Candles: The Light of Light
Christ said “I am the light of the world, he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of light” (John 8:12). John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30) The candles in Church are representative of us because Christ passed his light to us and we are to shine that light on the world. The candles decrease as they burn while their light shines and give off warmth. We must decrease and give off warmth, so Christ may increase and his message be spread over the world.
Candles and lamps go back to the Old Testament and can be found in the book of Exodus. They were commanded by Moses to be placed in the Tent of Meeting. Also mentioned in the New Testament, Paul in his letter to the Hebrews, “Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tent, was prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the presence; it is called a Holy Place. (Hebrews 9:1-2) Today, the Church places a red candle at the front near the tabernacle to indicate the presence of consecrated Eucharist. This light reminds us to show a reverence to the body, blood, and divinity of Jesus present in the tabernacle.
The Church has a rich tradition of incorporating candles into services. The Pascal Candle, a symbol of the Pascal Mystery (his passion, death and resurrection), is lit from a fire outside the church at the Easter Vigil. The single flame from this candle is then passed to attendees throughout a darkened church with the light increasing until everyone has a lit candle. As the flame is passed, a symbol of receiving the Light of Christ calls us to live and walk the path of God’s children and keep the flame of faith burning alive in his heart.
Candles are used to honor the Lord and the saints. Use of candles for prayer offerings represent a desire for an intention to remain in God’s presence as we go through our daily activities. The lights as seen by others reminds us that someone has been there and had a special intention. This is similar to leaving flowers and other items to honor the memory of people no longer with us.
It is thought that beeswax candles are the best. Beeswax has been used throughout history especially by royalty and nobility. They are thought to have a pleasant aroma and provided a beautiful light. These days, beeswax candles are less costly and more in reach for the consumer. Beeswax is one of the cleanest, brightest and longest burning candles. They are thought to provide some measure of air purification as well.