Holy hygge ~ reflex on Candlemas and Luke 2:22-40
Candles are often-undervalued. Candlelight is warm, cozy, organic, relaxing, quieting. Beeswax candles smell wonderful and are good for your environment (my Scandinavian side values the tradition of “hygge,” in which candles are a must). In Danish, candles are called levende lys, which literally means “living light.” There is something mystical about candlelight, its deep naturalness, the continuity throughout time, the connection to bees.
What does any of this have to do with today’s feast? On this day, candles feature prominently in the liturgy – lit candles may be carried in procession and candles are blessed on this day because lit candles are used in the Church to symbolize Christ, the true Light who came into the world for all, and today is the day that the Light of the World enters His Temple anew, at last.
In complete humility and obedience to the Law, Joseph and Mary come to the Temple after 40 days to offer the required sacrifice for their firstborn son. As they enter, they are fulfilling the prophecy of Malachi: “And suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek.”
The Chosen People had been promised a Messiah, and the identity of the whole Jewish nation was a people who awaited his coming, to set them free from Roman rulers and restore Israel as an eternal, peaceful kingdom. Many expected a warrior who would defeat Israel’s enemies and restore the glory of their nation, as King David’s descendent.
It would require a very deep spirituality to look on this little infant being carried into the Temple by his impoverished parents (nothing royal about them except their bearing) and see not only the Messiah, but the Light OF THE WORLD – a light for the Gentiles as well as the Jews. It is only the aged Simeon and Anna who recognize this seemingly ordinary child as the Messiah, the very king of glory, for whom they had patiently waited in prayer for so long. In Simeon, the Old and New Testaments meet: as he sees the One who will proclaim that he Himself is the new Temple carried into the Old Temple, the aged man of the Old Covenant becomes a Christian, and Christianity’s first prophet and theologian, as he proclaims, “my eyes have seen your salvation…. a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”
In the Church, the great paschal candle represents Christ, the “true light”, a lit candle in the sanctuary indicates that Christ is present in the tabernacle, candles are required at every Mass, at funerals and baptisms. We light them to honor God, to symbolize our sacrifice and our prayer, and to remind us that Christ is our light.
We are not a people of darkness, but of LIGHT! Today, have some candles blessed, light some candles in your home and wherever you pray, and remember that God’s work of creation began with the command, “Let there be light!”