A Candle Burns Bright

 At the worship service Sunday at St. Alban’s Church, Souris, the altar candles were on their last legs, so to speak.  They had burned down almost to the base and were lit with the hope that they could give service for one more worship service.  I kept an eye on them and kept my liturgical fingers crossed.  It also crossed my mind that there might be a tradition – we are Anglicans after all, and tradition is important to us -   that it might be bad luck for a candle to burn itself out during a worship service.  A candle going out can represent something coming to an end. 

As the worship service drew to an end, it looked as if I might have a chance to see if that possibility was confirmed.  However, just when I thought the light was going to be overcome, the flame shone forth in a blaze of glory, and all was well.  Both altar candles were snuffed out once the service concluded.  Now, I don’t think that this qualifies as a miracle – even a minor one.  However, it certainly gave a lift to all of us and gave a wonderful conclusion to the worship service.

Of course, candles are an important symbol in Anglican worship.  We have candles on the altar which are lit for worship.  The candle of the Gospel side – the side with the pulpit – should not stand alone, as I was taught in school.  It is lit after the candle on the epistle side and extinguished before the epistle candle (sorry for the minutiae of Anglican liturgy).  We also have the four Advent candles which are lit during the four Sundays of Advent.  There is also the Christ Candle which is lit at appropriate times during the church year and for particular events such as baptisms and funerals.

Beyond these practices, candles have universal symbolic meaning or meaning.  One source entitled, Candles – Brief History of Symbolism, notes in the introduction:

Candles have always had a distinctive place in our society, and as such they represent an incredible link that taps into our past. In a quite unique way, candles radiate messages of romance, passion, security, warmth, hope, spirituality, mystery, to name just a few. Candles indeed are a burning example that the whole is more than sum of its parts – be they just a little wax and wick as they are. Deeply rooted in almost every religious and spiritual practice, creed and nationality, there is something peculiar and symbolic in a solitary flame and the aura of light surrounding it. It communicates with our souls. It speaks beyond words. It is the Unspeakable that dwells in the midst of the candle flame. It enlightens, enlivens, inspires, whispers secrets, comforts and ultimately connects. No matter how thick the darkness, the light of one candle conquers it. No matter how solitary one flame is, it is never alone or lonely for its light knows no boundaries and touches eternity.

As another source said, “it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.”  So may you be blessed always have a candle to light your way on your journey.