February 2 2025 - Feast of the Presentation - 5 years after COVID and the Light of Faith

 As I began preparing to write my homily this weekend, I was trying to recall the last time we celebrated the Feast of the Presentation—Candlemas--at the weekend masses. Eventually, I had to look it up, and realized why I was having a hard time remembering. The year was 2020, when February 2 fell on a Sunday, and a lot was on our mind that year. Already in February 2020, news of COVID deaths were being reported in Asia, the middle East, and Europe, though, I think at that time, we were still calling it “the China-Virus”. On February 2, 2020 there were only 11 COVID cases reported in the United States. The first COVID death in the US wouldn’t be reported until February 29, 2020, but anxiety was certainly growing among us, and conflicting news reports. Theories of the virus’ origin were already starting to circulate, and speculations of how our government would handle things, but we were still some time away from “fifteen days to slow the spread”. 

So, the last time we celebrated this particular feast together, at the weekend masses, we were bracing ourselves for facing the unknown. We gathered in the light of Christ, lighting our Candlemas candles, facing a dark horizon, an incoming storm—having no real knowledge how the global pandemic would unfold. 

Yet, we gathered. And that light, the light our Candlemas candles symbolize—was so important, wasn’t it?

Now, maybe, for some, the light of faith flickered in those ensuing months, as church doors were locked. Perhaps, for some, the light of faith was extinguished.  After all, for many parishes, weekend mass attendance has still not recovered.

To some people, church leaders seemed to fail us precisely when we desperately desired access to the sacraments. 

For some, the flame of faith flickered due to the convenience of live streamed masses, leading them to question the need to return to physical attendance. Some, out of caution for their own health or for other vulnerable persons, the risk of gathering for mass continued to be a deterrent. Some continued to exercise great caution, even after the bishops encouraged us to return to Mass. 

Some, sadly, began questioning the value of even gathering for Mass, and simply haven’t returned.

But here we. And the Lord has seen through the darkness of that particular point in history, to light our candles once again, thanks be to God.

And now, our task, once again, is to consider, how the Lord calls us to bear the light of faith brightly and spread that light to others. 

Sharing the light of faith with others is an act of love and concern for their souls. It is an act of love and it is our Christian duty. 

We are to be so faithful to this task of sharing the light of faith, that at the end of the day when our head hits the pillow, we are able to echo the words of Simeon in the Gospel today, “Now you let your servant go in peace, your word has been fulfilled”. In other words, I can sleep in peace, knowing that I have done what I could today to bear the light of faith and share the light of faith to those I encountered, to those I have been called by God to seek out.

The very first encyclical of our Holy Father Pope Francis, all the way back in 2013 was about the light of faith.  Its opening line, “The light of Faith: this is how the Church’s tradition speaks of the great gift brought by Jesus.”  The light of faith helps us to avoid the dark errors of sin and to walk the path of righteousness.  But also, by the light of Faith we come to know about God and we come to know about ourselves.  

The Pope writes, “The light of faith is unique, since it is capable of illuminating every aspect of human existence.” Faith helps us to understand the confusing matters of our life, by helping us see from the perspective of God. Even our human suffering is made comprehensible by faith. 

I don’t know about you, but, my faith really wasn’t shaken during that whole COVID mess. Because faith, being a follower of Jesus, isn’t about not having to face darkness, rather it’s about knowing how to continue walking toward God despite the darkness. 

With the light of faith diminishing in many corners of the world, the Pope writes “There is an urgent need,” “to see once again that faith is a light, for once the flame of faith dies out, all other lights begin to dim.” The urgent need to spread the light of faith, means to help others understand the importance of faith—the importance of walking a Christ’s disciples, of recognizing him, again as Simeon says, as “the Lumen ad revelationem gentium---the light of revelation to the nations of the world. Because if that light dies out, we’re all in trouble. Francis says, the Church “depends on the fidelity of witnesses chosen by the Lord for this task.”

And you and I, brothers and sisters, have been chosen for this task, to be like Simeon, and Anna in the Gospel today, who is bursting with joy in speaking to people about the Christ child. So this feast is a reminder and an opportunity to renew our commitment to share the light of Christ with those whose candles may be flickering or unlit. Every act of Christian charity, every time we encourage someone to pray, better yet, every time we pray with someone who is struggling, encouraging them in their suffering with words of faith, is an act of faithfulness to God that helps spread faith.

At every Mass too the Lord desires to strengthen our Faith, when encounter Jesus in the Eucharist, in which Pope Francis writes, “faith finds its highest expression”. “The Eucharist is a precious nourishment for faith: an encounter with Christ truly present in the supreme act of his love, the life-giving gift of himself.”

May our faithful encounter with the Lord’s self-giving act of love, help us to carry from this place the joyful certainty that our faith not only sustains us but also has the power to transform lives—as we seek the fulfillment of our lives through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.