A Common Misconception About the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

February 2, which is the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord or (Purification of Mary) occurs 40 days after Christmas. It is the last feast day in the Christmas Cycle, although in the Extraordinary Form it can fall during pre-Lent. Yes, the season of Lent might begin that early. Because the feast is a part of the Christmas Cycle is the main reason people often say “It’s still Christmas” for Candlemas. But the reference is inaccurate, because one doesn’t say “It’s Christmas” during Advent, even though Advent is also part of the Christmas Cycle, nor does one say “It’s still Easter!” in the middle of September. The Christmas Cycle merely means that those liturgical seasons of the year point toward toward the mysteries of Jesus regarding Christmas, and the other seasons of Lent, Easter and the larger part of Ordinary Time (or Time after Pentecost) point to the feast of Easter. Cool, right?

If any of that was new to you, please respond to this email and let me know so I can feel like I did some good.

Anyway, to celebrate the Feast of the Presentation (Candlemas) and now “The Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,” which also shares this feast day, I have put together a video in commemoration. At the end, I lead in my new Flame of Love rosary for the day.