Presentation of the Lord

Monday, February 2 we will celebrate the Presentation of the Lord  (Candle Light Mass) @ 8 am &7 pm Masses.

The Presentation of the Lord, celebrated on February 2, commemorates the moment when Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem, forty days after his birth, in obedience to the Law of Moses (Luke 2:22–38). There, they offered the customary sacrifice and encountered Simeon and Anna, two elderly, Spirit-led figures who recognized Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. Simeon’s canticle, the Nunc Dimittis—“a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory for your people Israel”—highlights Christ as the true light entering the world, and also foretells the suffering that lies ahead, both for Jesus and for Mary. This feast thus reveals Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promises and marks his first public appearance in the Temple, symbolizing God’s presence returning to his people.

The same celebration is traditionally known as Candlemas because of the blessing and procession of candles that often take place in the liturgy. The blessed candles, carried by the faithful, visibly express the truth proclaimed by Simeon: Christ is the Light of the world, and believers are called to carry and reflect that light into their homes, workplaces, and communities. Over the centuries, Candlemas also became a hinge-point between the Christmas season and Ordinary Time in many Christian traditions, turning believers’ gaze from the crib toward the cross and the mission of Christ. In this way, the Presentation of the Lord is both a joyful recognition of God’s saving presence and a sober reminder of the cost and depth of that salvation.