Presentation, February 2, 2022
The Feast of the Presentation is a sort of bridge between the two poles of the Church Year: Christmas and Easter. Today we process, carrying little candles, singing “A light to reveal you to the nations…,” and at the Easter vigil we carry an enormous candle, singing “Christ, our Light”—on the one hand, the beginning of the revelation of Christ in the Child Jesus; on the other hand, the fulness of that revelation in the Risen Lord.
It’s no wonder this day became the traditional day for blessing candles. We bless them, but, in fact, their main function is to be a constant blessing for us. Candlelight is not there for atmosphere or decor. The light of the candle—be it beside the tabernacle or in the sanctuary at Mass or carried in procession—is meant as a constant reminder of Lord’s presence. It is unfortunate that we often take this symbol for granted.
On second thought, though, perhaps the symbol is all the more powerful because easily unnoticed; perhaps being taken for granted is part of the logic of the Incarnation. That the Lord became poor and small for our sake implies that he chose to be easily overlooked, easily taken for granted.
The main message of today’s feast is well expressed by the antiphon, “Be enlightened…,” that is, let the light of Christ-born-for-us fill our lives and shine on our path.
At the same time, today’s feast is a reminder of the deep consequences of the Incarnation. One way to know whether we are being conformed to the image of Christ-born-for-us is how much and how gracefully we are willing to be taken for granted.