The Feast of the Presentation is one of those feasts that, as a new Catholic, at first when I saw it listed in the Ordo, I asked myself, 'Presentation? What's that all about?'
To the uninitiated, it's not immediately obvious. Who or what is presented, to whom, and why?
Like very many other things in the Catholic faith, some of the meaning/origin of this feast has slowly been revealed to me (not in the sense of divine revelation, although, I suppose one could argue that the Lord uses people and things for his own purposes . . . ) Anyway, I digress.
As I became more familiar with praying the Rosary and the various 'mysteries' on which we meditate, I learned a little more about this joyful mystery of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple.
It refers of course to the presentation of Christ in the Temple, as, following Jewish tradition, every first-born child was to be presented to God. Also, again according to Jewish tradition, Mary would have been considered 'unclean' for 7 days following the birth of her child and would not be considered 'purified' until after another 33 days, bringing the total to 40 days after the birth of Christ.
Coincidentally, this is about the same period of time, I remember, having to present myself and our baby to our GP following the birth of our children for the '6 week check' for both mother and child. I wonder if this is still the case?
So it is really a combination of events that are being celebrated; both the presentation of the first-born child to God and the ritual purification of His mother Mary.
Of course the other significant happening at the time was the prayerful exclamation by Simeon giving thanks to the Lord on seeing the Messiah . . .
'At last, all -powerful Master,
you give leave to your servant
to go in peace, according to your promise.
For my eyes have seen your salvation
which you have prepared for all nations,
the light to enlighten the Gentiles
and give glory to Israel, your people.'
This beautiful prayer which we recite during Night Prayer throughout the year.
Finally, one more time when I remember hearing the Feast of the Presentation being mentioned is in relation to the Season of Christmas.
Quite early on, I learned that Christmas does not in fact end after the 'Twelve Days of Christmas' but continues up to to the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord and some say they even leave their crib in place until the Feast of the Presentation when Christmas may by considered well and truly over.
As to the name 'Candlemas'; this refers to the practice of lighting candles and processing into Mass on this day symbolising Christ's entrance into the temple. Candles are usually blessed in churches on this feast too.
I didn't mean to go rambling on so long when I started to just jot down a few thoughts about the feast. In fact what started me off was again something to do with the Divine Office.
We have been praying the Alma Redemptoris at Evening Prayer since Advent and will now revert to another Marian anthem such as the Ave Regina Caelorum. For one last time . . .
'Mother of Christ! hear thou thy people's cry,
Star of the deep, and portal of the sky!
Mother of him who thee from nothing made,
Sinking we strive, and call to thee for aid;
Oh, by that joy which Gabriel brought to thee,
Thou Virgin first and last, let us they mercy see.'
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