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The Presentation of Our Lady: A Feast of Preparation

There is a special beauty to this feast since it highlights the fact that Our Lady was chosen even before time began. She is called the root of Jesse (Isaiah, 11:1) from which Our Lord Jesus Christ would be born. She is introduced to the synagogue, the institution in charge of keeping this promise. Thus, the synagogue receives Our Lady as a first step. In this act, the hopes of ages would soon be fulfilled.

Our Lady, a supremely holy soul, is received in the Temple and entered into the service of God. Despite the corruption of the nation of Israel and the transformation of the Temple into a den of the Pharisees, an incomparable light appeared: the sanctity of Our Lady.

Unknowingly, Our Lady began to prepare herself to become the Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In an atmosphere of graces at the Temple, she was set apart from everyone in order to serve God. She increased her love of God until she formed the ardent desire

for the imminent coming of the Messias and asked God if she might have the honor to be the servant of His Mother. She did not know that she was the one chosen for this honor. That is why she was perplexed when the Archangel Gabriel greeted her to ask her permission for the Incarnation.

Our Lady’s magnificent preparation to be the Mother of Jesus Christ began with her Presentation at the Temple, a feast the Church celebrates on November 21. It is fitting that we ask Our Lady to prepare us with the best of Catholic doctrine to serve God by serving her. We should present ourselves before Our Lady, asking her to assist us in taking up the task of our sanctification, as the Holy Ghost did with her at the Temple of Jerusalem.

The preceding article is taken from an informal lecture Professor Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira gave on the feast of The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary — November 21, 1965. It has been translated and adapted for publication without his revision. –Ed.

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Reflections for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Introduction:    This feast commemorates how Jesus, as a baby, was presented to God in the Temple in Jerusalem. This presentation finds its complete and perfect fulfillment in the mystery of the passion, death and Resurrection of the Lord. The  Feast of the Presentation of the Lord   is a combined feast ,  commemorating the Jewish practice of the  purification of the mother  after childbirth and the  presentation of the child  to God in the Temple and his buying back ( redemption ) from God. It is also known as the  Feast of the Purification of Mary , and the Feast  of Candlemas.  It is also called the  Feast of Encounter  ( Hypapánte  in Greek) because the New Testament, represented by the baby Jesus, encountered the Old Testament, represented by Simeon and Anna. Joseph offered two pigeons in the Temple as sacrifice for the purification of Mary after her childbirth and for the presentation and redemption ceremonies performed for baby Jesus.

Homily starter anecdote: “Four chaplains Sunday:  Julia Duin in the Washington Times Sunday, February 1, 2009 told this story. Just after midnight on Feb. 3, 1943, an act of extraordinary unselfishness by a group of men became a legend of martyrdom and sacrifice. When the Army ship Dorchester was torpedoed by the Germans just south of Greenland that night, its passengers and crew had 25 minutes to get off the boat. As 902 people went for the life jackets, it quickly was discovered there weren’t near enough. Of the 13 lifeboats, only two functioned. In the ship’s final minutes, Methodist senior chaplain George Lansing Fox, Rabbi Alexander Goode, Dutch Reformed minister Clark V. Poling and John P. Washington, a Roman Catholic priest, were helping passengers leave the vessel. Then four men appeared all of them without life jackets. The chaplains quickly gave up their own vests and went down with the ship, perishing in the freezing water. Survivors saw them, locked arm in arm, praying and singing the Navy hymn, “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” just before the ship dove beneath the waves. It was a night as dramatic as the sinking of the Titanic but without a blockbuster movie to record the drama. “The Four Immortal Chaplains,” as they are now known, have been honored many times, including on a stamp issued in their honor by the U.S. Postal Service. Hence the first Sunday in February is known as “Four Chaplains Sunday” in some Christian denominations.  They presented and offered themselves completely for the wellbeing of others as Jesus was presented to God his Heavenly Father in the Temple of Jerusalem for the salvation of the world. ( http://frtonyshomilies.com/).

Scripture lessons summarized:   In the   first reading,  taken from Malachi, the prophet speaks of the Lord suddenly coming to Jerusalem to purify the lax, lazy and indifferent priests of His Temple as silver is purified by fire. Simeon saw the Infant Jesus as the fulfillment of this passage. He saw Jesus as the Lord Who has come to the Temple,  "destined to be the downfall and rise of many in Israel."    In the second reading,  St. Paul   proclaims Jesus as our Eternal High Priest of     the New Covenant (Heb 2:17), Who offered himself on the altar of Calvary, the only pure priestly sacrifice that could please God.    He replaces the former priesthood.  The Gospel  describes how Joseph, as the head of the Holy Family of Nazareth, presented Mary and the baby Jesus in the Temple of God for the mother’s purification and the Child’s “redemption.” It also describes the Holy Family’s encounter with the old prophet Simeon and the holy old widow Anna. In his prophecy, Simeon extols the divine blessings which the Messiah is bringing to Israel and to all men and predicts that Mary will play a crucial and sacrificial role in her Son's redemptive work by sharing in her Son's sufferings.

The first reading explained : Malachi prophesies in the first reading that the Lord is going to appear suddenly in the Temple of Jerusalem  to purify its priests and the people . The prophecy warns that nobody can endure the day of the messenger's coming because he will be like a refining fire, purifying the sons of Levi.  Led by the Spirit,  Simeon saw the Infant Jesus as the fulfillment of this passage .  Simeon, even if unknown to himself, foresaw Christ and His priests of the New Covenant who were ordained during the Last Supper. He saw Jesus as the Lord Who would come to the Temple,  "destined to be the downfall and rise of many in Israel."  In today's reading, Malachi prophesies that God will purify the lax, lazy and indifferent priests of His Temple as silver is purified by fire.  At the time of Malachi (around 460-450 BC), the priests were offering blemished (blind, lame) sacrifices and giving bad example (1:6-2:4).  The people were negligent in their support of the Temple (3:6-12). Israelite wives were being rejected by husbands who wished to marry foreign women (2:14-16). Social injustice was rampant (3:5), and the people doubted God’s love (1:2-5). Hence, Malachi reminds them that the Day of the Lord, a Day of Judgment, reward and retribution is coming. He describes the Divine intervention as a two-stage process. First God’s messenger will appear to prepare the way by purifying the clergy and refining the cult (v. 3). This purification will take place until they present offerings to the Lord in a spirit of justice and righteousness. Then, the Lord of Hosts will suddenly appear in the Temple (v. 1), to bring judgment and justice against unfaithful sinners (v. 5). The Psalm announces to Jerusalem that Jerusalem is about to receive a great visitor. The Psalmist identifies him as “The LORD of hosts … the king of glory.”

The second reading explained:  The second reading proclaims Jesus as our Eternal High Priest of the New Covenant (Heb 2:17), Who offered Himself on the altar of Calvary, the only pure priestly sacrifice that could please God. The  Didache  or the first catechism of the early Church (14:1-3), saw Malachi’s prophecy of a pure sacrifice and offering made from east to west as a prophecy of the sacrifice of the Eucharist.  Hence Malachi prophesies that the Lord will enter His Temple, there will be a renewed priesthood, and there will be a pure sacrifice offered worldwide and pleasing to God -- the Eucharist. Jesus became like us in all things except sin in order that He might offer to the Father perfect praise and glory.  Besides, since Jesus fully shared our experience, He is now a merciful and faithful High Priest on our behalf,  "able to help those who are being tested."   Jesus replaces the former priesthood. In keeping with the theme of today’s feast, namely, the presentation of the first fruits, this excerpt from Hebrews emphasizes Jesus’ dual role, as  first-fruits ,  par excellence , and as the  faithful High priest  Who presents the perfect gift of Himself to God for the expiation of human sin. By virtue of His Incarnation, Jesus became human in every way (vv. 17-18) except as regards sin. As representative of His brothers and sisters before God and as their Mediator, Christ perfected His service as both sacrifice and priest. By so doing, Christ was able to “rob the devil” of power (v. 14). As the first-fruits from the dead, as the conqueror of sin and death, Christ, in His person and through His mission, has set the course and cleared the way we are to follow; the decision to do so must be a daily and deliberate one.  It takes faith to see God's power at work in the death of Jesus.  Simeon hinted at this when he told Mary that she herself would be pierced with a sword.  Even knowing that her Son was the Savior of the world, it would be difficult for Mary to see him accomplish that salvation by being crucified.

Exegesis of today’s Gospel:  The birth of Christ was revealed by three kinds of witnesses in three different ways -- first, by the shepherds, after the angel's announcement; second, by the Magi, who were guided by a star; third, by Simeon and Anna, who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Today’s Gospel describes the Presentation of the Baby Jesus in the Temple. It was intended to ritually redeem Jesus who was the first born in the family and where Mary herself will have to be ritually purified. Mary and Joseph was a typical pious Jewish couple, who went to the Temple in obedience to do all that was required and expected of them by the Law.The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus is a combined feast , commemorating the Jewish practice of the purification of the mother after childbirth and the presentation of the child in the Temple. It is known as the Hypapánte   feast or Feast of the Purification of Mary (by the offering two pigeons in the Temple), the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (by prayers and a sacrifice offered in the Temple to redeem or buy the firstborn male child back from the Lord), the Feast of Candlemas (because of its ancient rite of blessing of the candles to be used in the church for the next year — a practice dating from the middle of the fifth century) and the Feast of Encounter (because the New Testament, represented by the Baby Jesus, encountered the Old Testament, represented by Simeon and Anna). Originally, there was no connection between today’s festival and the blessing of candles.    In the ancient East, this celebration occurred on February 14, forty days after Epiphany.   On February 15, pagans celebrated the festival of Lupercalia , a great “light” festival.    Perhaps this is an instance of the Church's “baptizing” a pagan custom.    At the principal Mass, the celebrant blesses candles, and people take part in a candlelight procession.    This should remind us that Jesus is our High Priest and the Light of the World.

Purification and redemption ceremonies : The Gospel describes how Joseph, as the head of the Holy Family of Nazareth, presented Mary and the baby Jesus in the Temple of God for the mother’s purification and the child’s “redemption.” According to Leviticus 12:2-8, a woman who bore a child was unclean  for forty days following the birth of a son or eighty days following the birth of a daughter.   Although Mary, the most holy of women, ever-Virgin, was exempt from these precepts of the Law, because of her miraculous conception, she chose to submit herself to the Law just like any other Jewish mother. Joseph and Mary showed their total submission to Law and obey the norms prescribed by the Old Testament.  The custom was practiced probably for the physical and emotional re-integration of the new mother into the community. There was a religious reason as well. Exodus 13:2, 12-13 prescribes that every first-born male belongs to God and must be set apart for the Lord, that is, dedicated to the service of God.  However, once divine worship was reserved to the tribe of Levi, first-born who did not belong to that tribe were not dedicated to God's service, and to show that they continued to be God's special property, a rite of redemption was performed. The Law also commanded that the Israelites should offer in sacrifice some lesser victim -- for example, a lamb or, if they were poor, a pair of doves or two pigeons.  The Book of Numbers 18: 15 taught that since every Jewish firstborn male child belonged to Yahweh, the parents had to “buy back” (redeem), the child by offering a lamb or turtledoves as a sacrifice in the Temple. The price of redemption for a human baby is five shekels of silver (Num 18:15-16). Jesus never needed to be "bought back," as he belonged wholly to the Lord, but Joseph kept these laws as an act of obedience to God. 

The encounter with Simeon and Anna :   By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the old, pious and Spirit-filled Simeon and Anna had been waiting in the Temple for the revelation of God’s salvation. The Greek Church celebrates the Hypapánte or Feast of the Encounter commemorating the encounter of the New Testament represented by Jesus with the Old Testament represented by Simeon and Anna. Simeon, who is described as a righteous and devout man, obedient to God's will, addresses himself to our Lord as a vassal or loyal servant who, having kept watch all his life in expectation of the coming of his Lord, sees that this moment has "now" come, the moment that explains his whole life.  When he takes the Child in his arms, he learns, not through any reasoning process but through a special grace from God, that this Child is the promised Messiah, the Consolation of Israel, the Light of the nations.  Simeon recognizes Jesus as the Lord’s anointed one, and in his prayer of blessing he prophesies that Jesus is meant to be the glory of Israel and the light of revelation to the Gentiles. Pope Francis: “Simeon took him in his arms and thanked God that he had finally “seen” salvation. Anna, despite her advanced age, found new vigor and began to speak to everyone about the Baby. It is a beautiful image: two young parents and two elderly people, brought together by Jesus. He is the one who brings together and unites generations! He is the inexhaustible font of that love which overcomes every occasion of self-absorption, solitude, and sadness. In your journey as a family, you share so many beautiful moments: meals, rest, housework, leisure, prayer, trips and pilgrimages, and times of mutual support… Nevertheless, if there is no love then there is no joy, and authentic love comes to us from Jesus. He offers us his word, which illuminates our path; he gives us the Bread of life which sustains us on our journey.”

Simeon’s prophecy: Simeon's canticle (verses 29-32) is also a prophecy.  It consists of two stanzas: the first (verses 29-30) is his act of thanksgiving to God, filled with profound joy for having seen the Messiah.  The second (verses 31-32) is more obviously prophetic and extols the divine blessings which the Messiah is bringing to Israel and to all men.  The canticle highlights the fact that Christ brings redemption to all men without exception -- something foretold in many Old Testament prophecies (cf. Genesis 22:18; Isaiah 2:6; 42:6; 60:3; Psalm 28:2). While Simeon blessed Mary, he warned her that her child would be “ a sign of contradiction, ” and that she would be “ pierced with a sword.” Simeon was prophesying both the universal salvation that would be proclaimed by Jesus and the necessity of suffering in the mission of the Messiah. Jesus came to bring salvation to all men, yet He would be a sign of contradiction because some people would obstinately reject Him -- and for this reason He would be their ruin.  But for those who would accept Him with faith, Jesus would be their salvation, freeing them from sin in this life and raising them up to eternal life. The Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph marveled, but not because they did not know who Christ was. They were in awe at the way God was revealing Him. 

The paradox of blessedness:  Mary was given the blessedness of being the mother of the Son of God.  That blessedness also would become a sword which would pierce her heart as her Son died upon the cross. The words Simeon addressed to Mary announced that she would be intimately linked with her Son's redemptive work.  The sword indicated that Mary would have a share in her Son's sufferings. Her suffering would be an unspeakable pain which would pierce her soul.  Our Lord suffered on the cross for our sins, and it is those sins which forged the sword of Mary's pain.  Mary received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow.  But her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope, and trust in God and his promises.  Jesus promised his disciples, "no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22).  The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and which neither life nor death can take way.  Do you know the joy of a life fully surrendered to God with faith and trust? According to Dr. Scot Hann, the feast we celebrate shows a curious turn of events. The Redeemer is redeemed. She who is all-pure presents herself to be purified. Such is the humility of our God. Such is the humility of the Blessed Virgin. They submit to the law even though they are not bound by it.

Anna’s encounter with the Lord and her testifying to the Messiah:  Anna was an eighty-four-year-old widow who spent her days in the Temple in fasting and prayer, waiting for the promised Messiah. She was rewarded with the joy of seeing her Redeemer as a Baby. In her excitement, she praised God and introduced the Infant to others around her as the expected Messiah. Supernatural hope grows with prayer and age!  Anna was pre-eminently a woman of great hope and expectation that God would fulfill all his promises. She is a model of godliness for all believers as we advance in age.  Advancing age and the disappointments of life can easily make us cynical and hopeless if we do not have our hope placed rightly. Anna's hope in God and His promises grew with age. She never ceased to worship God in faith and to pray with hope.  Her hope and faith in God's promises fueled her indomitable zeal and fervor in prayer and the service of God's people. We grow in hope by placing our trust in the promises of Jesus Christ and relying not on our own strength, but on the grace and help of the Holy Spirit. After completing the presentation and redemption of baby Jesus and the ritual purification of Mary and the meeting with Simeon and Anna, Joseph and Mary understood more fully their responsibility before God to protect the child as they return to Nazareth

Life messages : 1)  Every Holy Mass in which we participate is our presentation . Although we were officially presented to God on the day of our Baptism, we present ourselves and our dear ones on the altar before God our Father through our Savior Jesus Christ at every Holy Mass. Hence, we need to live our daily lives with the awareness both that we are dedicated people consecrated to God and that we are obliged to lead holy lives.

2) We need the assistance of the Holy Spirit to recognize the presence of Jesus in ourselves and in others: All those who, like Simeon and Anna, persevere in piety and in the service of God, no matter how insignificant their lives seem in men's eyes, become instruments the Holy Spirit uses to make Christ known to others. In His plan of redemption, God makes use of these simple souls to do much good for all mankind. In other words, The Holy Spirit employs ordinary men and women with simple faith as His instruments to bear witness to Christ, His ideals and teachings, just as He used Simeon and Anna.  The Holy Spirit reveals the presence of the Lord to us when we are receptive and eager to receive Him.  Let us be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit within us to recognize the indwelling presence of the Lord with us and in others.  (Fr. Antony Kadavil)

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Why do Catholics celebrate the feast of the Presentation?

This feast day celebrates both the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, as well as the Purification of Mary, which was required by the Mosaic Law forty days after the birth of a child.

The Church celebrates the feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2, also called Candlemas for the custom of using lighted candles. In the early Church it was often celebrated on February 14th, 40 days after the Epiphany, in keeping with the practice of celebrating Christmas on that date in the East. Among the Orthodox it is known as the Hypapante (“Meeting” of the Lord with Simeon).

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Through this Scriptural Rosary, we hope that you will be able to better meditate on each Hail Mary and deepen your understanding of Sacred Scripture. Use the form below to get your free copy of, The Scriptural Rosary .

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraph 529) teaches,

The presentation of Jesus in the temple shows him to be the firstborn Son who belongs to the Lord. With Simeon and Anna, all Israel awaits its encounter with the Savior-the name given to this event in the Byzantine tradition. Jesus is recognized as the long-expected Messiah, the “light to the nations” and the “glory of Israel,” but also “a sign that is spoken against.” The sword of sorrow predicted for Mary announces Christ's perfect and unique oblation on the cross that will impart the salvation God had “prepared in the presence of all peoples.”

It is also important to note that, as a poor family, the Holy Family gave an offering of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. However, the Lamb whom they brought to the Temple was the Lamb of God.

He was presented when He was still a newborn, only 40 days old.

“In the mysterious encounter between Simeon and Mary, the Old and New Testaments are joined. Together the aging prophet and the young mother give thanks for this Light which has kept the darkness from prevailing. It is the Light which shines in the heart of human life: Christ, the Saviour and Redeemer of the world, ‘a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for the glory of his people Israel.’” – Pope St. John Paul II

The Gospel of Luke 2:22-40 states:

And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Regarding Simeon and Anna, Pope Benedict XVI said,

Even the priests proved incapable of recognizing the signs of the new and special presence of the Messiah and Saviour. Alone two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, discover this great newness. Led by the Holy Spirit, in this Child they find the fulfilment of their long waiting and watchfulness. They both contemplate the light of God that comes to illuminate the world and their prophetic gaze is opened to the future in the proclamation of the Messiah: “Lumen ad revelationem gentium!” (Lk 2:32). The prophetic attitude of the two elderly people contains the entire Old Covenant which expresses the joy of the encounter with the Redeemer. Upon seeing the Child, Simeon and Anna understood that he was the Awaited One.

“… while we are still at the dawn of Jesus’ life, we are already oriented to Calvary. It is on the Cross that Jesus will be definitively confirmed as a sign of contradiction, and it is there that his Mother’s heart will be pierced by the sword of sorrow. We are told it all from the beginning, on the 40th day after Jesus’ birth, on the feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, so important in the Church’s liturgy.” - Pope St. John Paul II

This is a Hebrew name that means “he has heard” or “God has heard.”

When is St. Simeon’s feast day?

The Church celebrates his feast day on the day after Candlemas, February 3.

In Hebrew navi, a prophet is one who tells, a spokesperson of God, speaking divine truth, or foretelling what will be the consequences for the future. On both counts, Simeon was a prophet, who revealed the truth about who Jesus was, as well as the implications for Israel, for Jesus Himself and for Mary.

Originally taken from the Hebrew name Hannah, it means “favor” or “grace.”

When is St. Anna’s feast day?

Anna the Prophetess shares a feast day with St. Simeon on February 3.

“In the encounter between the old man Simeon and Mary, a young mother, the Old and New Testaments come together in a wondrous way in giving thanks for the gift of the light that shone in the darkness and has prevented it from prevailing: Christ the Lord.” - Pope Benedict XVI

St. Simeon offered this prayer,

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel. (Luke 2:29-32)

Called the Nunc Dimittis, for the first words in the Latin Vulgate, it is one of the three major Canticles used in the Church’s liturgy. It is said each evening at the end of Night Prayer, the last Divine Office of the Liturgy of the Hours, or Breviary. The other Canticles are that of Zechariah, used for Lauds or Morning Prayer, and of Mary (the Magnificat), used for Vespers or Evening Prayer.

After speaking of Jesus, St. Simeon then spoke to Mary of her role of accompanying her Son in His redemptive suffering. Simeon reveals, as well, Mary’s own mission of intercession and compassion for us, her spiritual children.

Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed. (Luke 2:34-35)

“This is the meeting point of the two Testaments, Old and New. Jesus enters the ancient temple; he who is the new Temple of God: he comes to visit his people, thus bringing to fulfilment obedience to the Law and ushering in the last times of salvation.” - Pope Benedict XVI

Anna is the prophetess who saw the Holy Family at the Presentation of Jesus at the temple. The Gospel of Luke 2:36-38 tells us about Anna:

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

The purification was ritual, preparatory to worship, in this case after the momentous events of childbirth and the time of rest or “laying in” afterwards. Thus, the Jewish priest purified himself by bathing before entering the holy place, and, similarly, the priest at Mass washes his hands before beginning the Eucharistic Prayer and handing the Body and Blood of Christ.

Mary, although morally pure, fulfilled her religious obligations by being purified 40 days after Jesus’ birth. Throughout her life, the Blessed Mother was always obedient to God’s Will, in this case expressed through the laws given to Israel through Moses.

“Simeon’s words seem like a second Annunciation to Mary, for they tell her of the actual historical situation in which the Son is to accomplish his mission, namely, in misunderstanding and sorrow. While this announcement on the one hand confirms her faith in the accomplishment of the divine promises of salvation, on the other hand it also reveals to her that she will have to live her obedience of faith in suffering, at the side of the suffering Savior, and that her motherhood will be mysterious and sorrowful.” — Pope St. John Paul II

This is the day when candles are blessed in the Church and traditionally have been lit in celebration of the feast.

Pope St. John Paul II said, “Christian traditions of the East and West have been interwoven, enriching the liturgy of this feast with a special procession in which the light of candles both large and small is a symbol of Christ, the true Light who came to illumine his people and all peoples.”

Candlemas is celebrated 40 days after Christmas. According to Leviticus 12, women should be purified 40 days after a son’s birth (33 days after the boy’s circumcision) and 80 days after a daughter’s birth. The purification was ritual, and preparatory to worship, in this case after the momentous events of childbirth and the time of rest or “laying in” afterwards.

In the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite, the liturgical forms and calendar as revised after the Second Vatican Council, the last day of the Christmas Season is the Baptism of Our Lord, when His hidden life ended and His public ministry began.

However, the Church maintains an Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite which utilizes the forms and calendar in use prior to the Council. In this usage, the Christmas Season continues until the Feast of the Presentation. Many Catholics, therefore, maintain their Christmas decorations through Candlemas.

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Pope St. John Paul II said,

The prophetic words spoken by the aged Simeon shed light on the mission of the Child brought to the temple by his parents: “Behold this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against ... that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed” (Lk 2:34-35). To Mary Simeon said: “And a sword will pierce through your own soul also” (Lk 2:35). The hymns of Bethlehem have now faded and the cross of Golgotha can already be glimpsed; this happens in the temple, the place where sacrifices are offered. The event we are commemorating today is thus a bridge as it were, linking the two most important seasons of the Church's year.

Pancakes are the traditional choice on Candlemas. In Mexico, people eat tamales on this feast day, and in France, they eat crepes.

What are the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary?

The Joyful Mysteries include:

• The Annunciation
• The Visitation
• The Nativity of Our Lord
• The Presentation in the Temple
• The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

The Presentation is celebrated in the Church as the World Day for Consecrated Life. Pope St. John Paul II instituted this annual celebration in 1997 as a day of prayer for religious men and women and other consecrated persons. This recalls the special offering which they have made to the Lord through their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. In Rome, the Holy Father celebrates a special Mass for them at St. Peter’s, which the religious living in Rome attend.

Pope Benedict XVI said,

The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple is an eloquent image of the total gift of one’s life for all those, men and women, who are called to represent “the characteristic features of Jesus — the chaste, poor and obedient one” (Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Vita Consecrata, n. 1) in the Church and in the world, through the evangelical counsels. For this reason Venerable John Paul II chose today’s Feast to celebrate the Annual World Day of Consecrated Life.

Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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The Protoevangel of James, the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, the Gospel of the Nativity of Mary, and other apocryphal writings (Walker, "Apocryph. Gosp.", Edinburgh, 1873) relate that Mary, at the age of three, was brought by her parents to the Temple, in fulfillment of a vow , there to be educated . The corresponding feast originated in the Orient, probably in Syria , the home of the apocrypha. Card. Pitra (Anal. Spici. Solesmensi, p. 265) has published a great canon (liturgical poem) in Greek for this feast, composed by some "Georgios" about the seventh or eighth century. The feast is missing in the earlier Menology of Constantinople (eighth century); it is found, however, in the liturgical documents of the eleventh century, like the "Calend. Ostromiranum" (Martinow, "Annus græco-slav.", 329) and the Menology of Basil II ( e’ísodos tes panagías Theotókon ). It appears in the constitution of Manuel Comnenos (1166) as a fully recognized festival during which the law courts did not sit. In the West it was introduced by a French nobleman, Philippe de Mazières, Chancellor of the King of Cyprus , who spent some time at Avignon during the pontificate of Gregory XI . It was celebrated in the presence of the cardinals (1372) with an office accommodated from the office chanted by the Greeks. In 1373 it was adopted in the royal chapel at Paris , 1418 at Metz , 1420 at Cologne. Pius II granted (1460) the feast with a vigil to the Duke of Saxony. It was taken up by many dioceses , but at the end of the Middle Ages , it was still missing in many calendars (Grotefend, "Zeitrechnung", III, 137). At Toledo it was assigned (1500) by Cardinal Ximenes to 30 September. Sixtus IV received it into the Roman Breviary , Pius V struck it from the calendar, but Sixtus V took it up a second time (1 September, 1585). In the province of Venice it is a double of the second class with an octave (1680); the Passionists and Sulpicians keep it as a double of the first class; the Servites , Redemptorists , Carmelites , Mercedarians , and others as a double of the second with an octave. In the Roman Calendar it is a major double. The Greeks keep it for five days. In some German dioceses , under the title "Illatio", it was kept 26 November (Grotefend, III, 137).

KELLNER, Heortologie (Freiburg, 1901); NILLES, Kal. Man. (Innsbruck, 1897); HOLWECK, Fasti Mariani (Freiburg, 1892).

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APA citation. Holweck, F. (1911). Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12400a.htm

MLA citation. Holweck, Frederick. "Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12400a.htm>.

Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by WGKofron. With thanks to St. Mary's Church, Akron, Ohio.

Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. June 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.

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The Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated annually on November 21st, commemorates the presentation of the Blessed Virgin as a child by her parents in the Temple in Jerusalem. Before Mary’s birth, her parents received a heavenly message that they would bear a child. In thanksgiving for the God’s gift of Mary’s birth, they brought her to the Temple to consecrate their only daughter to The Lord.The celebration of the Feast is first documented in the 11th century within the Byzantine Catholic Church. It was introduced into the Roman Catholic Church in the 15th century by Pope Gregory XI, then removed from the calendar by Pope Pius V in the mid 16th century. Pope Sixtus V later reestablished the feast in 1585, and it is still celebrated today, commemorating the faith of her parents, Joachim and Anne, and the purity of Mary.

Prayer for the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

As we venerate the glorious memory of the most holy Virgin Mary, grant,

we pray, O Lord, through her intercession, that we, too, may merit to receive the fullness of your grace.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

A prayer to Our Lady to celebrate the Feast of her Presentation in the Temple, by St Alphonsus Liguori from ‘the Glories of Mary’

Oh holy Lady know that already through thy prayers the Son of God is hastening to come and redeem the world, and know that thou art the blessed one chosen to be the Mother of God, most holy Child, thou prayest for all, pray also for me. Thou hast consecrated thyself wholly even from infancy to the love of thy God. Obtain for me at least during the remaining years of my life that I may live for God alone. Today, together with thee, I renounce all creatures, and consecrate myself to the love of my Lord. I also offer myself to thee, oh my queen to serve thee forever. Accept me for thy special servant and obtain for me the grace to be faithful to thee and to thy Son, so that I may come one day to praise thee and love thee in paradise. Amen.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother! To thee to do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary

O blessed Virgin Mary! who can duly thank thee, or herald forth thy praises, who, by the assent of thy single will, didst rescue a fallen world? What honor can be paid to thee by our weak human nature, which, by thy intervention alone, hath found the way to return to grace and life? Accept then, such poor thanks as we have here to offer, unequal to thy merits though they be; and, accepting our good desires, obtain by thy prayers the remission of our offenses. Graciously hear our prayers, and obtain for us the remedy of reconciliation.

May the offering we make to God through thee, through thee be acceptable in his sight; and may that be granted which we ask with trustful heart. Accept our offerings, grant us our petitions, banish our fears; for thou art the sole hope of sinners. Through thee we hope for forgiveness of our sins; and in thee, most blessed Lady, is the hope of our reward.

Holy Mary, succor the wretched, help the fainthearted, comfort the sorrowful, pray for the people, shield the clergy, intercede for holy women; let all who celebrate thy holy commemoration feel thy protection. Be thou at hand, ready to aid our prayers, and obtain for us what we desire. Make it thy care, blessed Lady, to intercede ever for the people of God–thou who didst deserve to bear the Redeemer of the world, who liveth and reigneth, forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer on Presentation of Mary

Eternal Father, we honor the holiness and glory of the Virgin Mary. May her prayers bring us the fullness of your life and love. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Prayer for the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

O God, Who didst will that on this day the blessed ever Virgin Mary, the dwelling-place of the Holy Ghost, should be presented in the temple: grant, we beseech Thee, that through her intercession, we may be made worthy to be presented in the temple of Thy glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Short Prayer on the Presentation of Mary

Heavenly Father, the Blessed Virgin Mary was dedicated to You by her parents when she was three. In the temple, she joined the girls who spent their days praying, reading Scripture, and serving the temple priests. Her holiness was very evident, and the high priest thought that You probably had great plans for her. I ask Mary to pray for the plans You have for my life. Where I have strayed onto a road of my own choosing, give me her hand to guide me back to where You want me. Where I need to wait for a new plan to begin, give me the grace remain patient and say, “Your will be done.” Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for me. Amen.

Novena for the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

This Novena begins November 13th and ends November 21st, the Feast of Presentation of the Blessed virgin Mary.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen

1. O great Virgin and dear Mother! by the marvellous promptitude with which you dedicated your earliest years to the service of God, obtain that we may from this time forward be enabled to consecrate our hearts to the divine service without ever being diverted from our purpose. Pray one Ave Maria

2. O great Virgin and dear Mother! by that seraphic zeal with which in your childhood you served in the temple, thereby becoming an object of admiration to angels and men, obtain for us that we may approach the holy Sacraments with the true spirit of devotion. Pray one Ave Maria

3. O great Virgin and dear Mother! by the admirable courage with which you subdued your attachment to home and parents, in your first years of life, that you might devote yourself to the service of God, obtain for us that, no longer seduced by the deceits of our enemies, we may be able to keep our hearts detached from all earthly things, seeking for our true and perfect good alone, and may enjoy one day with you the eternal delights of Paradise. Pray one Ave Maria

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Novena in Honor of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Beginning November 12)

[i. 300 Days each day. ii. Plenary on the Feast or during the Octave. I, II, IV. (See Instructions, p. 1.)]

1st, 4th and 7th Days – November 12, 15, and 18

Mary, Mother of God, tradition tells us that when you were three years of age, your parents, Joachim and Anne, took you to the Temple in Jerusalem to fulfill their vow. The holy couple offered you to God by the ministry of the priest in charge, who invoked the blessing of God upon you and your parents. How fervently your mother and father thanked God for having given you to them and begged Him to accept the offering that they were making! They then left a small offering of silver required by the Law of Moses.

What a beautiful example for parents to imitate! Their children also belong to God, for they are His gift. Teach parents to care for their children as God’s sacred trust, to guard them from sin and to lead them in the way of virtue. May they consider it to be the greatest privilege bestowed upon them by God to dedicate their sons and daughters to His holy service. Help them to become worthy of this blessing through their own prayers and good example.

Mary, my Mother, your first presentation to God, made by the hands of your parents, was an offering most acceptable in His sight. Let my consecration of myself to God be made under your patronage and assisted by your intercession and in union with your merits. Amen.

Then follows Pater, Ave, Gloria Patri, and the Litany of Loreto, Memorare, and Act of Consecration.

Mary, Mother of God, and Mother of Mercy, pray for me and the departed.

2nd, 5th, and 8th Days – November 13, 16, and 19

Mary, Mother of God, already in your childhood you dedicated yourself to the love and service of God. Led by divine inspiration to His house, you prepared yourself for your sublime dignity of Divine Motherhood in silence and solitude with God. Though the designs of God were unknown to you, you nevertheless detached your heart from the world in order to give all your love to God.

Consecrated to the Lord, you may have remained in the Temple until the age of 12. When you later returned to your home, you were under the loving care of your mother, Saint Anne. With her you loved to sing the psalms and canticles of the inspired authors of your nation. From Anne you heard the touching story of the Chosen People. You learned to read the sacred books by yourself and tried to penetrate their hidden meaning. You often discussed the coming of the Messiah, since you knew He would be of your race and family.

Mary, my Mother, you were laying the foundation of that hidden life in which, by the practice of the highest virtues, you were to reach that sublime degree of holiness to which you were predestined as Mother of the Son of God and Mother of all the souls for whom He was to die. Attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit, you diligently gathered up all His lessons, preserving them in your soul with zealous care. Amen.

3rd, 6th and 9th Days – November 14, 17, and 20

Mary, Mother of God, may the perfect gift of yourself to God through love in your presentation in the temple be an inspiration to me. You loved God with your whole heart and mind and strength. Obtain for me the grace to love God with my whole heart—so that all the love my heart is capable of may be consecrated to Him, and all other affection subordinated to the love I owe God.

Help me to love God with my whole soul—so that all the faculties of my soul may be consecrated to Him, and that I may make use of them only to make Him known, loved and served.

Help me to love God with my whole mind—so that my mind may be habitually occupied with God and that I may value His good pleasure above everything else, above my convenience, above all earthly treasures, above all knowledge and friendship, above health and life.

Help me to love God with my whole strength—so that I may consecrate undividedly, unreservedly and continually to His service, my life, my health and all I am and have.

Mary, my Mother, pray that the love of God above all things and detachment from the world and its false pleasures, may also make my soul the temple of the living God. After your example, I desire to be known to God and unknown to men, to possess God and to be forgotten by creatures. May God dwell in me and may I live to Him alone through frequent Holy Communion and still more frequent prayer so that God may direct my whole life—my thoughts, words and actions—to His greater honor and glory. Amen.

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Life of Mary: Presentation of our Lady

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Joachim and Anne offered their daughter to God in the Temple at Jerusalem, just as another Anne, the mother of the prophet Samuel, had offered her son to God’s service.

The years of Mary’s childhood were quiet, as befits her humility. Holy Scripture tells us nothing about them. Nevertheless, it is easy to understand why the early Christians were eager to know more about her life prior to the Gospel account of the Annunciation. And so, popular piety gave rise quite early to some simple stories inspired by passages from the Old and New Testament, and these found their way into Christian art, poetry, and spirituality.

One of these stories, perhaps the most typical, speaks about Mary’s Presentation in the Temple. Joachim and Anne offered their daughter to God in the Temple at Jerusalem, just as another Anne, the mother of the prophet Samuel, had offered her son to God’s service in the tabernacle where his glory was manifested (cf. 1 Sam 1:21-28). In the same way, some years later, Mary and Joseph would bring the newborn Child to the Temple to present him to the Lord (Lk 2:22-38).

Strictly speaking, no history exists of our Lady’s early life; we have only what tradition has handed down to us. The first written text that refers to this event (which became the basis for later accounts) is the  Protoevangelium of James , an apocryphal document from the second century. “Apocryphal” means that it does not belong to the canon of books inspired by God. But this doesn’t mean it contains nothing true. In fact, the Church includes this scene in her liturgy, omitting possibly legendary elements. In Jerusalem, in the year 543, a basilica was dedicated to our Lady in memory of her Presentation. In the fourteenth century, this observance was commemorated in the West as a liturgical feast on November 21.

Mary in the Temple. All her beauty and grace, in both soul and body, was for the Lord. That is the theological content of the feast of her Presentation. The liturgy applies to our Lady some phrases from the Old Testament: “In the holy tent I ministered before him, and in Zion I fixed my abode. Thus in the chosen city he has given me rest, in Jerusalem is my domain. I have struck root among the glorious people, in the portion of the Lord, his heritage” (Sir 24:10-12).

Just as Jesus after he was presented in the Temple, Mary would have continued living a normal life at home with Joachim and Anne. Subject to her parents, growing towards womanhood, Mary was “full of grace” (Lk 1:28), her heart ready for a complete self-giving to God and mankind for the love of God.

No one would have noticed anything unusual about Mary’s behavior, though without doubt she charmed those around her because holiness is always attractive—more so in the case of one who is All-Holy. She was a smiling, hard-working young girl, always immersed in God, pleasant to everyone at her side. When she prayed, with a deep understanding of Holy Scripture, she would have often reflected on the prophecies that announced the coming of a Savior. That interior richness would later be poured forth in the marvelous verses of the  Magnificat  when she heard the greeting of her cousin Elizabeth.

Everything in our Lady’s life was wholly oriented towards Jesus’ Most Holy Humanity, the true Temple of God. The feast of Mary’s Presentation teaches us that our Lady belonged only to God, that she was completely dedicated, in soul and body, to the mystery of salvation, which is the mystery of our Creator drawing near to his creatures.

“Like a cedar of Lebanon I am raised aloft, like a cypress on Mount Hermon, like a palm tree in Engedi, like a rose bush in Jericho, like a fair olive tree in the field, like a plane tree growing beside the water” (Sir 24:13-14). Holy Mary brought God’s love to fruition around her. She did so without being noticed, because her deeds were those of every day, little things imbued with love.

J.A. Loarte in OpusDei.us

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The Story of the Presentation of the Lord

At the end of the fourth century, a woman named Etheria made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Her journal, discovered in 1887, gives an unprecedented glimpse of liturgical life there. Among the celebrations she describes is the Epiphany, the observance of Christ’s birth, and the gala procession in honor of his Presentation in the Temple 40 days later. Under the Mosaic Law, a woman was ritually “unclean” for 40 days after childbirth, when she was to present herself to the priests and offer sacrifice—her “purification.” Contact with anyone who had brushed against mystery—birth or death—excluded a person from Jewish worship. This feast emphasizes Jesus’ first appearance in the Temple more than Mary’s purification.

The observance spread throughout the Western Church in the fifth and sixth centuries. Because the Church in the West celebrated Jesus’ birth on December 25, the Presentation was moved to February 2, 40 days after Christmas.

At the beginning of the eighth century, Pope Sergius inaugurated a candlelight procession; at the end of the same century the blessing and distribution of candles which continues to this day became part of the celebration, giving the feast its popular name: Candlemas.

In Luke’s account, Jesus was welcomed in the temple by two elderly people, Simeon and the widow Anna. They embody Israel in their patient expectation; they acknowledge the infant Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. Early references to the Roman feast dub it the feast of Saint Simeon, the old man who burst into a song of joy which the Church still sings at day’s end.

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Perspectives on the Presentation—A Homily for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

The liturgical focus of the Feast of the Presentation, which we celebrate today, is light. Christ is our light, and the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light! In the Gospel, Simeon holds the infant Jesus and calls Him “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” Thus, this feast has long featured the carrying of candles by the faithful in procession and the blessing of candles. For this reason, the feast was often called Candlemas.

Today’s feast celebrates the “purification” of Our Lady. As a Jewish woman, she presented herself forty days after giving birth to be blessed and welcomed back to the community. I have written more on the history of that practice here:   The Churching of Women .

In this reflection, we will attend to four teachings or perspectives gleaned from the readings. We are taught that our relationship with Jesus is cleansing , consoling , compelling , and communing .

Cleansing – The Gospel opens with this description:   When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

It might strike us as odd or even irritating that a woman would need to be purified after giving birth, but ancient Jewish practice exhibited great reverence for the rituals of both birth and death. On account of the deep mysteries of life represented by these events, as well as the fluids (e.g., blood, amniotic fluid) that accompanied them, a purification or blessing was deemed necessary for return to the community. (Read more at the link above.)

Remember that this is not a moral purification, for nothing immoral had been done. Rather, it was a ceremonial purification wherein one was cleansed or made fit again to enter into the public worship and liturgical actions of Israel. Consider, for example, that even in our culture a person who has been outside working and comes back sweaty and in soiled clothes is expected to bathe and put on clean clothing before going to Mass; this does not mean that there is anything sinful in good, honest, necessary work. The Jews extended this idea much further than we do today and there were detailed (frankly, often bewildering) rules about what made one unclean and how/when one should be purified. Very early on, the Church simplified and/or largely abrogated these ideas about certain foods being unclean and what made a person unclean (see Acts 15).

While we may wonder (or even scoff) at these older notions, all of us need purification and cleansing. We are sinners, and we live in a world tainted by sin. The Lord must purify us all; unless this happens, we will never be able to endure the great holiness, glory, and purity of God.

Jesus our savior alone can cleanse and purify us to make us able to endure the glory of God. The first reading describes our need for purification and points to Jesus as the one who purifies us:

But who can endure the day of [the Lord’s] coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in the days of old, as in years gone by (Mal 3:2-4).

Yes, only the Lord Himself can purify us to endure His glory. Thank you, Jesus, our light and our savior, for the sanctifying grace without which we could never hope to endure and rejoice in the glory that awaits. Thank you, Jesus for your grace and mercy, by which we are able to stand before our Father and praise Him for all eternity. Thank you, Jesus, our purifier, our savior, and our Lord.

Consoling – Well aware of the burden of sin, ancient Israel longed for a savior. The pious knew well that sin brought strife, pain, and grief. Among the pious who longed for the Messiah were Simeon and Anna, who frequented the Temple looking and longing.

Of Simeon  we are told:

[He] was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

Of Anna, who is described as   among those who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem , we are told:

[She was] a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.

Simeon and Anna are two of the pious of Israel longing and looking for the Messiah who would save the people and bring consolation and peace.

What does it mean to have true consolation and peace? It is to be reconciled to the Father, Abba; to once again see Him and be able to walk with Him in the Garden in the cool of the morning. True consolation and peace are found only when the gates of Heaven are opened, and we look once again upon the glorious and serene face of our Father who loves us.

This is a gift that can come only by the ministry of Jesus, for no one knows the Father but the Son and anyone to whom the Son reveals Him. Jesus is our peace and our consolation by leading us back to His Father in and through His Sacred Heart and by His Holy Passion.

Holding the baby Jesus, Simeon is holding the Gift of the Father , a tremendous gift of peace and consolation come to him in a kind of prevenient way. So, Simeon can say,

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.

Such a consolation it was to hold the infant Jesus and know that God so loved the world that He sent His only Son to save us! Simeon could now go forth in peace from this world for He had beheld the light of God’s saving love in Jesus.

Compelling – In today’s Gospel we are told that Jesus is no inconsequential figure. He is the one on whom all human history, collective and personal, hinges. The “hinge” is our choice either for or against Jesus.

Simeon says to Mary,

Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted—and you yourself a sword will pierce—so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Jesus compels a choice. We are free to choose for or against Him, but we must choose. Upon this choice depends our rise or fall.

Jesus says, Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters (Matt 12:30).

St. Paul writes (in Acts), In the past God overlooked ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead (Acts 17:30). And in Corinthians he writes,   We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:20).

Where will you spend eternity? That depends on your stance toward Jesus. Will you choose Him? You are free to choose, but you are   not free   not to choose! On this choice your very life will rise or fall.

Communing – Jesus did not merely save us from on high. He became flesh and lived among us.

In today’s Gospel we read,

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Consider the intimacy of Jesus dwelling among us then and tabernacled among us now in the Blessed Sacrament and in the temple of our heart through His Spirit. Our Lord seeks communion with us and is not ashamed to call us His brethren (Heb 2:11).

On this Feast of the Presentation, allow the Lord into the temple of your heart.  Give Him access to your soul by receiving Him in Holy Communion and seeking His presence tabernacled in our churches. Today, Jesus is presented not only in the ancient temple but to you . Reach out to hold on to Him. Like Simeon, receive Him in your heart. Like Anna, run and tell others to come.

Jesus, our light and our salvation, is here. He brings with Him cleansing , consoling , and communing . He also compels a choice. Choose Him now; run to Him. He is here, and He is calling!

The Presentation of Mary in the Temple

In the small chapel of St. Anne at Aylesford Priory there is a simple depiction of the Presentation of Mary in ceramics by Adam Kossowski. The chapel is dedicated as the Family Chapel. There are prayers for Grandparents noting their role of passing on their faith to future generations. There is also a very lively and colourful painting of the Presentation of Our Lady in our Church of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Faversham by Edward Ardizzone. 

We celebrate the Presentation of Mary in the Temple on 21 st November as the emperor Justinian had a new church built to Mary in the Temple area of Jeursalam dedicated on this date in 543. Though the church was destroyed by the Persians within the century, the feast day continued in the Eastern Church and became one of the important celebrations in honour of Mary. However, it was not until the Middle Ages that it was commemorated in the West. It has been celebrated in England since the fourteenth century.

What are we celebrating as there is no mention of the early life of Mary in the scriptures? The story of the Presentation of Mary has come down to us through one of the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James. This is one of the books that was not accepted into the canon of the Bible. This book tells of the meeting of Joachim and Anne at the Golden Gate of Jerusalem. They were childless for some years until an angel appeared to them and Anne gave birth to Mary. Anne and Joachim knew from the angel that this girl would be a sacred child with a special mission from God. Mary was taken to the temple by her parents to dedicate her to God. Though this story is a legend and has no foundation in history, nor was it the practice at the time to take children to dedicate them in the temple, the point of the story is that even in her childhood Mary was dedicated to God. St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) wrote that: “Mary conceived Jesus in her heart before she conceived Jesus in her womb”. The feast of the Presentation in the Eastern Church was as important as the Immaculate Conception is in the West. Both remind us that Mary was set apart by God from her conception.

The first reading for the Mass of Presentation of Mary is from the prophet Zechariah (2: 14-11-17). The prophet is writing at the time of the returning of the Babylonian exiles between 520-519 B.C. Jerusalem is the Daughter of Zion who sings and rejoices as the Lord is coming to be in their midst.  Some biblical scholars see Mary as the personification of the Daughter of Zion.  There was a refugee camp outside the northern wall of Jerusalem at Zion.  So, the association of Mary with the Daughter of Zion connects her with the poor, the lowly, the humble of heart and all those who wait patiently for God to deliver them.  The prophet breaks away from the narrow view of the past to write that many nations will gather to be God’s holy people.

The Gospel for that day comes from Matthew (12: 46-50). It is the meeting of Jesus with his mother and family members. This story also appears in both the Gospel of Mark (3: 31-35) and Luke (8: 19-21). While Mark’s account is harsh both Matthew and Luke soften their account of the encounter between Jesus and his family.

Jesus is speaking to a crowd when he is told that his mother and brothers are outside. Jesus tells the crowd: “My mother, brothers, and sisters are those who do the will of my Father in Heaven.”   Jesus is emphasising the difference between his physical and spiritual family. Mary was undoubtedly part of both as she was consecrated to God at her conception and became the first disciple of Jesus. 

This is an apt Gospel for the Presentation as Mary was a woman of faith from her early childhood and the will of the Father became the deepest of reality for the whole of her life and being. She was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit at the Annunciation; she stood at the foot of the cross and became a model of watchful prayer waiting with the apostles for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Mary is the model of the church in its perfection and as mother she watches over the Pilgrim Church with maternal love.

Fr. Francis Kemsley O.Carm 

Note: Shortly after writing this reflection the author, Fr Francis died (Oct 2023)  – Please keep him in your prayers.

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The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple

Jul 23, 2015 / Written by: America Needs Fatima

Feast November 21

On the feast of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, we celebrate the fact that Our Lady’s parents brought her to the Temple at the age of three and handed her over to live there for a long period as a consecrated virgin where she might exclusively contemplate God.

There is a special beauty to this feast since it highlights the fact that Our Lady was chosen even before time began. She is called the root of Jesse (Isaiah, 11:1) from which Our Lord Jesus Christ would be born.

She is introduced to the synagogue, the institution in charge of keeping this promise. Thus, the synagogue receives Our Lady as a first step. In this act, the hopes of ages would soon be fulfilled.

Our Lady, a supremely holy soul, is received in the Temple and entered into the service of God.

Despite the corruption of the nation of Israel and the transformation of the Temple into a den of the Pharisees, an incomparable light appeared: the sanctity of Our Lady.

Unknowingly, Our Lady began to prepare herself to become the Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In an atmosphere of grace in the Temple, she was set apart from everyone in order to serve God.

She increased her love of God until she formed the ardent desire for the imminent coming of the Messiah and asked God if she might have the honor to be the servant of His Mother.

She did not know that she was the one chosen for this honor. That is why she was perplexed when the Archangel Gabriel greeted her to ask her permission for the Incarnation.

Our Lady’s magnificent preparation to be the Mother of Jesus Christ began with her Presentation in the Temple, a feast the Church celebrates on November 21.

It is fitting that we ask Our Lady to prepare us with the best of Catholic doctrine to serve God by serving her.

We should present ourselves before Our Lady, asking her to assist us in taking up the task of our sanctification, as the Holy Ghost did with her in the Temple of Jerusalem.

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The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

"A Light of Revelation to the Gentiles"

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Known originally as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is a relatively ancient celebration. The Church at Jerusalem observed the feast as early as the first half of the fourth century, and likely earlier. The feast celebrates the presentation of Christ in the temple at Jerusalem on the 40th day after His birth.

Quick Facts

• Date:  February 2
• Type of Feast:  Feast
• Readings:  Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40 ( full text here )
• Prayers:   Nunc  Dimities , the Canticle of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32); see below
• Other Names for the Feast:  Candlemas, the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin, the Meeting of the Lord, the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

History of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

According to Jewish law, the firstborn male child belonged to God, and the parents had to "buy him back" on the 40th day after his birth, by offering a sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons" ( Luke 2:24 ) in the temple (thus the "presentation" of the child). On that same day, the mother would be ritually purified (thus the "purification").

Saint Mary and Saint Joseph kept this law, even though, since Saint Mary remained a virgin after the birth of Christ, she would not have had to go through ritual purification. In his gospel, Luke recounts the story ( Luke 2:22-39 ).

When Christ was presented in the temple, "there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel" ( Luke 2:25 ) When Saint Mary and Saint Joseph brought Christ to the temple, Simeon embraced the Child and prayed the Canticle of Simeon:

Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; because my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel ( Luke 2:29-32 ).

The Original Date of the Presentation

Originally, the feast was celebrated on February 14, the 40th day after Epiphany (January 6), because Christmas wasn't yet celebrated as its own feast, and so the Nativity, Epiphany, the Baptism of the Lord (Theophany), and the feast celebrating Christ's first miracle at the wedding in Cana were all celebrated on the same day. By the last quarter of the fourth century, however, the Church at Rome had begun to celebrate the Nativity on December 25, so the Feast of the Presentation was moved to February 2, 40 days later.

Why Candlemas?

Inspired by the words of the Canticle of Simeon ("a light to the revelation of the Gentiles"), by the 11th century, the custom had developed in the West of blessing candles on the Feast of the Presentation. The candles were then lit, and a procession took place through the darkened church while the Canticle of Simeon was sung. Because of this, the feast also became known as Candlemas. While the procession and blessing of the candles is not often performed in the United States today, Candlemas is still an important feast in many European countries.

Candlemas and Groundhog Day

This emphasis on light, as well as the timing of the feast, falling as it does in the last weeks of winter, led to another, secular holiday celebrated in the United States on the same date: Groundhog Day. You can learn more about the connection between the religious holiday and the secular one in Why Did the Groundhog See His Shadow?

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Prayer For The Presentation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary

Troparion of the Vigil Today Anne brings us glad tidings, bearing in her arms the precious fruit that dispels all sorrow, the one being ever-precious fruit that dispels all sorrow, the one being ever-virginal. In fulfillment of her vow, she joyfully presents on this day in the Lord's temple the true tabernacle of the Word of God, His immaculate Mother. Troparion Today is the prelude to God's munificence and the announcement of the salvation of men: in the temple of God the Virgin is visible to all foretelling the coming of Christ. Wherefore let us cry out to her with all our strength: Hail, fulfillment of the Creator's plan. Kontakion The most pure temple of the Saviour, the most precious bridal chamber, the Virgin, the sacred treasury of God's glory, enters today into the house of the Lord, bringing with her the grace of the divine Spirit. Wherefore the angels of God sing to her: Behold the heavenly Tabernacle. Hirmos The angels were stunned as they beheld the most pure one coming in, and they said: O Wonder. The Virgin enters into the Holy of Holies. O Mother of God, you are the precious Ark of God: no profane hand may touch you. But the lips of the faithful will never cease to sing your praise, repeating with joy the angel's word: O pure Virgin, you are indeed raised above all creatures. Kinonikon I will take the chalice of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. Alleluia.

O blessed Virgin Mary! who can duly thank thee, or herald forth thy praises, who, by the assent of thy single will, didst rescue a fallen world? What honor can be paid to thee by our weak human nature, which, by thy intervention alone, hath found the way to return to grace and life? Accept then, such poor thanks as we have here to offer, unequal to thy merits though they be; and, accepting our good desires, obtain by thy prayers the remission of our offenses. Graciously hear our prayers, and obtain for us the remedy of reconciliation.

May the offering we make to God through thee, through thee be acceptable in his sight; and may that be granted which we ask with trustful heart. Accept our offerings, grant us our petitions, banish our fears; for thou art the sole hope of sinners. Through thee we hope for forgiveness of our sins; and in thee, most blessed Lady, is the hope of our reward.

Holy Mary, succor the wretched, help the fainthearted, comfort the sorrowful, pray for the people, shield the clergy, intercede for holy women; let all who celebrate thy holy commemoration feel thy protection. Be thou at hand, ready to aid our prayers, and obtain for us what we desire. Make it thy care, blessed Lady, to intercede ever for the people of God--thou who didst deserve to bear the Redeemer of the world, who liveth and reigneth, for ever and ever. Amen.

O God, Who didst will that on this day the blessed ever Virgin Mary, the dwelling-place of the Holy Ghost, should be presented in the temple: grant, we beseech Thee, that through her intercession, we may be made worthy to be presented in the temple of Thy glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.

Praise to Mary, Heaven's Gate, Guiding Star of Christians' way, Mother of our Lord and King, Light and hope to souls astray.

When you heard the call of God Choosing to fulfill his plan, By your perfect act of love Hope was born in fallen man.

Help us to amend our ways, Halt the devil's strong attack, Walk with us the narrow path, Beg for us the grace we lack.

Mary, show your motherhood, Bring your children's prayers to Christ, Christ, your son, who ransomed man, Who, for us, was sacrificed.

Virgin chosen, singly blest, Ever faithful to God's call, Guide us in this earthy life, Guard us lest, deceived, we fall.

Mary, help us live our faith So that we may see your son; Join our humble prayers to yours, Till life's ceaseless war is won.

Praise the Father, praise the Son, Praise the holy Paraclete; Offer all through Mary's hands, Let her make our prayers complete.

Mary the dawn, Christ the Perfect Day; Mary the gate, Christ the Heavenly Way!

Mary the root, Christ the Mystic Vine; Mary the grape, Christ the Sacred Wine!

Mary the wheat, Christ the Living Bread; Mary the stem, Christ the Rose blood-red!

Mary the font, Christ the Cleansing Flood; Mary the cup, Christ the Saving Blood!

Mary the temple, Christ the temple's Lord; Mary the shrine, Christ the God adored!

Mary the beacon, Christ the Haven's Rest; Mary the mirror, Christ the Vision Blest!

Mary the mother, Christ the mother's Son By all things blest while endless ages run. Amen.

O Mary of all women, you are the chosen one, Who, ancient prophets promised, would bear God's only Son; All Hebrew generations prepared the way to thee, That in your womb the God-man might come to set us free.

O Mary, you embody all God taught to our race, For you are first and foremost in fullness of his grace; We praise this wondrous honor that you gave birth to Him Who from you took humanity and saved us from our sin.

When she was only three years old, the Blessed Virgin Mary was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem by her parents, St. Joachim and St. Anne. (We celebrate their feast day on July 26.) Mary's whole life was to belong to God. He had chosen her to be the Mother of his Son, Jesus. The Blessed Virgin was happy to begin serving God in the Temple. And St. Joachim and St. Anne were pleased to offer their saintly little girl to God. They knew that God had sent her to them.

In the Temple, the high priest received the child Mary. She was placed among the girls who were dedicated to prayer and Temple service. The high priest kissed and blessed the holy child. He realized that the Lord had great plans for her. Mary did not weep or turn back to her parents. She came so happily to the altar that everyone in the Temple loved her at once.

St. Joachim and St. Anne went back home. They praised God for their blessed daughter. And Mary remained in the Temple, where she grew in holiness. She spent her days reading the Bible, praying and serving the Temple priests. She made beautiful linens and splendid vestments. Mary was loved by all the other girls because she was so kind. Mary tried to do each of her duties well, to please God. She grew in grace and gave great glory to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, the Blessed Virgin Mary was dedicated to You by her parents when she was three. In the temple, she joined the girls who spent their days praying, reading Scripture, and serving the temple priests. Her holiness was very evident, and the high priest thought that You probably had great plans for her. I ask Mary to pray for the plans You have for my life. Where I have strayed onto a road of my own choosing, give me her hand to guide me back to where You want me. Where I need to wait for a new plan to begin, give me the grace remain patient and say, "Your will be done." Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for me. Amen

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Luke 2:22-40 New International Version

Jesus presented in the temple.

22  When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, ( A ) Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23  (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord” [ a ] ), ( B ) 24  and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” [ b ] ( C )

25  Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. ( D ) He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, ( E ) and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26  It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27  Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ( F ) 28  Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

29  “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, ( G )      you may now dismiss [ c ] your servant in peace. ( H ) 30  For my eyes have seen your salvation, ( I ) 31       which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32  a light for revelation to the Gentiles,      and the glory of your people Israel.” ( J )

33  The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34  Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: ( K ) “This child is destined to cause the falling ( L ) and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35  so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

36  There was also a prophet, ( M ) Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37  and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. [ d ] ( N ) She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ( O ) 38  Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. ( P )

39  When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. ( Q ) 40  And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. ( R )

• Luke 2:23 Exodus 13:2,12
• Luke 2:24 Lev. 12:8
• Luke 2:29 Or promised, / now dismiss
• Luke 2:37 Or then had been a widow for eighty-four years.

Cross references

• Luke 2:22 : Lev 12:2-8
• Luke 2:23 : Ex 13:2, 12, 15; Nu 3:13
• Luke 2:24 : Lev 12:8
• Luke 2:25 : Lk 1:6
• Luke 2:25 : ver 38; Isa 52:9; Lk 23:51
• Luke 2:27 : ver 22
• Luke 2:29 : ver 26
• Luke 2:29 : Ac 2:24
• Luke 2:30 : Isa 40:5; 52:10; Lk 3:6
• Luke 2:32 : Isa 42:6; 49:6; Ac 13:47; 26:23
• Luke 2:34 : S Mt 12:46
• Luke 2:34 : Isa 8:14; Mt 21:44; 1Co 1:23; 2Co 2:16; Gal 5:11; 1Pe 2:7, 8
• Luke 2:36 : S Ac 21:9
• Luke 2:37 : 1Ti 5:9
• Luke 2:37 : Ac 13:3; 14:23; 1Ti 5:5
• Luke 2:38 : ver 25; Isa 40:2; 52:9; Lk 1:68; 24:21
• Luke 2:39 : ver 51; S Mt 2:23
• Luke 2:40 : ver 52; Lk 1:80

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

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Monday, 15th April 2024 - Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade Regina Angelorum Press

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Chapters: 00:00 - 05:16 Opening Prayers and Intentions 05:17 - 06:17 Minute of Silence 06:18 - 29:26 Rosary Regina Angelorum Press LLC is pleased to bring you Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade with Father Anthony Pillari. Website: https://reginangelorumpress.com/ Everyday at 12 noon Eastern Time, and then every hour throughout the next 24 hours, Catholics throughout the world unite in praying the Holy Rosary together. To date, Catholics from Israel, Uganda, Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the US, Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, Chile, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, India, Indonesia, as well as other countries, have been joining in prayer. We are on SpiritusTV.com, Rumble, YouTube and Spotify platforms. For videos on the First Saturday Devotion visit: https://reginangelorumpress.com/first-saturday-devotion/ To donate to the Ave Philomena project of chapel, priestly lodging, and priestly workshop go to www.avephilomena.com/donate Prayer Intentions: https://reginangelorumpress.com/prayer-intentions/ Prayer Booklet: https://reginangelorumpress.com/daily-rosary/ To donate to Ave Philomena, Inc. projects go to www.avephilomena.com/donate Our Lady of the Rosary Family Catechism is available at: https://olrfamilycatechism.com/ Artwork: Prayer to St. Joseph: St. Joseph Taking the Hand of the Christ Child, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo c. 1670 Prayer of St Gertrude: The Trinity with Souls in Purgatory by Corrado Giaquinto (1703 -1766) The paintings used in today’s Joyful Mysteries are (in order of appearance): The Annunciation: Annunciation by Filippo Lippi (c1450-1453) The Annunciation of Mary by Pietro Perugino (1489) The Visitation: The Visitation by Vicente Masip (c1540-1545) The Visitation by Raphael (1517) The Birth of Our Lord: The Adoration of the Magi by Gentile da Fabriano (1423) Nativity of Christ by Lorenzo Lotto (1523) The Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple: Presentation of Christ in the Temple by Philippe de Champaigne (c1648) Presentation of Jesus at the Temple by Alvaro Pirez d’Evora (c1630) The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple: Disputation with the Doctors by Duccio di Buoninsegna (c1308-1311) Christ among the Doctors by Fra Angelico Titles of Hymns: O Child of Beauty Rare (Minute of Silence) Ave Verum (1st) Magnificat (2nd) Verbum Caro (3rd) O Child of Beauty Rare (4th) Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All (5th) Music: With special thanks to the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles for permission to use their music available here: http://benedictinesofmary.org/product-category/music_cds/

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Church of Jesus Christ invites everyone to come see the Layton Utah Temple

By emily ashcraft, ksl.com | posted - april 15, 2024 at 8:02 p.m..

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Estimated read time: 6-7 minutes

LAYTON — Sarah Tarma said it was cool to watch the progress from her family's backyard as the Layton Utah Temple was built.

The biggest moment for her was when the lights were turned on and lit up their home too.

"It's just so beautiful, and even just looking at the temple you just feel the spirit," she said.

She said the Bountiful Utah Temple, which her family attends now, is usually very busy, and they are excited to have more opportunities to visit a temple.

"It's just such a great blessing to be able to go to the temple and feel of the spirit and participate in the ordinances there and feel closer to our Savior," Tarma said.

The open house for the Layton Utah Temple is beginning on Friday. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is inviting anyone to tour the temple until June 1. Reservations are recommended but not required.

The interior of the temple is decorated with blues, greens and golds, and the building has stained-glass windows with cherry trees and blossoms. A statement from the church said the motifs in the temple were influenced by Layton's agricultural heritage.

Sister Amy A. Wright, first counselor in the church's Primary general presidency, said children and youth in the community were invited to write something on a rock that is "near and dear to their hearts." Those rocks were then mixed into the foundation of the temple.

She said many of the rocks had images of God's creations: families, names of others, a scripture, Jesus Christ or other temples.

"Our children and youth in this community literally are part of the foundation of the house of the Lord, and that foundation is built upon their faith in Jesus Christ," she said.

Tarma's three children each contributed to the temple foundation. Isabella, 11, painted a flower; Eva, 12, painted a family; and Helaman, 17, painted a scripture from the Book of Mormon about building a foundation on Christ.

Eva said she remembers seeing a picture in Primary of the concrete block that contained rocks painted by her and her siblings.

Helaman Tarma said he remembers the excitement he had while finding the perfect scripture to go on his rock.

"Just having that rock in there makes me feel like I helped build this temple, and that's just a wonderful thing," he said.

Isabella said it is cool to have something of hers that will always be in the temple's foundation.

Their father, Spencer Tarma, said they are planning to visit the temple as a family, and with other friends who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, during the open house.

Sister Wright said the symbolism in the youth being part of the temple's foundation is part of every temple, although not always through painted rocks. She said the rising generation is not a replacement but a reinforcement for older generations, and the youth in the church are thinking outward toward people they don't even know as they perform baptisms in the temple for people who have died.

"They have a role, right now, in building the kingdom of God," Sister Wright said.

She said the invitation to visit the temple during the open house is not just an invitation to see the beauty of the temple but to "come and feel and know of the love that God has for each and every one of you."

Sister Wright said the temple is a place where members go to heal, and everyone needs that healing even if they don't realize it.

Lynette Checketts, who is helping with the temple open house along with her husband, said there was "so much rejoicing" in their home when the temple was announced. She said the location has already been a sacred place as they have felt peace and love.

Checketts said they can see the west spire from their kitchen window, so she makes sure to give her children the opportunity to do the dishes.

"We are fortunate to have raised seven of our eight children in sight of those spires of this temple," she said.

Their other child, Caleb, died 17 years ago, but Checketts said the temple gives her hope.

"Because of what happens inside this holy house ... I know that death is not the end and that we will be together as families," she said.

Checketts said she is excited to share their love for the temple with friends, neighbors and the community through the open house.

Elder Christophe G. Giraud-Carrier, a general authority seventy and assistant to the Utah Area presidency, said temples point members to their Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

"In the temple, the things that start in this life can go beyond the grave as husbands and wives, parents and children are united together ... for time and for all eternity," he said.

He expressed a hope that people going to the open house will feel the spirit there and share it with others.

Elder Giraud-Carrier said many church members in the area will benefit from having a temple in their neighborhood, and community members can come to the temple grounds and feel rested.

"It's just a great place of peace," he said. "The whole atmosphere calls for reverence and peace."

He said people are excited, and many have registered to attend the open houses at both the Layton and Taylorsville temples.

Elder Kevin R. Duncan, executive director of the church's Temple Department, said the church continues to build temples so that more members will be able to access the things they feel and learn in the temple.

"I hope that as you're inside this temple you'll really feel that it is a place of refuge from the storms of life for all of us," he said.

He said they hope as many people come as possible and that they come multiple times and bring friends and neighbors.

Elder Duncan said the art in the temple is intended to "elevate our vision" and shows Christ, his creations and his teachings.

"It's there to help us realize that Jesus Christ is the center of everything that takes place in the temple," he said.

One of the art pieces on the second floor is a glass piece made in 1915, depicting the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that was purchased from a United Presbyterian Church in New York that was torn down in 2015.

He said there are already 2,300 volunteers who will be helping in the temple after it opens, and over 2,000 more who have volunteered to help with just the open house.

"People love the opportunity to serve in the temple," he said.

After the open house, the temple will be dedicated by Elder David A. Bednar, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, on June 16. It will be the church's 195th temple in operation.

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