This Sunday marks the fortieth day since Christmas, the birth of Christ. For Jews, this was a significant day for newborn sons. Forty days after the birth of a male child, the Lord (in the Book of Leviticus) directs parents to bring their child to the Temple, to present him to the Lord, and to complete the mother’s ritual purification. This event in the life of Jesus is recorded in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:22-40). At his presentation, an aged and holy man named Simeon took the child into his arms and blessed God, declaring the child Jesus to be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory for your people Israel.” (Luke 2:32)

From Simeon’s declaration of Jesus as a “light for revelation,” there developed the Church custom of blessing candles on the Feast of the Presentation. Candles are a symbol of Christ and are central to our liturgical prayer in the Sacraments and in our personal prayer at home. Today, we will bless candles for liturgical and personal use at all our Sunday Masses. You are invited to bring with you to Mass any candles that you would like blessed for your prayer at home.