When Pope St. John Paul II established the World Day for Consecrated Life in 1997, he explained that Mary is a model for the Church. Just as she carried her Son to the Temple to consecrate Him, so too the Church brings forth her sons and daughters, offering them to our Heavenly Father.
By Fr. Jim McCormack, MIC
The Feast of the Presentation on Feb. 2 is one of the more popular feast days in the liturgical year. Celebrated 40 days after Christmas, it commemorates the moment when Mary and Joseph brought the Child Jesus to the Temple to present Him to God (see Lk 2:22-38).
Perhaps, like Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday, this feast is so beloved because of the tangible elements: Candles are blessed and lighted, and the faithful hold them during the entrance procession and introductory rites. As Mary and Joseph carried into the Temple the Child who is the Light to the Nations (see Is 42:6; 49:6), so we also carry our lighted candles into the church. Because of this symbolism, the feast is also known as Candlemas, and some bring home their blessed candles to use in their homes throughout the year.
On this day, the Church also celebrates the World Day for Consecrated Life — an opportunity to thank God for consecrated men and women, to pray for them, and to foster awareness of this vocation in the Church.
But why on the Feast of the Presentation?
Religious men, consecrated
The Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception is one of many institutes of consecrated life. Although many of us are priests, what unites all Marians is not ordination but our consecration through the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
During seminary, most of my formation naturally focused on preparation for priestly ministry. Yet about a year after ordination, I was blessed to continue my studies in Rome, where I took courses with a special emphasis on the consecrated life (namely, its biblical foundations, its history and theology, its organization in canon law, and even practical courses on how to live and lead community life).
Those studies deepened my appreciation for my own religious consecration. One image shared by a professor has stayed with me: “What makes a cup a chalice?” he asked. While shape and material matter, something more important distinguishes it — its use as a sacred vessel for the Blood of Christ. That sacred purpose distinguishes it from all ordinary vessels.
In a similar way, all Christians are consecrated at Baptism, set apart for something sacred: eternal life. Religious vows are not a Sacrament, yet they express and bring about a deeper “setting apart” for God and His purposes.
Living the mystery
The mystery of consecration is at the heart of the Feast of the Presentation. In obedience to the Jewish Law, Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple as God commanded: “Consecrate to me all the first-born” (Ex 13:2). Parents were to “buy back” their child by offering a lamb or, if they were poor, two turtledoves (see Lev 12:6-8).
Simeon also foretold the piercing of Mary’s Heart, revealing her intimate union with her Son and her share in His redemptive mission. In an analogous way, those who consecrate themselves to Christ are set apart for an intimate union with Him by living poverty, chastity, and obedience as He did. They also share in His redemptive mission by being a visible sign, leading others to Heaven.
When Pope St. John Paul II established the World Day for Consecrated Life in 1997, he explained that Mary is a model for the Church. Just as she carried her Son to the Temple to consecrate Him, so too the Church brings forth her sons and daughters, offering them to our Heavenly Father. For this reason, many religious institutes renew their vows on this day — a reaffirmation of their complete self-offering to God, just as Mary and Joseph had offered Jesus.
This year, if you are able, try to attend Mass on Feb. 2, the Presentation. Have candles blessed and use them in your home, perhaps during moments of prayer.
Most of all, let us give thanks for the men and women who have generously embraced the consecrated life (including the Marians), and pray that many more young people will echo Our Lady’s “yes” and offer themselves wholeheartedly to the Lord.
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