We continue this Year of Prayer by preparing ourselves to celebrate in fullness the ordinary jubilee in 2025. This year gives us time not only to pray unceasingly but also to learn more about our forms of prayer in order to make them more fruitful.
One distinctive form of prayer in the Catholic Church is lighting a votive candle before an altar — either before the Blessed Sacrament directly or before an image of our Blessed Mother or a saint to implore their intercession.
It is necessary to do it not as a superstitious practice, but as what it really is: an expression of a prayer that endures as long as the flame of the candle burns and its wax is consumed, prolonging our prayer when we can no longer remain before an altar.
Each candle is a reflection of the light that came from Bethlehem to the darkness of our world.
As the light of the candle illuminates the darkness, let us ask God that our existence be illuminated through the life of Jesus, who is Good News for our lives.
The candle reminds us of baptism, the beginning of our journey with Christ and our call to eternal life.
Candles can’t pray, but they make our prayer reverberate. The experience of lighting a candle and staying for a long time contemplating its flame is fascinating to me, a sublime experience that moved me to make a prayer out of it:
Lord, I’m lighting this candle.
Perhaps I don’t know what exactly I should pray.
This candle is a bit of what I have,
and a little bit of what I am.
I ask you, through this flame, to enlighten me
in my difficulties and in my discernment.
I ask you that through this flame, you heal my affliction
and something good and new may arise from them.
I ask you to warm my heart with this flame
and to teach me how to love.
In front of me, this candle burns.
Its flickering flame sometimes trembles, sometimes grows, sometimes becomes small.
Just as my life sometimes trembles, sometimes grows and sometimes becomes small.
I ask you that I always find peace of mind in you.
Just as this candle offers me light and warmth,
I ask you to transform me too into a light for the world.
The candle melts and is consumed serving me, making my prayer last.
I ask you that I also learn to consume myself,
spending my life serving others,
melting with love as an offering to you.
Others will come and, from the flame of my candle, will light their own.
I ask you that, from my life, others can light
the flame of their faith, the flame of their hope, the flame of their love.
I can’t stay in this church praying any longer
— life outside is calling for my presence.
With this candle, a piece of myself will remain here,
that I want to offer up to you
Listen to my prayer while my candle burns.
Amen.
Be passionate about our faith!
This article appeared in the October/November issue of Northwest Catholic magazine. Read the rest of the issue here.