Candlemas Day coming on February 2 marks the very first time when Blessed Mary and Joseph bring Jesus into the holy temple.  Forty days have passed since His birth.

Mary enters full of joy seeking to receive her new Mother blessing. Joseph as always, is at her side.  Anna looks on lovingly at the child Mary holds in her arms.  All of a sudden the prayerful silence is broken.  The loud cry of an old man’s voice echoes throughout the temple.

“Where is He?”  “Where is the Child so that I may behold him?”

Old Simeon was waiting inside the temple for years.  But this day was different.  Something wonderful was taking place not far from where he sat. The sounds of a Child fill his heart with magnificent splendor.  The infant Jesus.  He goes from room to room frantically searching for where the child has been laid.  No one understands what is happening.  What has captured Simeon’s attention to make him cry out this way?  God is fulfilling a promise right in their midst.  Simeon would not die until his own eyes beheld Christ the Savior. That day had come.

Simeon would wait no more.

Finding Jesus, he takes Him from Mary’s loving arms and cradles him in a holy embrace. Praising God for the promise kept, Simeon can now live out the rest of his life in peace.

He has seen Glory.

Simeon slowly turns to look into Mary’s eyes.  He has something to tell her.  Something that brought great pain to say.

A message that grips me to the bone every time I read St. Luke’s Gospel recording (Luke 2:22) of what happened in the temple that day.  “And a sword of sorrow will pierce your soul because of Jesus.”  

Everyone hears.  They are confused because this was a day to celebrate.

This was a day to be joyful.  It was Mary’s blessing day was it not? What sorrow could a new born bring to his mother?  The gathering encourages Simeon to go on his way so that the ceremony could continue.  After a few moments, his prophetic words quietly slip away.

No one understood the prophecy.

Except for Mary.  Mary knew exactly what Simeon meant.  She knew how her soul would be pierced and had no need to question him.  Acceptance was in Mary’s heart from the moment of the angel’s greeting.  She gives us the Magnificat and remains faithful to her promise. May it be done to me according to Your Word.  After hearing Simeon’s prophecy, Mary brings her Son back into the safety of her arms.  She swaddles and protects Him as long as She can.  Until the appointed time for the piercing of Her soul. The day when She would meet her Son carrying the Cross at Calvary. Just as Simeon had foretold.

All of this happened on the day known as Candlemas Day.

Let us remember by lighting a candle of our own.

My Candlemas candle.