Word to the Wise
Monday, February 2, 2026 - Feb. 2: The Presentation of the Lord
[Mal 3:1-4; Heb 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40 or 2:22-32,60]"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 the sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel." [Luke]
These beautiful and prophetic words of consolation and fulfillment, spoken by Simeon, are sung daily at Compline, the last of the Liturgy of the Hours. They express the old saying, "Now I can die happy!" The Gospel According to Luke records the episode which tradition has named, "the Presentation of the Lord." The words about "light" led to the custom of blessing and lighting candles and carrying them in procession on this day. At some point, the custom developed of using a pair of blessed candles on the next day for the blessing of throats in honor of the feast of St. Blaise. In my experience, this latter observance tends to attract more people than the bigger feast day before it!
The infancy narratives in the Gospels According to Luke and Matthew, were probably written last and in the light of the experience of the Christian community at the time of composition. The role of the Holy Spirit is prominent in the Gospel According to Luke, and Simeon becomes a vessel of the Holy Spirit in the encounter with Jesus, Mary and Joseph, who are portrayed as pious Jewish parents coming to the temple for a routine observance of the Mosaic Law. The dramatic setting becomes prophetic, with Simeon and Anna each playing a distinct role. Simeon speaks of the fulfillment of past prophecy and what is to come. Anna proclaims the present day to "all who were awaiting the redemption of Israel," much in the same way as the shepherds in the nativity scene.
Candles are a big feature in Catholic life because they represent light, life and prayer, especially in the resurrection of Christ at the Easter Vigil. They also represent prayer, as those candle stands in churches and chapels testify. "Lighting a candle" for someone is a traditional form of prayer. The feast of the Presentation of the Lord can serve as a reminder to us of all this rich tradition, but the center of it all is Christ, the light of the world! AMEN
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