Presentation of our Lord

The Presentation of Our Lord is referred to in some corners of the church as
Candlemas because of an ancient tradition of blessing all the candles to be used in
the church in the coming year at the mass celebrated on that day. It was a way of
underscoring the truth of Simeon’s confession that this baby Jesus was “a light for
revelation to the Gentiles” and a light for glory to Israel. Let the light of every
candle in church be a little epiphany of the love of God for all people in the person
of God’s son, Jesus, the light of the world.