Kathryn Lopez
1.
A blessed Candlemas to all! @ Dominican House of Studies, Washington DC https://t.co/DD0pcEcwAy
— Fr Lawrence Lew OP (@LawrenceOP) February 2, 2016
Stained glass window in the Dominican church of St Patrick's in Columbus OH of the Presentation of the Lord #op800https://t.co/7zDM96EWFA
— Fr Lawrence Lew OP (@LawrenceOP) February 2, 2016
2. Now this is something to be enthusiastic for, via Saint Sophronius:
In honor of the divine mystery that we celebrate today, let us all hasten to meet Christ. Everyone should be eager to join the procession and to carry a light.
Our lighted candles are a sign of the divine splendor of the one who comes to expel the dark shadows of evil and to make the whole universe radiant with the brilliance of his eternal light. Our candles also show how bright our souls should be when we go to meet Christ.
The Mother of God, the most pure Virgin, carried the true light in her arms and brought him to those who lay in darkness. We too should carry a light for all to see and reflect the radiance of the true light as we hasten to meet him.
The light has come and has shone upon a world enveloped in shadows; the Dayspring from on high has visited us and given light to those who lived in darkness. This, then, is our feast, and we join in procession with lighted candles to reveal the light that has shone upon us and the glory that is yet to come to us through him. So let us hasten all together to meet our God.
The true light has come, the light that enlightens every man who is born into this world. Let all of us, my brethren, be enlightened and made radiant by this light. Let all of us share in its splendor, and be so filled with it that no one remains in the darkness. Let us be shining ourselves as we go together to meet and to receive with the aged Simeon the light whose brilliance is eternal. Rejoicing with Simeon, let us sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God, the Father of the light, who sent the true light to dispel the darkness and to give us all a share in his splendor.
Through Simeon’s eyes we too have seen the salvation of God which he prepared for all the nations and revealed as the glory of the new Israel, which is ourselves. As Simeon was released from the bonds of this life when he had seen Christ, so we too were at once freed from our old state of sinfulness.
By faith we too embraced Christ, the salvation of God the Father, as he came to us from Bethlehem. Gentiles before, we have now become the people of God. Our eyes have seen God incarnate, and because we have seen him present among us and have mentally received him into our arms, we are called the new Israel. Never shall we forget this presence; every year we keep a feast in his honor.
3.
Today is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which occurs 40 days after the birth of Jesus. pic.twitter.com/w4mkk3AxCx
— Diocese of Toledo (@DioceseToledo) February 2, 2016
4.
What is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord? #feastday #candlemas #infographic pic.twitter.com/qVcopkhHQ5
— Archdiocese of TO (@archtoronto) February 2, 2016
5.
Remembering the startling, prophetic words of Simeon today on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord today pic.twitter.com/tZzjnY2PJF
— Gretchen Crowe (@GretchenOSV) February 2, 2016
6. Fr. Steve Grunow at Word on Fire:
Simeon and Anna can see this revelation and appreciate it. For them the moment is as profound as it is bittersweet, for they know that with the beginning of this new age for Israel, the previous era has ended. Their mission is now complete. The Israel of the covenant, the prophets, the law, the temple, and the kingdom has been brought to its fulfillment. All these divine gifts were foreshadowings of the greatest of all divine Gifts- Christ the Lord- God with us.
The gifts of Israel will be returned to the world, but they will all be transformed in Christ, becoming what we know and experience as the Church.
Candles that are used in the Church’s rituals are often blessed on this day and a procession is recommended with candles to commemorate the entrance of Christ into the temple.
The symbolism of the candle is meant to recall the divine presence, manifested to Israel at the time of the Exodus as a “pillar of fire.” This “pillar of fire” led the Israelites from bondage in Egypt to the land of God’s promise. Christ is this “pillar of fire” who leads humanity from the bondage of sin and death to the promises of resurrection and eternal life.
It is Christ, the divine fire, that leads us still…
7.
Simeon and Anna reveal the power of God’s grace flowing through the wisdom of the elderly.
— Bishop Barres (@BishopBarres) February 2, 2016
The “salvation” that Jesus brought to his people, and which he embodies in himself, passed through the Cross, through the violent death that he was to vanquish and to transform with the sacrifice of his life through love. This sacrifice was already foretold in the act of the Presentation in the Temple, an act without any doubt motivated by the traditions of the old Covenant, but that was deeply enlivened by the fullness of faith and love, which correspond to the fullness of time, to the presence of God and of his Holy Spirit in Jesus. Indeed, the Spirit moved over the whole scene of the presentation of Jesus in the Temple and in particular over Simeon, but also over Anna.
The Spirit “Paraclete” brings consolation to Israel and motivates the steps and moves the hearts of those who await him. He is the Spirit who prompted the prophetic words of Simeon and Anna, words of blessing and praise of God, of faith in his Annointed One, of thanksgiving, for at last our eyes could see and our arms embrace “your salvation” (cf. 2:30).
10.
On the Presentation of the Lord, we pray that His Light may shine always in our lives and inspire those who may be living in darkness.
— Bishop Burbidge (@BishopBurbidge) February 2, 2016
PLUS 12 things from last year on this feast.
And one last thing: Today is the last day of the elongated year of consecrated life. (Everything you need to know about and its relevance my friend Fr. Roger Landry has probably written about.) This is a Q&A I did early on in the year with Sr. Marie Bernadette Thompson, O.P. about it.
And this and this was a highlight of the year I went to St. Louis for in the fall.
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