Update: Links added at bottom and, there is a Pontifical Solemn High Mass for the feast of Candlemas at the Church of the Ephiphany in Miami, Florida which will be carried live, online at 7:30 PM EST. More on this Mass at New Liturgical Movement, as well.
Today is the Feast of the Presentation, also known as Candlemas, or the Purification of the Blessed Virgin.
Assumption Grotto traditionally provides blessed candles after all Masses on this day.
From Scripture...
(Luke 2:22-35) When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. He took Jesus up in his arms and blessed God and said, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples. And His father and His mother marveled at what was said about Him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."
Here is what is in the Office of Readings for today. The second reading is from a sermon by Saint Sophronius, bishop
More to read on the Presentation (Candelmas) and the Feast of St. Blase:
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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.
More to read on the Presentation (Candelmas) and the Feast of St. Blase:
- Watch this page at Vatican.va for full text of the words of the Holy Father from the Solemn Vespers service for the Presentation
- WDTPRS: Presentation - "the substance of our flesh" (Father Z)
- If Christ did not "open the womb" of his Mother, why was he presented in the Temple? (Fr. Ryan Erlenbush at New Theologican Movement)
- What Does Mary's Pierced Heart Reveal About Your Heart? (Dr. Taylor Marshall)
- Illumination: Feast of the Presentation (Elizabeth Scalia at The Anchoress)
- NLM Reprint: Historical Notes on Candelmas (Shawn Tribe at NLM)
- Candlemas in the Dominican Rite (Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P. at NLM)
- "Let Us Be Made Radiant" (Joanne McPortland)
- Happy Candlemas (Dcn Greg Kandra)
- Music for Candlemas (Michael E. Lawrence at The Chant Cafe)
- Jimmy Akin posts about February 2nd: Ordinary Form (Presentation - Feast) and Extraordinary Form (Purification - Class II)
- St. Blase: Patron of Throat Illnesses (Kathy Schiffer at The Anchoress)
For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog
Te Deum Laudamus! Home
The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
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