Feb 2 The Presentation of the Lord

Thom and Jack,
Good Morning, I love you
110202, 1111

The Presentation of the Lord
Feast of the Purification of Mary
Candlemas Day
(see also February 2, 2008)

Groundhog Day
Birthday of friend and mentor

It all came together when I was at Mass earlier. I wondered what was up with the stack of candles at he side of the altar – tomorrow’s the feast of St Blaise. I was a little slow on the uptake – checked the missal and saw it is the Feast of the Presentation. The other feasts rolled over my memory like a riff: Purification of Mary, Candlemas; and, oh by the way, Groundhog Day, and, yeh, Ed’s birthday, too. [and I thought September 15th was a big day in my life!? Which, of course, it is – my father’s birthday, my best friend’s birthday, the almost birthday of Jack – ya know, if we had waited only two hours, it was, after all a C-section.]

The Presentation of the Lord. Forty Days after Jesus’ birth – as per all the Jewish laws and rituals. I immediately went to each of your baptisms. I’m sure the little water on your birth-day counted, just in case. But, your mother and I had agreed [and this agreement she actually went through on] – born in Nashville and baptized in New York City, at the same church where your father was baptized on August 14, 1949. My memories and feeloughts of those days, connected inexorably with your births, are potent and labile still. I teared. Tears of joy and regret.

The Presentation of the Lord in the Temple has been a feast of meditation for me since I can remember praying. There’s the rosary decade. It is a biblical scene with potent imagery and fulfillment of prophecies as well as replete with characters for men and women, boys and girls, of all times, in all ages - - a Catholic feast and meditation. Read Luke. Read the references to the OT. Immerse yourself in the actual day, two thousand years ago. Let yourself absorb the history and the actuality of the day. See the world for the point of view of each participant. [E.g., what about the guy who sold Joseph the doves?]

The possibilities will carry you for days – and each year when we come back to the feast, it will be a new experience because you bring something new to the day. After becoming a father, the day changes radically.

The Purification of Mary. This angle on the day takes more being in the mindset of the day. There was no ‘purification’ ritual or considerations about your mother. But, if Jack were born in Jesus’ time, he would likely not have survived the birth. The umbilical chord was across the exit and would likely have strangled him. If he survived that, the ravages of your mother’s herpes filling her vagina would have likely done you in. Thank God for modern medicine. Timing does count.

Candlemas Day. This picked up some extra meaning and meditation for me today because I’m guiding a group of third graders in the mystery and symbolism of Light vis a vis themselves and Jesus. The lesson for our next class is built around candles [and light houses]. I am humbled every week by the wisdom, knowledge, piety, and holiness of this group of third graders. One of them gave me a candle for a Christmas present. Think about the candles in the Church every day – at the altar, at the tabernacle, the Easter candle; plus, in December, the Advent candles; in many churches the racks of candles for us to light to ask God for something or someone. Each of these uses of candles are worthy of their own meditations.

[Once upon a time, we had two candles, on the altar, lit for Mass. We lit the ‘six’ candles on the level above the altar for High Mass. It was a skill to use the pole with the wick in it to reach up to light the candles way above our head. Today, we have the six candles on stands beside the altar. What’s with that?]

Groundhog Day. Our watching the movie over and over and over again is among my favorite feeloughts – which I renew at least once or twice a year when I re-watch the movie. Unfortunately, we don’t get a mulligan over and over etc. Our lives are on a linear sleigh ride. There’s no erasing the past. There’s no learning from the past and getting to go back to the day of the mistake and prevent it. We live with our mistakes. That’s the test. That’s the cross. That’s the beauty of the prodigal son/forgiving father. Remember, the secret of a Father’s Love is that a father’s love is forever – no matter what.

I sent Ed a ‘happy birthday’, ‘happy groundhog day’, ‘go steelers’ text (he’s from pittsburg and a steelers fan - - all of us yankees brought our hometown team fandom with us when we came south. [y’all, unfortunately, only got Vanderbilt. Though, being a UT fan in Nashville was a chance to share in victory more often on the gridiron. Until the Titans and Predators came to town – too bad we only shared those opportunities at the whim of your mother.]


[Catholic Encyclopedia online]

According to the Mosaic law (Leviticus 12:2-8). I frequently wonder “why do we need THAT law?! Why is it a LAW? There must have been a reason at the time. Some one(s) had to make it up. The rest of the folks had to nod their heads in acquiescence. And, after a while, I guess it all comes under “Tradition.” That which holds us all together in our common beliefs and rituals. Our common compliance for the good of all. For the greater good. Ad majorem Dei gloriam. AMDG – we put that on our papers right below our name and the date. And why do we need all the details? Whether in the minutiae of rules or the plethora of Wisdom sayings. Well, maybe some of us need more guidance than others? Maybe the Law of Love is not sufficient? Given concupiscence we should know that we need all the help we can get. And then, and then, we have to be humble and accept we are creatures….

Forty days after the birth of Christ Mary [and Joseph!] complied with this precept of the law, she redeemed her first-born from the temple (Numbers 18:15). In the OT, the child was ‘redeemed’ from the temple. It was assumed that the birth of a child was the Gift from God. And the parents had to ask for the child back. We on the other hand, bring you to God, we speak for you, for us, for family and faith, that we give you to God, dedicate ourselves, your parents and you, to God in our individual and familial lives. [I wish your parents were in accord on this premise. I’m sorry they weren’t.]

Blessing of candles and procession. Do you know why our altar candles must be beeswax? And then we have the canticle of Simeon: Lumen ad revelationen gentium et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.

I love you,
Dad