Dear Parishioners,
This Sunday is one of those rare days when a feast in the Church trumps the typical Sunday schedule. This would have been the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, but instead we are celebrating the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. The Presentation always falls on February 2nd, and it is so significant that when it falls on a Sunday, we celebrate the feast day. This happens with a few other feast days throughout the year: The Transfiguration (August 6), the Nativity and Passion of St. John the Baptist (June 24 and August 29), All Saints (November 1).
There are many interesting facts about the Presentation of the Lord. This feast is also known as Candlemas because at this Mass we bless the candles that will be used in the liturgy throughout the year. Light and shadows are prominent, which is also why, not coincidentally, today is also Groundhog Day. Candlemas also officially ends the Christmas season.
The Presentation is when, forty days after Jesus’ birth, he was taken by Mary and Joseph to the temple and presented to the priest Simeon, as was required for all firstborn males. Though, actually, not all firstborn Jewish males were required to be “presented.” Instead, they were required to be “redeemed.” The parents had to pay five shekels to redeem the child. Jesus is different. He is not redeemed, but he is presented as the Redeemer. Simeon the priest doesn’t take the five shekels from Mary and Joseph into his hands. He takes the child Jesus himself. Simeon holds up the child for all to see and says “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel.”
I think similarly Mary, Joseph, and Jesus would like to “present” all of us. We have been redeemed already. Now we need to be held up. Our Lord wants to announce to others how special you are; how you are a light to the world. Believe this. You are a light. You have something special. God has something powerful in store for you. When we trust this, we can go out and serve others.
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Tomorrow, Monday, February 3rd, is the Feast of St. Blaise. We will bless throats at the 6:25 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Masses that day. However, if you would like your throat blessed this weekend, please reach out to one of the priests after Mass.
We will have our Family Mass this Sunday, February 2nd in the HFC at 10:30 a.m. Our second family Mass of the month will be Sunday, February 23rd. Due to scheduling and holidays we had to switch up this month from our usual 2nd and 3rd Sunday of the month routine. If you are interested in serving as a Eucharistic Minister at the Family Mass, please contact Jennifer Waters
(jenwaters13@gmail.com).
Our parish school’s annual gala, Celebrate the Spirit, will take place this Friday, February 7th at the Lone Tree Manor in Niles. Our school celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Congratulations to all the teachers, students, and parents over the last century who have made St. Paul of the Cross School a place of wisdom and holiness.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. James Wallace
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