Prayer Candles

Lighting a candle is an action symbolic of hope and prayer. Many people shared with me how they lit a candle and prayed for our son Aaron and our family. In our moments of suffering we too have lit candles and prayed. A mother whose son is missing after three years, told us how she visited a church in Ecuador and was given a candle to light in prayer. The mother was unknown in this community and the candle lighting is a local tradition. Hundreds of candles were already lit by other people as they prayed for their personal suffering, friend, family member, and unknown other sorrows or gratitude. Not one of the other candles, as far as she knew, were lit for her or her son.

Without ever seeing this church in life, I had a clear vision of the scene from the description I heard. I asked this mom “were all the candles the same size when handed to the visitors?” Yes, was the answer and we know all of the candles burned with the same intensity. The candles were lit for personal sorrow and gratitude. They tell us that all personal sorrow and gratitude is the same. My sorrow is no greater than the sorrow of the little girl who prays to keep Mommy and Daddy together. The Grandmother who prays for the soul of her dear departed husband suffers no less than I grieve over the loss of my teenage son. The aunt and uncle who light a candle with their children in prayer for a cousin, have the pain of explaining the unexplainable. A young boy and girl who pray for their friend who passed, struggle mightily for clarity and meaning of life, so do I.

The candle lit in thanks for prayers answered burns with gratitude the same as another’s candle lit in grateful acceptance of the cross they are to bear.

Society gives me a pass and room to grieve. Not so much for the friends or relatives. Look at the prayer candles and know that sorrow and gratitude have no size. All sorrow and thanks burns with intensity. We can identify the beginning of grief, and gratitude not there ending; there is no end. Like a burning candle… grief and gratitude change.

Peace and Good Will

Tom