May 28, 2024 Catholic News Agency News Briefs 0 Print

CNA Staff, May 28, 2024 / 18:15 pm (CNA).

A new report from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) shows that across the country from mid-2022 to mid-2023, just over 1,300 clerical abuse allegations came to light, while payouts to victims reached $284 million — tens of millions more than the prior year.

This figure is down from 2,704 allegations brought the prior year, the report states, while some 4,434 allegations were brought in 2019.

Of those allegations, dioceses and eparchies deemed 229 of them credible; 71% of those allegations concerned incidents that occurred or began in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The total number of new allegations from victims who were currently minors in the studied year remained similar to the prior year, at 17.

“These numbers are not just numbers. The statistics are the many stories and accounts of the betrayal of trust and the lifelong journey towards recovery,” Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the USCCB, wrote in the report’s introduction.

“I am most grateful to victim survivors for reporting the abuse they suffered, for holding all of us accountable, and for allowing us to journey alongside you.”

The 2024 report, released May 27, was produced in collaboration with an accounting firm by the National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Young People , a lay advisory body to the bishops established in 2002 on the protection of children and youth.

The report covers a period between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. All 196 Catholic dioceses and eparchies participated in data collection for the audit, but not all 196 dioceses and eparchies participated in an on-site audit, the report noted. Nevertheless, the report cited a “very high percentage of clergy, educators, seminarians, and employees who receive training in the area of child safety and abuse prevention, along with equally high numbers of those participating in background checks.”

“No other institution can readily provide and publish the body of knowledge and statistics as the Catholic Church does. The abuse crisis in the Catholic Church is a part of a larger societal problem of abuse,” Broglio continued.

“What are we learning as a Church because of the abuse crisis? By acknowledging wrongdoing and communicating remorse and sorrow, the Church is taking ownership of her failure to protect. We are emphasizing the core value of relationships and encounters. We are putting in place steps and measures for safe environments and following up on near misses. The child or vulnerable person is at the center of these conversations.”

The figures

The number of clerics accused of sexual abuse of a minor during the audit period totaled 842. Of this total, 548 were diocesan priests, 122 belonged to a religious order, 34 were incardinated elsewhere, and 51 were deacons. Of the identified clerics, 45% had been accused in previous audit periods. Since 2019, the majority — two-thirds — of abuse allegations have been made known to a diocese, eparchy, or religious community through an attorney.

Out of the 1,308 allegations identified in this report, 17 involved people who were minors when they brought the allegations — four males, 11 females, and two were unknown due to a lack of detailed information.

Taking a broader view, the report says that looking at all abuse allegations received in the U.S. from 2004 to 2023, 55% of all the credible allegations occurred or began before 1975, 41% occurred or began between 1975 and 1999, and 4% began or occurred since 2000.

Of those allegations, three were substantiated, seven were categorized as investigation ongoing, four were unsubstantiated, two were categorized as unable to be proven, and one was categorized as other, the report says. There were 44 allegations of abuse of minors brought in 2021, only four of which were substantiated.

Of those accused, the report says, nine in 10 (91%) of them are deceased, already removed from ministry, already laicized, or missing. A further 5% of those identified during 2023 were permanently removed from ministry during that time; a handful were temporarily removed from ministry pending investigation of the allegations. None were returned to ministry or remain in active ministry pending the investigation, the report says.

Forty-nine percent of alleged offenses occurred or began before 1975, 42% between 1975 and 1999, and 9% after 2000. Among the 228 victims where their gender was known, three-quarters were male.

Separately, the report identified 113 credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor committed by religious order priests, brothers, and deacons, made by 111 persons against 69 individuals. The alleged victims in this case were 80% male; only 63% of religious institutes provided information for the report, however.

Similar to diocesan clergy, a high percentage, 91%, of accused religious are deceased, already removed from ministry, already laicized, or missing.

The report found that dioceses and eparchies that responded to the survey paid out $260,509,528 to victims between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, a figure 66% higher than that reported for year 2022. In the past decade, only the years 2020 and 2019 respectively saw higher total payout amounts. The 2023 payout figure includes payments for allegations reported in previous years, the report notes.

Insurance payments covered approximately $38,294,901, or 15%, of the total allegation-related costs paid by dioceses and eparchies. Money from savings, general operating budgets, loans or lines of credit, investments, bankruptcy filings, debt restructuring, property sales, staff reductions, and program or service elimination were also cited by dioceses as means of paying.

(As seen in the map below, numerous U.S. dioceses have declared bankruptcy in recent years amid mounting abuse lawsuits.)

See CNA article for full interactive map.

In total, U.S. dioceses, eparchies, and religious communities reported paying out $284,043,825 for costs related to allegations between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, a 41% increase over last year’s total of $201,973,695.

At the same time, U.S. dioceses, eparchies, and religious communities paid $43,747,179 for child protection efforts between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. This is a 4% increase from the amount spent on such child protection efforts in the previous reporting year.

Compared with fiscal year 2022, the amount of payments for attorneys’ fees for fiscal year 2023 was 23% higher.

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USCCB - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Pope Francis makes early morning visit to Immaculate Conception statue in Rome

An Italian firefighter places a wreath of flowers on the statue of the Immaculate Conception in Rome’s Piazza di Spagna, Dec. 8, 2021. / Daniel Ibáñez/CNA.

Rome, Italy, Dec 8, 2021 / 01:17 am (CNA). Pope Francis made an early morning visit on W… […]

Massive attendance, enthusiasm at Fellowship of Catholic University Students conference

Attendance at the 2024 Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) SEEK conference topped 19,000, a 28% increase over last year. / Credit: Jonah McKeown/CNA

St. Louis, Mo., Jan 2, 2024 / 17:53 pm (CNA). The Fellowship of Catholic Univers… […]

US Navy changes course, allows attendance at religious services with coronavirus precautions

Denver Newsroom, Jul 10, 2020 / 02:30 pm ( CNA ).-

After reports that sailors and their families could be barred from attending church services, the U.S Navy has clarified that its personnel may attend indoor religious services, provided that religious services take approved measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for Military Services has welcomed the change.

“The revision of the U.S. Navy’s orders to allow for the participation by Navy personnel in indoor religious services, provided that the appropriate guidelines are met, is most welcome,” Broglio told CNA July 10. “The change recognizes that worship is a part of the exercise of religious liberty and helps to ensure the readiness of the forces who defend us.”

“It is clear that the Catholic Church has taken to heart the CDC measures and organized the celebration of the sacraments in ways that ensure the safety of participants, good order, and the dignity of the rites. I am sure that other religious groups will do the same,” the archbishop said.

“I am grateful to the Department of the Navy and everyone else who contributed to this timely revision.”

In late March, the Navy imposed restrictions on attending off-base religious services.

Gregory Slavonic, acting assistant secretary of defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, said on Wednesday that Navy orders should not “restrict attendance at places of worship where attendees are able to appropriately apply COVID-19 transmission mitigation measures, specifically social distancing and use of face covering.“

The new guidance came late Wednesday in a memo from Slavonic to Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mike Gilday, the news website Military.com reports.

Capt. Sarah Self-Kyler, public affairs officer for U.S. Fleet Forces Command, said all service members assigned to Navy units “must continue to follow force health protection protocols, such as maintaining social distance and use of face coverings, should they choose to participate in religious services or visit places of worship.”

U.S. Air Force Major Daniel Schultz, who is currently assigned to a Navy command, on June 29 sought a religious accommodation. Schultz, who leads worship at his church, said a new order allowed house parties and protests but banned attendance at indoor church services.

Mike Berry, general counsel for the First Liberty Institute, had sent a letter on behalf of Schultz. He told Fox News the change was a “major victory” for the Constitution and religious freedom.

“This memo means tens of thousands of our brave service members will be able to safely and freely exercise their religious beliefs,” he said.

U.S. Reps. Doug Collins, R-Ga., and Doug Lamborn, R-Colo. Had written to U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper objecting to the Navy’s policy.

Collins welcomed the new clarification but called for further changes.

“For too long, the Pentagon has turned a blind eye as our military leaders have completely disregarded their obligation to protect the religious freedom of its service members,” Collins said Thursday. “I look forward to sitting down with Secretary Esper and leaders at the Department of Defense to further discuss how we can protect religious freedom across all branches of our military.”

On July 5, Broglio criticized the orders and lamented that they also discouraged “civilian personnel, including families” from attending indoor church services.

Broglio called the Navy’s original order “particularly odious to Catholics,” because, he said, frequently there is no longer a Catholic program on naval installations due to budgetary constraints, or many installation chapels simply are still closed.

“Participation in the Sunday Eucharist is life blood for Catholics. It is the source and summit of our lives and allows us to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord,” he said.

Given the great efforts of Catholic churches to adjust seating, the reception of Holy Communion, and the liturgy to avoid contagion, Broglio had said, “I wonder why the Navy has decided to prohibit the faithful from something which even the Commander in Chief has called an essential service.”

Broglio’s archdiocese serves some 1.8 million Catholics worldwide, including service members, civilian federal employees, and their families. About 25% of the military is Catholic, though only 6% of military chaplains are. There are under 500 ordained priests doing ministry work for the archdiocese, about 184 of whom are active-duty chaplains who are also commissioned officers.

While some news reports have highlighted dangers of contagion at religious services, other experts have emphasized that religious services are no more dangerous than similar events that take precautions recommended by health authorities.

A recent New York Times report linked religious facilities to more than 650 cases of Covid-19 infections contracted at nearly 40 churches and religious events since the epidemic arrived in the U.S. However, these make up a minuscule percentage of the more than 3.1 million confirmed cases in the country.

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IMAGES

THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
FEAST PRESENTATION LORD
Suscipe Deprecationem Nostram: February 2, 2019

COMMENTS

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
See image. Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Presentation of the Lord which occurs forty days after the birth of Jesus and is also known as Candlemas day, since the blessing and ...
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord 2022
Pope Francis said this in his homily during Mass in Saint Peter's Basilica on Wednesday afternoon, 2 February [2022], Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, and World Day of Consecrated Life…. The following is the English text of the Pope's homily. Two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, await in the Temple the fulfilment of the promise that ...
The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas)
The Original Date of the Presentation . Originally, the feast was celebrated on February 14, the 40th day after Epiphany (January 6), because Christmas wasn't yet celebrated as its own feast, and so the Nativity, Epiphany, the Baptism of the Lord (Theophany), and the feast celebrating Christ's first miracle at the wedding in Cana were all celebrated on the same day.
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
Forty days after Christmas, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, an event that the evangelist Luke recounts in Chapter 2 of his Gospel. In the East, the celebration of this feast dates back to the 4 th century. By the year 450, it was called The Feast of the Meeting of the Lord because Jesus enters the Temple and ...
The Feast of the Presentation
According to the Church's liturgical calendar, the feast held on Feb. 2 each year is in honor of the Presentation of the Lord. Some Catholics recall this day as the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary because such was the feast day named until the 1969 changes in the Church's calendar. In fact, according to Luke's Gospel ...
Presentation of the Lord
The Story of the Presentation of the Lord. At the end of the fourth century, a woman named Etheria made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Her journal, discovered in 1887, gives an unprecedented glimpse of liturgical life there. Among the celebrations she describes is the Epiphany, the observance of Christ's birth, and the gala procession in honor of ...
Pictures for the feast of the Presentation of the Lord (2 February
Pictures for the feast of the Presentation of the Lord (2 February) - aka Candlemas Labels: Suggested hymns - Feasts and Memorials. This is a small selection of free-use illustrations, photographs or images based on the readings and prayers/propers in the Roman Catholic lectionary for the Presentation of the Lord, Years A, B and C.
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
2022 February 2. Feast of the Presentation of the Lord - Holy Mass . St Peter's Basilica at 17:30. Holy Mass with the members of the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life 26th World Day For Consecrated Life . Attachments: Indications; Booklet for the Celebration; Photos ...
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
Ludovico Carracci, via Wikimedia Commons. February 2: Presentation of the Lord—Feast. Liturgical Color: White Version: Full - Short Quote: When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be ...
Perspectives on the Presentation—A Homily for the Feast of the
The liturgical focus of the Feast of the Presentation, which we celebrate today, is light. Christ is our light, and the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light! In the Gospel, Simeon holds the infant Jesus and calls Him "a light for revelation to the Gentiles." Thus, this feast has long featured … Continue reading "Perspectives on the Presentation—A Homily for the Feast ...
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord ~ February 2, 2022
Reflections on the readings for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (February 2, 2022): MAL 3:1-4, PS 24:7,8,9,10; HEB 2:14-18; LK 2:22-40 ... in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord" (Luke 2:22-24). This feast also marks the purification of Mary that would also have been necessary after Jesus' birth. While Christ is ...
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord ~ February 2, 2022
Reflections on the readings for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (February 2, 2022): MAL 3:1-4, PS 24:7,8,9,10; HEB 2:14-18; LK 2:22-40 ... The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord dates back to the 4 th century. Now we focus primarily on Jesus' first visit to the temple of Jerusalem, when, like all Jewish baby boys, He was offered ...
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem. to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of. a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
The Significance of the Presentation of the Lord
In old days, the Presentation was often referred to as "Candlemas" and was celebrated by a candle-lit procession into the church, signifying Christ as the "light of nations.". Known originally as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is a relatively ancient celebration.
Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord
The Presentation of Our Lord is the feast of Christ "light of the people" and of the encounter ("Ypapanti") of the Messiah with his people in the Temple at Jerusalem. The gesture of obedience to the law and offering, performed by Mary and Joseph who bring the child Jesus to offer him in the Temple, inspires the presence at this celebration of ...
Candlemas
Candlemas, also known as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ, the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or the Feast of the Holy Encounter, is a Christian feast day commemorating the presentation of Jesus at the Temple by Joseph and Mary.It is based upon the account of the presentation of Jesus in Luke 2:22-40.According to the Old Testament rules in Leviticus 12, a ...
Presentation of Jesus
The Presentation of Jesus is an early episode in the life of Jesus Christ, describing his presentation at the Temple in Jerusalem.It is celebrated by many churches 40 days after Christmas on Candlemas, or the "Feast of the Presentation of Jesus".The episode is described in chapter 2 of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament. Within the account, "Luke's narration of the Presentation in the ...
2 February: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
Go to mass and bring a stack of candles to be blessed for use over the next year! Prince of Peace has mass and blessing of the candles at 8:30am and 7pm on 2 February. If you are unable to go to mass, do a family Candlemas procession and prayer at home. Instructions here. Candlemas is known in France as "crepe day".
Gospel in Art: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
Reflection on the Watercolour on Paper. Today we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Together with Simeon and Anna we contemplate the Christ Child, the Word made flesh, who is brought to the Temple. That temple is not just the physical building but also the temple of our souls--that sacred space that is inside each of us.
What is Candlemas? The Beautiful Biblical Celebration Explained
Candlemas is a beautiful annual celebration! Every year, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and the Purification of Our Lady on Feb. 2, also known as Candlemas. Candlemas is also the traditional conclusion to the Christmas season.
Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Presentation of the Lord which occurs forty days after the birth of Jesus and is also known as Candlemas day, since the blessing and procession of candles is included in today's liturgy. Before the revision of the General Roman Calendar this marked the end of the Christmas season. The feast was first observed in the Eastern Church as "The Encounter ...
What moves me? Pope's homily for Feast of Presentation ...
On February 2, the World Day for Consecrated Life and the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. Here is a Vatican translation of the full ...
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is celebrated 40 days after Christmas Day. The Gospel of Luke recalls Mary and Joseph taking the child Jesus for his first visit to the temple in Jerusalem. This feast is also known as Candlemas because of the tradition of blessing and distributing candles and holding a candlelight procession on this day.
New report shows fewer abuse claims brought against U.S. Catholic
Pope Francis presided over Mass on Feb. 2 for the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, a feast that coincides each year with a day of prayer established by John Paul II for men and women with ...

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What is Candlemas? The Beautiful Biblical Celebration Explained

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