QUESTION ON THE BIBLICAL FOUNDATION OF CANDLES I by Rev. Fr. Abe Arganiosa, CRS

The Pope holding a Candle... Proclaiming to the whole world that Christ is the Light of the World.

Anonymous said...

Father Abe,

Good pm po,itatanong ko lang po kung ano ang ibig sabihin at kung ano ang sinisimbulo ng kandila,ng tubig,ng tinapay,ng alak at ng bibliya sa misa?Meron po bang isang larawan lamang o icon na tumutukoy sa lahat ng ito,kung meron po,saan ko ito pwedeng makita?THANK YOU PO AND MORE POWER?

September 4, 2010 11:00 PM

FR. ABE'S RESPONSE:

Let me explain them one by one:

I. THE BLESSED CANDLE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD

Job 29:3 "When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness"

In this passage Job is reminiscing the days when he was filled with God's blessings and grace. He uses the symbol of the candle to manifest the grace of God in his life. So, in our Catholic Mass the Candle also symbolizes the same Grace of God given to us through our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

Psalm 18:28 "For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness."

Here David is expressing his Hope and Trust in the eternal love and mercy of God. That despite his sinfulness there will be salvation, sanctification from God who is our light in the Darkness. The presence of Candles in the Mass also expresses our Christian Hope and Trust in the Lord Jesus our Savior. Despite the presence of sin in our life we believe that God will enlighten our life. As St. Paul proclaims: "Where sin abounds the grace of God abounds all the more." [cf. Romans 5:20]

The absence of Candle symbolizes a life outside the grace of God and living in darkness according to Biblical perspective:

Job 21:17 "How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger."

Proverbs 24:20 "For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out."

Jeremiah 25:10 "Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle."

That is the reason why we keep Candles in our Altars and Sanctuaries and Tabernacles because it reminds us to remain faithful to God and continuesly exert to live a life of righteousness under His grace through the Holy Spirit.

We also exert effort to keep a burning candle or oil lamp in our Tabernacles to remind us that Jesus is the light of the World [cf. John 1:4-5] and that God is the light of our life [cf. 1 John 1:5]. Absence of light in the Tabernacle is Biblically a sign of being out of God's blessings:

Job 18:6 "The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him."

This is contrary to the Divine Command that there must be an Oil Lamp perpetually shining in the Holy of Holies of the Temple:

Exodus 27:20 "And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn ALWAYS." [King James Version]

So, that practive of having a lamp in our Tabernacles is very Biblical.

In special Masses we also put THE SEVEN CANDELABRA:

Exodus 25:37 "Make seven lamps for the lampstand and set them up so that they shine toward the front."

Every Mass of the Pope, for instance, we put the Seven Lampstands or the Seven Candlesticks.

Jesus also demands to his followers to give light to others like a candle shining in the house and giving light to every body:

Matthew 5:15 "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house."

The Church is the House of God [cf. 1 Timothy 3:15]. Thus, we put light into it by imitating Christ who is the Light of the Church. The candles in the Church and on our altars reminds us of the admonition of the Lord to be a light to others. Like a city shining on a Hill:

Matthew 5:14 "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."

That City set on a Hill is the Church, the Communnity of Believers, they are shining forth with the Splendor of God. And indeed, the Catholic Church lighted the world in Sciences with her numerous scientists, in Education, in Arts [Michelangelo, Raphaelo, Leonardo], in Music [Mozart, Beethoven, Vivaldi] and in other fields such as Architecture and almost every field of human development.

September 5, 2010 8:54 PM