Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas)

Sunday, February 2, 2026

For Your Day

Attend Mass for this feast day
Light a candle when you pray today—let it remind you that Christ is light breaking into your life
Pray Simeon's prayer (Luke 2:29-32): "Lord, now let your servant go in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation"
Ask yourself: What am I waiting for God to do? How can I wait with hope like Simeon and Anna did?
If your parish blesses candles today, bring some—they're wonderful to have at home for prayer or difficult moments

Today's Readings

Key Scripture: "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation." — Luke 2:29-30

What Happened on This Day?

Forty days after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph brought him to the Temple in Jerusalem. According to Jewish law, every firstborn son was to be presented to the Lord, and new mothers came to the Temple for a purification ritual. Mary and Joseph brought the offering of poor families: two small birds instead of a lamb.

It should have been ordinary—just another young couple fulfilling their religious obligations.

But two elderly people changed everything.

Simeon had been waiting his whole life for this moment. The Holy Spirit had promised he wouldn't die before seeing the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph walked in, Simeon knew. He took the baby in his arms and spoke one of the most beautiful prayers in Scripture: "Now I can die in peace—I've seen the salvation you promised."

Then Anna, an 84-year-old widow who'd spent decades praying at the Temple, recognized Jesus too. She started praising God and telling everyone who would listen about this child.

Two people who never stopped hoping. Two people who finally got to see what they'd been waiting for.

Why Is This Called Candlemas?

Simeon called Jesus "a light for revelation to the Gentiles." Because of this, the Church has blessed candles on this feast for centuries—candles for Mass, baptisms, and home prayer throughout the year.

It's a beautiful image: forty days after celebrating Christ's birth, we celebrate him as the Light of the World. Just as a candle pierces darkness, Christ entered our broken world to bring light.

What This Means for You

God often shows up in the middle of ordinary obedience. Mary and Joseph were just doing what the law required. Simeon and Anna were just showing up to pray, like they had for years. But in that faithfulness, they encountered God himself.

This feast is also about waiting well. Simeon and Anna didn't give up. They kept praying, kept hoping, kept showing up. And eventually, they got to hold the answer to their prayers.

Maybe you're waiting for something too—a relationship to heal, a prayer to be answered, clarity about your life. Today's feast says: keep showing up. Keep hoping. God keeps his promises.

Try This Today

Light a candle during your prayer time. Watch it for a minute—the way it pushes back the darkness, the way it's both fragile and persistent. That's Christ in your life. That's what Simeon saw when he held that baby.

Then pray his prayer. Ask God to help you see his salvation in your own life, even in small ways. Ask for the grace to wait well, like Simeon and Anna did.