The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

The story behind this celebration

+ On this day, the Church celebrates the feast of light, recalling that forty days after the birth of the Lord, Mary and Joseph took the Child to the temple in Jerusalem.

+ At this time of presentation and purification, the holy man Simeon recognized the infant Messiah and, taking the Child in his arms, proclaimed him to be the “light of revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of Israel.”

+ The candles blessed on this day serve to remind us of Christ, the True Light, and the faith, hope, and love that illumine the Christian heart.

+ The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord was first celebrated in Jerusalem sometime before the year 400 and was first known as the “Feast of the Meeting.”

+ In 1997, Pope Saint John Paul II declared that the Feast of the Presentation would be celebrated as World Day of Consecrated Life, on which the Church prays for vocations to the religious life—including religious priests, brothers, and sisters—and celebrates the contributions of women and men religious in the life of the Church. To learn more, visit: http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/consecrated-life/world-day-for-consecrated-life.cfm

For prayer and reflection

“What do we take into our own arms? Simeon took Jesus into his arms (cf. v. 28). It is a touching scene, full of meaning and unique in the Gospels. God has placed his Son in our arms too, because embracing Jesus is the essential thing, the very heart of faith. Sometimes we risk losing our bearings, getting caught up in a thousand different things, obsessing about minor issues or plunging into new projects, yet the heart of everything is Christ, embracing him as the Lord of our lives.”—Pope Francis

Spiritual bonus

On this day we also remember Saint Catherine dei Ricci. A member of cloistered community of Dominican Tertiaries in Prato, Italy, Catherine was revered for her mystical experiences and prophetic writings. She maintained extensive correspondence with princes, bishops, and cardinals (including three future popes), as well as Saint Philip Neri. Moreover, she proved herself to be a capable administrator of her community. Saint Catherine dei Ricci died on February 2, 1590, and was canonized in 1746.

Prayer

Almighty ever-living God,
we humbly implore your majesty
that, just as your Only Begotten Son
was presented on this day in the Temple
in the substance of our flesh,
so, by your grace,
we may be presented to you with minds made pure.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(from The Roman Missal)
Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.