Votive
and Memorial Candles... In our Catholic tradition, in early times
as well as today, light is symbolic of Jesus Christ, who said: "I
am the light of the world." By lighting a candle before a saint or
sacred image of our Lord, we do not honor the statue or the image itself, but
the personage represented by the statue or image. The light signifies
our prayer, our need, our petition or intention, offered in faith, continually
coming into the presence and light of God. With the light of faith, we
petition our Lord in prayer, or one of the saints or Mary, to pray with us and
for us to the Lord. The light also manifests our desire to remain present
and committed to the Lord in prayer even though we may depart and go about our
daily business. The candle is a "sacramental" because it helps
us to pray and to remain prayerful as our candle is "faithful" in
its light offering. The burning candle, symbolic of our prayer, helps
us to trust in the never failing intercession of Mary, the saints or Christ
himself on our behalf.
