Since joining the Church, one of the feast days that really
draws me (and which I don’t understand doesn’t get more importance) is
Candlemas. It sounds so quant and English in my mind, and I suspect there is
some novel I read as a child that mentioned it, which is why it enthralls me. Soft glowing candles in the dreary winter season. As for its actual
meaning, I don’t give it much thought.
Candlemas marks a few important things in the infancy
narrative of Jesus. But they are foreign traditions so they are easy to miss.
It’s been forty days since Christmas Day. Women were considered unclean after
giving birth, and 40 days after bearing a son, she could reenter social life.
This was marked by bringing the baby forward to a priest and making an
offering, either a lamb for turtledove. So the feast is sometimes called the
Purification of Mary.
The ritual also marked presenting Jesus, her first born
child, to God. The scriptures said, “Every male that opens the womb shall be
called holy to the Lord” (Luke 2:23).
Like Hannah and Samuel, Mary took Jesus to be presented at the Temple
(although she didn’t leave him there). So the feast is sometimes called the
Presentation of the Lord.
During the presentation, Simeon recognized who Jesus was and
rejoiced at living long enough to see the Messiah. His canticle calls Jesus “a
light for revelation to the Gentiles.” So the feast is sometimes called
Candlemas, and the Church uses that day to bless the candles for the year, both
for church and home use.
As the last mention of Jesus as an infant, it the official
end of the Christmas season. So you should really take down those Christmas
decorations now.
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