This week is a special week of candles. February 2 is the Feast of the Presentation, which is when the child Jesus was brought to the temple forty days after his birth, according to Old Testament Biblical Law. As it says in Luke 2, “When the days were completed for their purification, according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.” Why do we celebrate this on February 2? Because February 2 is 40 days AFTER Christmas (December 25), when we celebrate the BIRTH of Jesus.
There is also a tradition on this feast day of blessing candles. Some of you may remember last year when February 2 fell on a Sunday, we had a special blessing and lighting of candles for this day – hence why historically this feast is also referred to as Candlemas. The blessing of candles became attributed to this day, because when the infant Jesus was brought to the Temple, Simeon recognized Jesus as the light of the world and proclaimed, “…my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles (peoples/nations).”
If you would like candles for your home blessed (specifically candles that you use for prayer), feel free to set up an appointment with Fr. Kevin OR bring those next weekend, and either Fr. Frantz or I can bless it. February 3, the next day, is the Feast of Saint Blaise. As you know, there is a special blessing of throats with his feast day, which also involves candles, holding them crossed in front of the throat in commemoration, not only of the light of Christ (which candles represent) but also of the healing power that flows from the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. The prayer then prayed by the priest:
Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Interestingly, St. Blaise came to be known as one of the “Fourteen helpers,” a group of fourteen Saints whose intercession was invoked during the Plague in Medieval Europe, as they were considered particularly powerful intercessors for protection and healing from illness.
Unfortunately, due to COVID, the Archbishop has specifically asked us NOT to offer the individual blessing of throats. HOWEVER, for those who attended Mass (either in person or virtually), we did offer a general prayer of blessing for St. Blaise, and you may consider asking his intercession (along with the other Fourteen Helpers), for healing and protection from illness (especially from COVID).
Peace,
-Fr. Kevin
