CANDLEMAS 2014

On today's Feast of the Presentation and the Purification, Christ, the Light of the World, came into the Temple, carried in the hands of His Blessed Mother who, having no need of purification herself, gave to us the One who makes us clean!

So we blessed candles and distributed them to the people....

The candles were lit.....

And we processed, just as Joseph and Mary walked to the Temple.

And the candles remained lit for the Gospel, when the Light of God's Word is proclaimed....

 

 

....and while the faithful received the True Body of Christ, the source of Sanctifying Grace which shines our souls.

THE CANDLE AND THE FLAME; JESUS AND MARY

What is a candle without a flame?

But how can the flame burn without the candle?

Mary is the candle.  She supplies the human nature.  She holds the flame.  In her womb, she bore God made flesh.  In her soul untouched by sin, He was there before, during and after she bore Him.  Because of her, the divine fire can burn in a visible, human way in the incarnation of Jesus. 

As mother, we can hold her without fear of injury.  She is as harmless as the candle's cool wax.

Christ is the fire.  He is God.  He brings light and warmth to our dark and cold world.  But we must keep at a respectful distance, as we do with any fire.  Though close to us in His human nature, He is also God, whom we cannot approach except with deep humility and reverence, for God resists the proud but lifts up the lowly.

CANDLEMAS 2013

Candles waiting to be blessed, at the feet of Our Lady's image - she who brought the Light into the world.

Incensing the candles which have been blessed.

The procession begins.

Back to the chapel.

The faithful held their lit candles for the Gospel and from the Sanctus till the end of communion.

February 6 - External Solemnity of the Presentation

On Sunday, February 6, the External Solemnity of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the Purification of Mary was observed.  Candles were blessed, distributed and held by the faithful during the procession before Mass and during the Gospel and the Canon of the Mass until after Holy Communion.  For this reason this feast is also known as Candlemas.