Dear Friends in Christ at Holy Spirit, St. Helen’s, and St. Mary’s,
February 2 is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord Jesus in the Temple. It commemorates Simeon’s famous prophecy that Jesus would be a “light of revelation to the Gentiles.” It is also known as Candlemas since it is the day that candles are blessed for use throughout the Church year. The blessing of candles flows from Simeon’s proclaiming Jesus as a, “Light of Revelation”. Jesus, Himself, says He is the Light of the World. At the start of Mass this weekend, we will have blessed a selection of the candles which will be used throughout the coming year. They represent all the candles that will be lit to honor the Lord. Included are boxes of candles you can take home. Having blessed candles in the house is a long time tradition.
I remember how much I loved being allowed to light votive candles after Mass at my childhood parish of St. Mary in Otis. As an adult, I deeply love the Easter Vigil Mass at which we light a blazing fire outside of the Church to represent the Resurrection of Christ and from it we light the Easter/Paschal Candle to be processed into Church with the proclamation, “Christ our Light.” But, I am jumping ahead.
It is appropriate to place the blessed candle in a prominent place in your home or on a prayer table. It is a powerful Sacramental. It reminds you and all who look on it of Jesus, light of the world, and invites you to prayer. Then when you devote time for personal or communal prayer in your home, you can light the candle to help you focus.
Candles provide a powerful spiritual ambiance, which even the secular world recognizes. They can calm the heart and open us up to the light of God.
Another way to use blessed candles is to bring them out during severe weather. Traditionally Catholics would always light the blessed candle during a strong storm, invoking the power of God to protect their home. And as is so often the case, Catholic spiritual traditions have a practical element: the candle will be useful if the power goes out.
Additionally, on account of their association with the “Light of the World,” blessed candles are a powerful sacramental to use against evil spirits prowling about. The devil lives in darkness, and so the light of the blessed candle invokes the power of God to keep the devil’s influence at bay. Excerpted from Aleteria.org
With the close of Mass, there will come another powerful Sacramental. The St. Blaise Day Blessing of Throats. I joke that by the end of Masses when we do the Blaise Blessing my throat is the one in trouble. Both the St. Blaise Blessing and the Blessed Candles for homes, wrap us in God’s presence and remind us of our dependance on the Lord.
As we head out of Church and back into our daily life, we are reminded that we have been chosen by Christ to be His candles. His light being carried out to all peoples. You are the candle, a light of Christ to others.
May God’s generous blessings be with you,
Love, Fr. Ian