Paschal Candles and the Light of Christ
“After the Baptism, a candle (which is lighted from the Paschal Candle) may be given to each of the newly baptized or to a godparent.” —Book of Common Prayer.
Paschal Candle
As a smaller candle is lit from the large white Paschal Candle after a child is baptized, I am often privileged to hand it to the parent or godparent receiving it and say, “The light of Christ.” Indeed, the Paschal Candle is frequently referred to as the Christ Candle or the Easter Candle.
Parents are given this smaller baptismal candle to take home and encouraged to light it on their child’s baptism anniversary as a yearly remembrance. It beautifully symbolizes the light of Christ in our hearts and minds.
We may think the light of Christ inside us is small, but we are called, mandated to share that light, and one of the ways to pass on our light is to encourage one another. As Paul modeled in writing so many letters to others, we are also called to connect with others who carry that light. That is why we have spiritual friends or sometimes a spiritual director.
When our light seems to dim, the others in our life who live in the light will lead us to the Paschal Candle, where we will once again find our light, often even brighter. We light the Paschal Candle during the Easter season, at Baptisms, and funerals—all times when we want and need to be reminded of the light of Christ in our hearts, in others, and in the world.
Each time I meet with spiritual friends, I light a candle as they enter. This reminds me of how we share Christ’s light with each other. My experience is that I learn more from listening and talking with people than from what I can impart to them. We gather to see and encourage the light of Christ in one another. We meet solely to care for each other’s souls.
Joanna joannaseibert.com