Candles in the Darkness

While singing in Christmas at Luther in my freshman year, I got the chance to experience a traditional part of the Christmas service from a unique perspective.

During the candle lighting song, each choir that is not on stage, since all of the singers don’t fit even on the large stage at the CFL, is assigned a part of the audience in which to stand. Norsemen, the freshman men’s choir, was to stand on the balcony. I ended up at the last row of the very far left corner of the balcony.

Before the song began, all of the lights were turned off and a single candle was lit on the bottom level. This flame was passed along the front during the song, then back along the rows. The balcony had small lighters to light their candles in sync with the row below.

As we began to sing This Christmastide, the room was dark, with just a few pinpricks of light from the stand lights of the orchestra. But as each candle was lit, the room grew brighter and brighter. And I had the privilege to watch it unfold over five minutes from the farmost corner, seeing that wave of light fill the darkness.

Sometimes we look at our own lights and see only a dim and flickering candle. Compared to the overwhelming darkness, it seems insignificant. That single small flame can barely light the path before our feet. We can’t help but think: this light is barely enough for me. How can I possibly give it away to others?

But when the flame is passed to another candle, it doesn’t leave the original candle behind, but continues burning on both. A single flame can spread from one candle to many others, while the original remains lit. Both candles gain from the fire being shared.

A single candle is a dim glow, but combined they are much more. So it is with our lives. We are afraid to share the good, lest we lose it. But goodness, kindness, and all of the blessings of this life are not lost but multiplied by being shared.

And if we each share just a little of our light, we can light up the world.