Full readings for the day: Malachi 3:1-4, Hebrews 2:14-18, Psalm 24, St. Luke 2:22-40.
It is Candlemass to-day, - so called from the lighting up of candles, offering them, consecrating them, and bearing them in procession; a custom from the time of Justinian the Emperor, at the latest about 1100 years ago; or as others say, Pope Gelasius, anno 496, or thereabouts; - to show that long expected Light of the Gentiles was now come, was now sprung up, and shined brighter than the sun at noon, and might be taken in our hands. Let the ceremony pass, reserve the substance; light up the two candles of faith and good works, light them with the fire of charity; bear we them burning in our hands, as Christ commands us; meet we him 'with our lamps burning;' consecrate we also them, all our works and actions, with our prayers; offer we them, all our works and actions, with our prayers; offer we them upon the altars of the God of our salvation,
This day was his offering day - is to be ours. Offer we then him, offer we ourselves; take we him up into our arms, into pour hands and hearts; having first lighted a candle and swept our houses to receive and entertain him, and having humbly, and cheerfully, and devoutly, and thankfully received him, bless we God. So preached Mark Frank on Candlemass in the 17thC.
At Christmas we celebrated the coming of Light into the world which drives away all darkness and dross. To-day forty days after this great feast of Light, we close it appropriately with Candlemass. I have written this after attending Candlemass in Magdalen College Chapel in Oxford. As we carry our lighted candle into the Mass for the day, we sing the Nunc Dimittis, Simeon's song, content now to die as He had seen and held His Saviour. My thoughts during the procession this morning were also on another procession -my last on this earth, when my body will be laid to rest.
Each Candlemass reminds us of our own departure from this earthly life, and challenges us with the stark fact, have I actually seen and held Christ during this earthly pilgrimage, so I can "depart in peace"? In to-day's psalm the question is asked, "Who is He, this King of glory?" We are assured that He is "the Lord of Hosts". This same psalm also invites us to open our doors so that "the King of glory man come in". Let us on this Candlemass make sure our door is open, and we not only invite Him in but bid Him welcome too. By welcoming Him, we also enable Light to filter through and lighten the darkness within.
The Presentation of Christ in the Temple is another manifestation that Christ is indeed the Light of the world, and that in that light no evil can survive. As there is still so much evil present in our midst; each day we shudder, don't we, of what atrocities man commits against his fellow man, it is important therefore that we who are called to live in His glorious light. This means we allow Light to glow, and not to flicker within us so that we do not add any more evil into this world as we gently pursue the Gospel's life of love, humility and truth. If we seek this Light with all our being then we shall be able, as Malachi reminds us, to "endure the day of His coming" when He will purify us in order to "be fit to bring [our] offerings to the Lord".(Mal.3:2-3)
On this day also Mary was purified after child-birth according to the Jewish laws, similar in purpose to our Churching of Women. The joy in thanksgiving on this occasion would have been dampened for Mary with Simeon's prophecy: A sword would pierce her heart. That heart would be full of sorrows, because her Son, her joy, and Light of this world would suffer much from the hands of evil and powers of darkness in His life. In this perspective Candlemass acts as a bridge between the joys of Christmas and the sorrow of Good Friday before that day ushers in that new Day. On that Resurrection Day everything living will be bathed in Christ's most glorious light as He triumphs over the worst deeds of darkness - death. In His Resurrection Christ appears in such light that He surpasses all splendour.
Candlemass in anticipating Paschal delights, also makes us aware of that beatific vision of Christ as Lord enthroned in all His glory in heaven. It is that vision we all pray will be ours once we have been purified and purged from all sin. Let us therefore allow our lives to be judged by that Light so that Christ's glory may shine forth in all that we do, think and say.
On this day the glory of the Lord shines from Simeon's arms as he proclaims, and give thanks to Him as the Saviour of all people; may I too give thanks for the coming of Light which illuminates all of life. Help me not to diminish by words and ways of darkness that Light within me, given at my Baptism, but to let it freely burn. Amen.
