The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-01-23
cANDLEMAs DAY.

On February End we again cele-
brate the feast of the Publication of
the Blessed Virgin Mary. In common
speech we call it Candlemas, because
on this day the candles prescribed
for divine services are blessed. The
candles must be made of bees-waX.
This is so imperative that the Church.
has preferred to have even her most
sacred rites performed without lights
rather than have those used that are.
not made of this material. The very
word candle" (Latin Candela), in
the language of the Church, always
signifies a candle made of bees-wax.
Tallow, sperm, parafine, patent wax,
or any other than bees-waX candles
cannot be blessed, and are forbidden
to be used for divine service.
1t is an ancient and praiseworthy
custom for Catholics to procure at
least one wax candle for this day.
and after it has been blessed, to take
it home to use it at the bed of the
dying, or during a storm, or for any
other proper end as the Church
wishes. Good Catholics, we know, are
not satisfied with this alone; they Of
ice of the altar, thus following the
example of Mary, who, though not
subject to the law, offered a sacrifice
in the temple.
In book entitled "The Sacrament
ais of the Holy Catholic Church" we
find the following beautiful remarks
in regard to this custom:
THE Church calls us to the temple
for the Publication, that our eyes, too,
may see this glorious Light, recog-
nizing it in it's symbol, the blessed
candle, that our hands, too, may hold
the Infant Saviour in holding the
waXen taper which represents Him"
How full of meaning are all the
rites of our religion
Not by chance has the Church chos-
en- the wax candle as type of her
Lord and Master. st. Anselm, OF
Canterbury, tells lis the reasons
THE wax product of the virginia. bee
represents Christs most spotiess
body; the wick enclosed in the wax,
and forming one with it, images His
human soul, whilst the ruddy flame,
crowning and completing the union
of wax and wick, typifies the divine
nature, subsisting inconfusedly with
human nature in one divine person"
Let us then make, on receiving our
blessed candle, an act of faith in
Christ the light of the world, enlight
ening every man coming into the
world. Let us remember we are the
children of light, that as such VIC
ought TO shed around us the light OF
good example. oh, dear readers! il
our lives were as they should be, We
would be as so many torches placed
upon the pathway of truth to show
our poor erring countrymen the way
to the glorious city of God, the Holy
Roman Catholic Church.
We should make, on this festival an
offering of candles for the service of
the altar. Oh! what a consoling
thought of us, when we are at our
daily work, that perhaps our candles
are at that moment burning before
the Blessed Sacrament, taking the
place of our hearts, silently, purely
burning i'll their stead before the Sa-
cred Heart of Jesus.
Nor should we forget ourselves.
We ought to have at least one blessed
candle especially for our own private
use to take to our houses to burn be-
forexa crucifiX or an image of the
Blessed Virgin, to remind us that our
souls, like it, ought to be consuming
the dross of earthly affection in the
pure heaven-aspiring fame of love.
We must put our confidence in these
holy candles, for the prayers of the
Church have assembled to God that
"He would bless and sanctify them
for the service of men and for the
good of their bodies and souls in all
places. Pious Catholics light them
during thunderstorms that God, in
consideration of Christ Whom they
represent, may reign to protect His
servants. Let us light them whenever
we are threatened with calamity, and
if we do so in spirit of faith we will
experience signal proof of Gods IA
therly care for us. But above all
let the holy. candle burn by the bed.
side of the sick and dying, dispelling
by its blessed light the shades of
trouble and despair which the prince
of darkness strives to cast around the
Christian soul at the hour of its dis
solution and illuminating the dark
road through the valley of death to
the mountain whose light is God.