Today we celebrate a beautiful feast, a feast of light. It is often called Candlemas because candles are blessed on this day. It is, in many parts of the world, a feast in early spring when the darkness of winter is giving way to brighter days. It is fitting too that we celebrate this feast of Jesus, who is the Light of the World. This is expressed by the holy man Simeon who is given the special grace to see the Messiah, the Saviour King of Israel, before he dies. In thanksgiving he prays: "My eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, a Light to enlighten peoples everywhere." In being brought, like every other first-born child, to be presented to God, Jesus expresses his full identity with all humanity. This is strongly emphasised in the Second Reading from Hebrews: "Since all the children share the same blood and flesh, he too shared equally in it." Jesus is not descended from angels but, like all his fellow-Jews, from Abraham so that he should become "completely like his brothers" and thus be able to atone fully for our sins. Let us thank God today for this extraordinary gift of love.