Pentecost 2019

Pentecost 2019:

Today is the joyful celebration of Pentecost.  We not only remember that first outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  But, we also implore the Lord to send a fresh outpouring of his Holy Spirit.  May the same Spirit that empowered the Apostles empower us to live out own baptismal vocation to holiness.  When the Apostles received the gift of the Holy Spirit, they went out into the world and proclaimed the gospel to everyone they could find. My hope and dream is that each one of us will receive the same power of the Holy Spirit and that we too will go out to proclaim this Good News to all the world.  

Today, I want to talk a little bit about this candle. This is the Easter candle.  It is sometimes called the Paschal candle.  It’s a beautiful piece of craftsmanship.  It’s 51% beeswax.  When it was brand new you could smell the honey in the wax.  This candle began the solemn Easter Vigil.  It’s the very first part of the celebration of Easter. The Easter fire was lit and blessed. The fire became an image of Christ, who is the light of the world.  That fire was transferred to this candle and it has burned brightly now these last 50 days. Well, at least symbolically, we do blow it out after mass…  But, today is Pentecost, and the candle will be extinguished and placed by the baptismal font at the end of the last Mass today.  So, this candle is like a living symbol for the entire paschal mystery.  Thing about everything that we have celebrated including today: The Lord’s death and resurrection, his glorious ascension, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Just as the Holy Spirit came down in tongues of fire, it continues to be symbolized by a tongue of fire right here in this candle.  So, this candle is a symbol for Christ the Light of the World, a symbol for Easter, a symbol for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

But, this isn’t the last time we will use this candle. There are two other events where we use the Easter candle.  The first is at baptism.  After a person is baptized, he/she is given a candle which is lit from this candle. The prayer that goes with it says: receive the light of Christ.  You have been enlightened by Christ, walk always as children of the light and keep the flame of faith alive in your hearts.  The giving of the candle is symbolic for the gift of the Holy Spirit that is poured out upon us at baptism.  There is a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit with the Sacrament of Confirmation as well. But, the first gift of the Spirit we receive takes place at our baptism.  Each of us has received our own tongue of fire.

The second event where this candle is used is at funeral masses. Isn’t that interesting?  When we are born in Christ, the candle is given to us. When we return to Christ, the candle shines forth one last time.  It’s particularly powerful to see the light of Christ burning brightly in the midst of the sadness the comes with loss and mourning.  Death may have affected us, but the darkness does not get to win. Rather, the light of Christ shines even in the midst of suffering and sadness.  So, this candle burns during our entire life of faith.

This candle symbolizes the light of Christ and the fire of the Holy Spirit.  But, even though it stops shining at every mass.  The light of this candle lives on in each one of us.  The light of this candle was entrusted to each one of us at the day of our baptism.  It is our job to keep this light burning brightly in our lives, in our hearts, until our very last moment on earth.  So, while this candle will be extinguished today, it should shine brightly in each one of us.  Let’s pray together, then, for the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Through his power may we keep the flame of faith alive in our hearts.