On February 2, the Church reminds Christians of the event of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, also called the Candelabra, to remind us that Christ is the light of the world
It is the day that Pope John Paul II chose in 1997 to invite the Christian people to give thanks for the gift of consecrated life and to pray for all those who respond to the call of the Spirit by a life totally given, by the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The blessing of the candles and sometimes the torchlight procession is a reminder and a challenge to the consecrated women and men that they too must be light to the world through the witness of a life of prayer and service.
Today consecrated life is in crisis in many countries around the world. In a Church wounded and humiliated by the sexual abuse scandals, it takes courage to make the choice to devote one’s life to it. Vocations are becoming rare, especially in Western countries where religious life is less and less visible. At the same time as the loss of the Christian Faith, the voice of the Spirit seems to be stifled and we may feel that we are witnessing the slow disappearance of consecrated life, this wonderful gift from God to his Church to support the faithful through the testimony of people who have handed over their lives through the vows.
But no ! God continues to call and young people, more or less numerous depending on the country, continue to hear and respond. But these young people bear the heavy responsibility of making the charism of consecrated life live and flourish in an increasingly materialistic world. They need the prayerful support of the entire Christian community, without forgetting their elders who have remained firm in their commitment and their conviction that God’s call contains the promise of the grace necessary to endure in trials and to find in this life fulfilment and joy.
This is the meaning of this World Day of Prayer and its importance for consecrated women and men, for the Church and for the world.
Sr. Mary O’Dea rma