According to the Church’s rubrics, the Candlemas candles can only be blessed if they will be lit and carried in procession. In this way, these candles are a symbol of the light we, as Catholics, must carry out into the world as a sign of our life in Christ in a state of sanctifying grace.

If an all-good God exists, why is there evil in the world? This objection has been used by persons from ancient times to modern days as a basis to reject Christianity. The answer to this objection is that evil does not come from God, but from creatures. What this means concretely and how it relates to man’s free will is the subject of this sermon.

The Feast of the Purification commemorates the offering of Our Lord as a sacrifice to God the Father. In the Catholic Church, when a young man offers himself as a cleric, he imitates the offering of Our Lord and accepts God as His only reward. And it is in this offering of self that a cleric finds meaning in his life, one that is lived for God, whom he loves.

The mystery of presentation of the Child Jesus in the temple expresses to us the reality of Christ as the true Light of the world. Our mission, as followers of Christ, is also to be a light in the darkness. The blessed candles that are given to the faithful on this day, express each Christian’s mission to be a light that draws souls to God, guides souls to God, by our faith and by our charity.

The miracle of Our Lord calming the tempest on the waters is an allegory for how he calms the tempest in our souls. Like the apostles of old, we are buffeted by turmoil and temptations. And like them, we must reach out to God, knowing always that our lives and salvation depend upon Him.

To no man should we render evil for evil, even the “enemy of the hour,” that person who may momentarily vex or wrong us in some way. It could be a neighbor, a friend, or even a family member. Instead of contemplating revenge or relishing in the pain of our “enemy,” Our Lord calls us to show charity and therefore manifest His love in the world.

What has God given to us? Everything–and that is why we must acknowledge and give thanks for Our Lord’s gifts. We must never forget that God owes us nothing; everything is a free gift of His immeasurable love for us.

What has God given to us? Everything–and that is why we must acknowledge and give thanks for Our Lord’s gifts. We must never forget that God owes us nothing; everything is a free gift of His immeasurable love for us.

So many of us think that evil justifies evil, at least when evil is done unto us. In the context of the family, this pernicious principle manifests itself when spouses keep a running tally of the other’s apparent wrongs or, worse, use the faults of extended family members to cover up their own. The only true way to overcome evil is by embracing the good, even if this means we must suffer the wrongs of others.

Our Lord begins his public ministry by instituting the sacrament of marriage. This is why we must be mindful to treat the occasion properly, never forgetting that the true joy we should feel is for the public sacrament that was just effectuated and God’s blessing over the union.