The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord: Christ as the Salvific and Redemptive Candle Light

 The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (February 2) is on the 40^th day from the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas, December 25).  Liturgically, Christmas season spans from the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord to the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.  However, while in some traditions, Christmas celebration ends on the Feast of Epiphany (January 6), in other traditions, it concludes on the Feast of the Presentation (February 2), marking this day as La fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria (the Feast of the Virgin of the Candle), as well as Candlemas feast. As we extend the celebration of the birth of the incarnated Christ until the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, we have 40 days of Christmas celebration!

For this feast, the Gospel Reading is the same text as the Gospel Reading for the Feast of the Holy Family, which is celebrated on the Sunday after the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord or December 30, and it is drawn from Luke 2:22-40.  The same Lucan Gospel text for two different feasts but emphasis is different for the Holy Family and the Presentation of the Lord.

For the Holy Family, we focus more on the fact that Mary completed her postpartum purification as prescribed in the Law (Leviticus 12:1-4) and the fact that Mary was too poor to offer lamb so offered a pair of turtledoves, instead (Luke 2:24; Leviticus 12:8), and the fact that baby Jesus (at least 40-day old) was presented to God in the Temple for redemption (Exodus 13:2, 11-16). And, we reflect on these facts of the law-abiding righteous character of Mary and Joseph, as the responsible and righteous parents to raise baby Jesus.

As we read the same Lucan Gospel text (Luk2:22-40) for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, we may highlight these prophetic words of Simeon, who encounter the bay Jesus in the Temple:

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”   Luke 2:29-32

 

A light of revelation to the Gentiles and glory for the Israelites to be revealed, as Simeon said, is the incarnated Christ to be celebrated on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Before Christ himself identified as the light of the world to follow for eternal life (John 8:12), Simeon recognized this Christological character in the baby Jesus. Thus, on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, there is an emphasis that Christ the redemptive and salvific light for eternal life was presented to the world, represented by Simeon, while Christ the firstborn son to break the womb of the Theotokos was dedicated to God, who saved His people through Passover.

The focus on Christ the salvific light to be revealed and to be seen throughout the world is also revealed at every Mass, symbolized with the light of the candles during  Mass. St. Anselm viewed Christ the light with the symbol of candle. According to him, the wax, which is produced by virgin bees, represents Corpus Christi, his unblemished flesh from the Immaculate flesh of Mary, while the wick in the middle of the candle symbolizes Anima Christi , the soul of Christ, and the flame symbolizes Divinatem Christi, Christ’s divinity. For this reason, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is celebrated also as La fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria (the Feast of the Virgin of the Candle) or Candlemas.  This also explains why liturgical candles are blessed on this feast day.

While Candles lit during Mass are symbols of Christ, Paschal Candle, which is lit before the beginning of Paschal Vigil Mass, symbolizes the Risen Christ. And, we gather around the Paschal Candle with our own candles in hand. We receive the light from the Paschal Candle to candles in our hands to lighten the dark sanctuary as we begin Paschal Vigil Mass. And, this means that each of us carries Christ as our shepherding light to follow and as the Son of God, the divine, as his instruments. For this reason, Christ has called us “the light to the world”  to represent Christ the light  with his pure body, symbolized with pure candle wax (Matthew 5:14-16).