School Mass tomorrow at 12:00 Noon

Tomorrow we will celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Forty days after our celebration of the Lord's birth, we gather to commemorate the presentation of the child Jesus in the temple by his parents. In St. Luke's Gospel we read the account of the presentation and the subsequent encounter with the prophets Simeon and Anna. Both Simeon and Anna are awaiting the Messiah, and upon encountering this child declare him to be the one for whom they have longed. Simeon responds with the words:

"Now, Master, you may let your servant go
in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel.”

This response is now the Canticle sung each night in the church's final night prayer of Compline.

On this feast day the Church traditionally blesses the candles which will serve us at the many worship services celebrated in the year ahead, hence the traditional naming of this feast as "Candlemas."

From a homily on this feast be Saint Sophronius we read:

"In honour of the divine mystery that we celebrate today, let us all hasten to meet Christ. Everyone should be eager to join the procession and to carry a light.
"Our lighted candles are a sign of the divine splendour of the one who comes to expel the dark shadows of evil and to make the whole universe radiant with the brilliance of his eternal light. Our candles also show how bright our souls should be when we go to meet Christ.
"The Mother of God, the most pure Virgin, carried the true light in her arms and brought him to those who lay in darkness. We too should carry a light for all to see and reflect the radiance of the true light as we hasten to meet him.
"The light has come and has shone upon a world enveloped in shadows; the Dayspring from on high has visited us and given light to those who lived in darkness. This, then, is our feast, and we join in procession with lighted candles to reveal the light that has shone upon us and the glory that is yet to come to us through him. So let us hasten all together to meet our God."

Masses will be celebrated in the Cathedral at 8:00 AM, 12:00 Noon with the children of the Choir School, and 5:15 PM with the Girl Choristers.