When a candle is lit, it provides light for us to see what is around us, or to light a path. Candles are used for many occasions—from birthday cakes to dinner tables, or as a means to give light when the electricity goes out!
As Christians, we light candles as a reminder of Jesus’ presence. This meaningful tradition has been passed on since the early Church. During the third century, Christians used candles and oil lamps to light their way through the catacombs in Rome, the underground places where they could practice their faith. Candles have remained an integral part of our faith, representing Christ as Light of the World. In John 8:12; we read his words;
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Accordingly, the Church has always used candles in liturgies, especially at every Mass, but also for specific celebrations such as the Paschal Candle for baptisms, the Easter Season, and funerals, as well as the Advent wreath in preparation for Christmas.
There are many places where we can light a candle; however, I would like to point out two particular places.
In the church
When you walk into a Catholic church, you will find a candle burning by the Tabernacle as a sign of the Eucharistic presence of Jesus.
Candles are also usually found in a designated area for visitors to light one while praying for a special intention or offering thanks, then leaving the candle to burn for a few days. This is an act of faith, representing entrusting our prayer to God; it can bring us consolation.
In the home
Lighting a candle is a long-held practice in many cultural, family, and faith traditions. A lit candle at home reminds us of God’s presence as well as the intercession and closeness of our Blessed Mother and all the saints. As the candle burns, we can recall Christ’s promises, and it becomes an invitation to grow in our prayer life. I remember my grandmother lighting a candle as she prayed before an image of Jesus and Mary. For her, it was a sign of her faith in God and her prayers being offered to him.
Lighting a candle as a form of prayer can bring serenity and comfort, because we feel an assurance that God has heard our prayer, and that he will answer it according to his will. That’s why we say so often, “Jesus I trust in you.”
Consider having a candle in your home or office to remind you to follow Jesus, the Light of the World! Gift a battery-operated candle with an image of our Jesus or Mary to someone homebound, to a hospice patient, to a child experiencing nightmares, or to any person who may need to be reminded that they are thought of in prayer.
Finding hope through Mary
Mary is the bearer of divine light. Through her intercession, she can lead us from darkness to light. There is an eighteenth-century image of her holding a lamp with the title, "Mother of the True Light." Saint Sophrionius, a seventh century monk and patriarch of Jerusalem wrote: “The Mother of God, the most pure Virgin, carried the true light in her arms and brought him to those who lay in darkness. We too should carry a light for all to see and reflect the radiance of the true light as we hasten to meet him.”
In places where Mary has appeared, especially at Fatima and Lourdes, the faithful from throughout the world gather in evening procession with lit candles in hand, praying the Rosary. What an incredible image to see, especially to experience! One can imagine the healing gaze of Mary upon her children, united in prayer.
A story of Mary’s intercession and healing gaze
My father suffered from severe neuropathy, which is an incurable disease or dysfunction of one or more peripheral nerves, typically causing numbness, pain, and weakness. The neuropathy was in his legs and feet; the pain increased during the night, preventing him from a good night’s sleep.
During a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, the site of Mary’s 1858 apparition to a young girl, Bernadette; my parents returned home with a deeper faith and love for Mary. Shortly after, my father noticed he no longer had pain or numbness in his legs and feet. He was healed completely from neuropathy and never suffered from it again. He praised God for his healing, and his love for Mother Mary remained steadfast. This story points to the incredible love of our Heavenly Mother for us.
We all need some healing—but the greatest healing is the one to reinvigorate our faith and to ask for the graces needed to live with hope each day.
St. Sophrionius wrote:
“The true light has come, the light that enlightens every man who is born into this world. Let all of us, be enlightened and made radiant by this Light.”
Originally written by Pilgrim Center of Hope for Today's Catholic newspaper.
Mary Jane Fox, D.C.H.S. is Co-Founder & Co-Director of Pilgrim Center of Hope with her husband, Deacon Tom Fox. The two left their careers after a profound conversion experience and began working full-time in ministry at their parish in 1986. After several years and having impacted tens of thousands of families, the Foxes founded Pilgrim Center of Hope in 1993 as a response to the Church’s call for a New Evangelization. Mary Jane is an invested member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a Dame of the Holy Sepulchre.
Pilgrim Center of Hope provides events, experiences, and media; initiating a desire in people to encounter Jesus Christ in their daily journey of life. See what’s happening & let us journey with you! Visit PilgrimCenterOfHope.org.
