February 2

Feast of the Presentation (OF)
Feast of the Purification (EF)
AKA: Candlemas

     Sunday, February 2, while many will have their eyes riveted on the rodent to see if he will see his shadow, and others will already be partaking in the national high holy day - Superbowl Sunday, we happy few will be celebrating an important feast; not so important any more that it would be ranked as a holy day of obligation, but considerable nonetheless.

     This feast is celebrated throughout the Christian world - both east and west, and celebrates both the purification of Mary and the presentation of our Lord, Jesus, events that occurred concurrently in the Temple of Jerusalem.  As we see in the Law of Moses, it was necessary for a Jewish woman to wait 40 days after childbirth for her purification and re-admittance to temple worship; it was also on the 40th day that a first-born son was presented to the God and redeemed with the sacrifice of a lamb or, for the poor, two pigeons.

     Interestingly, our blessed Lady had no need for purification, nor does our Lord need to be redeemed from Himself!  For this reason, in the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary of which the "Presentation in the Temple" is the fourth, the virtue that accompanies this mystery is obedience.  This is the first of a number of times in which we will see our Lord undertake an act "for the sake of righteousness".

     In this event, found in the second chapter of the Gospel according to St. Luke (2:32), we find Simeon declaring our Lord Jesus to be "a light of revelation to the gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel".  Thus, this feast is also known as "Candlemas".  In many churches candles will be blessed for use in the church and in the home.  If your parish offers these I would encourage you to take advantage.  Blessed candles used in the home are an important reminder of whence comes our true Light.  A favorite psalm of mine is Psalm 119:105 wherein we read: "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."

     As we leave behind Christmas / Epiphany it is important not to leave behind our devotion to the Divine Child.  When the original statue was presented to the Carmelites of The Discalced Carmelite Church of our Lady Victorious in Prague, the Czech Republic, the Princess Polyxena presented it to them saying: "Venerable Fathers, I bring you my dearest possession. Honour this image and you shall never want."  In 1631 the Swedish King Gustavus conquered Prague and the monastery was sacked and the figure thrown aside.  Seven years later the statue, its hand broken off, was rediscovered and brought out for veneration.  As Fr. Cyrillus was praying before the statue he heard a voice say to him: "Have pity on me, and I will have pity on you. Give me my hands, and I will give you peace. The more you honour me, the more I will bless you."  In 1639 the Swedish army again beseiged the city of Prague and the citizens hurried to beg deliverance in the presence of the statue of the Divine Child.  When the army left without taking the city it was attributed to the Divine Child.  A parade and coronation continue to this day in commemoration.

     The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus is the principal feast of the Divine Child.  This feast is celebrated on a number of dates between the General Roman Calendar, the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of the Roman Rite, various religious orders and the Eastern Church, but they all generally fall within the month of January.  Thus, January is dedicated as a time of devotion to both the Divine Child and to the Most Holy Name of Jesus.

     As we continue in this time after Epiphany let us take advantage of the graces promised in this beautiful devotion to the Divine Child, the Infant of Prague.  This devotion has been a great source of consolation to so many, including St. Pio de Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) who recited the "Act of Childlike Trust in God" each day.