This feast of the Presentation/Purification of Mary/Candlemas is the conclusion of the Epiphany season in the traditional calendar. Back at the beginning of winter, at the darkest time of year we proclaimed the "true light, which enlightens everyone" which is "coming into the world." (John 1:9) Now, forty days after Christmas, at the midpoint of astronomical winter and the traditional beginning of Spring in some places, we return to a reflection on the Light arriving at the Temple.
For whatever reason I'm very fond of this feast. May the luminous cloud of God's glory fill us, his Temple, and make us into the Light of the world, the Body of Christ risen from the dead.
i am also fond of this feast. we traditionally pack away our nativity today with hopes moving toward spring & longer light.
ReplyDeleteThe extraordinary calendar works perfectly this year. Next Sunday is Septuagesima. It does not always fall right after Candelmas like this year, sometimes it is before. So on Sunday the vestments will swith from green to violet in the extraordinary form.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip, Ben. I bought an EF ordo through the mail, but in it there is no admission of a publisher!
ReplyDeleteI don't have the ordo, but the wall calendar published by the FSSP.
ReplyDeleteThe Latin Mass Society of England and Wales has the EF ordo online:
http://www.latin-mass-society.org/ordo.htm
Excellent link! I just have to watch out for the particularities of the Franciscan calendar.
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