The feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which we celebrate on February 2, is popularly known as Candlemas or the “feast of lights”. This is because the Eucharistic celebration begins with the rite of blessing the candles, a symbol of Christ, the light of the nations.
According to the law of Moses, parents had to take their firstborn sons to the temple forty days after their birth to present them officially. The Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph were no exception for little Jesus, and forty days after Christmas they took him to Jerusalem.
This episode from the life of Jesus is recounted by Luke (Lk 2:22-39) and is celebrated by the Catholic Church on February 2, but it is also celebrated by the Orthodox Church and some Protestant churches.
We look to Jesus, in fact, as the true light that brightens and illuminates the life of every person and people on Earth. It is Christ's light that guides our steps and enables us to fully accept his invitation to follow him.
The light of these candles reminds us that we are never alone when, in life, we have to go through dark or stormy times. By taking the Candlemas candle home, we have the opportunity to light it whenever we go through a particularly difficult period, to put Jesus at the center of our lives.
The feast of Candlemas also has a very popular dimension: just think of the proverbs and customs associated in particular with the transition from winter to spring that this day represents. To cite just a few: «Dark Candlemas, we need not fear winter», or «On Saint Candlemas, whether it snows or rains, winter is over».
February 2 is also the Day for Consecrated Life. The Presentation of Jesus in the temple is, in fact, an emblematic image of the total self-giving of all consecrated persons. Their response is one of love to Jesus' loving gaze. Last year, Pope Francis addressed these words to consecrated persons: «We must hold Jesus close in adoration and ask for eyes that know how to see the good and discern God's ways. If we welcome Christ with open arms, we will also welcome others with trust and humility. […] Let us put Him back at the center and move forward with joy».
Bishop Bruno Forte has given the whole Church a great gift by dedicating a book to reflection on the priesthood, highlighting the beauty of the priestly vocation and allowing us to reflect on an invaluable gift given by God to all humanity.
Putting Jesus back at the center is the task not only of consecrated persons, but of all Christians. May the feast of Candlemas be an opportunity to recenter our lives on the Lord, the only one who can give us true light.
