February 2 is Candlemas for everyone. In reality, this is the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, recounted in the Gospel of Luke (2:22-40), in which Jesus reveals himself as the light of the world, illuminating and saving every person.

Candlemas

This curious name that the feast has taken on is due to the fact that the celebration of the Presentation begins with the lighting of candles, the invocation of the Lord's blessing, and a procession with the lit candles, signifying our journey to meet the coming Lord. Our small lights lead us to look to Christ as the true light that brightens and illuminates the lives of individuals and peoples. We need this light to respond consistently to the vocation we have received.

Blessed candles: bringing light into our homes

The lit candles, therefore, represent Christ, the true light of all peoples, and remind us that we too are called to be light and to spread light throughout the world. For this reason, it is customary to bring home the blessed candle at the beginning of Holy Mass, as a symbol recalling the presence of Jesus in our lives and in our family.
Lighting this candle in moments of difficulty, darkness, and storm, and praying with faith, will help us understand that the Lord does not abandon us in difficulty or leave us in the dark. The light of Christ will not let us feel alone or lost in darkness: it will sustain us in difficult moments, bringing peace into our lives. Let us light the Candlemas candle so that the Lord's light may be at the center of our home. 

The light of consecrated life

In the journey of Christian life, it is not enough to welcome the light and remain in the light; it is also necessary to continually become a light for others through a living and credible witness. For this reason, in 1997, John Paul II linked the World Day for Consecrated Life to the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, dedicating it to those who have chosen to follow Christ closely by practicing the evangelical counsels.

We express our gratitude to all consecrated persons for their testimony of light, their commitment, and their generosity, and we ask that, through their joyful witness, they may be a light that illuminates those who live in darkness.