Our Lady of Candles
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
Lectionary 524
It is because of Simeon’s prayer of thanksgiving that we celebrate today’s Feast of the Presentation of the Lord as Candlemas. It is beautiful that the church took his small phrase, “a light for the Gentiles,” and built a beautiful feast where we traditionally bless candles to use in worship at mass and prayers at home.
But, there is something extra special for us in this feast that I only learned about this week. Today is also the feast of Our Lady of Candles. Let me tell you her story.
A little before the year fourteen hundred, two indiginous shepherds on one of the Canary Islands took shelter from a storm in a cave. When they entered the beach cave, they were surprised to see a statue of a dark-skinned woman holding a child. The shepherds had never seen a statue like this, and thought it was a living person. The sheep were afraid, and would not enter the cave. At first, the shepherds waved at the woman to move, so the sheep could enter. When the woman did not respond, one of the men picked up a rock to throw at her. Instantly, his arm became painful and stiff so he could not move. The other man came closer and took out a knife to cut the statue. When he tried, she was unhurt, but he cut himself badly. They ran away in terror.
The men went back to their chief, and told them the story of how a great god lived in the cave. In fact, they were pretty sure it was the mother of their greatest god. The chief demanded they bring her to him. The shepherds returned to the cave. When they reached out to touch the statue, the shepherd with the cut finger was instantly healed.
The men carried the statue back to the village, and the chief and the people honored the statue. There was clearly something special about the statue, because at night, they heard beautiful music, and glowing creatures flew around the statue, setting candles around it, and lighting them. They built a temple for the statue. The music, light, and lovely smell of flowers continued each night for many years.
Some years later, a native boy was captured by the Spainards and taken back to Spain as a slave. There, he learned about Christianity, and came to understand that the statue was a statue of the Blessed Virgin. When he returned, he told his tribe about Christ, and the Blessed Virgin. When missionaries arrived, the people were ready to welcome them.
After some time, Spaniards arrived on the nearby islands, and decided they should have the statue of Our Lady of Candles. The natives refused to give her up. The Christians stole the statue, and put it in their church, surrounded by candles. The next morning, the statue had turned away from the people and towards the altar. It was immovable. Nobody could turn her back to face them. Then, a plague came. The Spaniards repented, and decided to try to pick up the statue to return it to the natives. It moved easily. When the statue was returned, the plague ended.
After this, the story spread. Today, on Candlemas, Our Lady of Candles is still venerated around the world.
She is patroness of the Canary Islands, of course. She is venerated in many parts of latin America, especially Bolivia, Columbia, and Puerto Rico. She is venerated at several churches in the Philippines. One is at the Jaro Cathedral in the Philippines, where Saint Pope John Paul II personally crowned a limestone statue of Our Lady of Candles that fisherman found floating in the river. That’s right, the limestone statue was floating.
She is also venerated at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Candelaria and Guadalupe in San Antonio. That church is the seat of our very own Archbishop, Gustavo García-Siller, an immigrant to the United States from San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
So, you see, Our Lady of Candles has brought the light of her son for the whole world, but especially for us. Here we are, together in the Archdiocese of San Antonio on Candlemas to worship the son of Our Lady of Candles. We are from all around. Some are from here in this Archdiocese, many have roots in Latin America, and we even receive the Body and Blood of Christ through the ministry of a Filipino priest.
Our Lady of Candles brings the light of her son to us in a special way. Will you accept that light as her special gift today?
Let us pray together this prayer from the national shrine in the Philippeans.
Lord Jesus, you are the light of the world: we praise you, and ask you to guide our steps each day. Help us to love you and serve you faithfully, and to carry our daily cross with you. You are our light in darkness, our protector in danger, and our saving Lord at all times.
Our Lady of Candles, give us a mother’s protection, for we need your watchful care. Comfort us in our discouragements, solace us in our fatigues, raise us after our falls, reward us for our successes. Our Lady of Candles, bearer of Jesus, the light of the world, we shall always rely on your help, to be what Jesus wants us to be. We are his; we are yours, our good Mother! Amen.
