This Sunday the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord. It is also known as the Purification of Mary and Candlemas. This last title (Candlemas) comes from the tradition that is associated with this feast. Candles are blessed at Mass as a reminder that Christ is the ‘light of the world’ who dispels all sin and darkness. The Presentation of Our Lord celebrates the fact that forty days after His birth, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple for the rites of purification and dedication as prescribed by the Law of Moses. The Gospel tells us that in the temple the Holy Family had two significant encounters. The first was with Simeon. The Holy Spirit told him that he would see the Messiah before his death. “Guided by the Holy Spirit” he entered the temple, took Jesus in his arms, rejoicing that God’s promise had been fulfilled. The second encounter was with Anna, a prophet and widow. We are told that “she never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day.” Both of these individuals were rewarded for their fidelity. They were given the grace to be able to recognize Jesus and give praise and glory to God. A significant theme of the Presentation of the Lord is the focus on light. Jesus is the light that dispels all darkness and brings hope to the world. Sometimes when we are immersed in darkness it can seem that there is no light. This is especially true when it comes to the many problems that we face today. We must be able to see Christ the light. As the Gospel tells us, Simeon and Anna were able to recognize the child Jesus because they prayed, worshiped and were led by the Holy Spirit. Today’s feast calls us to do the same because, if we do not recognize the light, we will be overcome by the darkness.