Sunday morning Prayer

For thousands of years,
Candles have been central to worship.

Maybe we light candles for warmth,
A reminder of God's unconditional love.

Maybe we light candles for the flicker flame,
A reminder of the ways our lives dance
Through moments when we feel bright and strong
As well as times we fade and feel like we might extinguish.

Maybe we light candles out of ritual or routine.

Whatever reason, today thousands of candles will be lit.

Some flames brought forward by children.
Some flames suddenly appearing.
Some flames lit unceremoniously by someone seconds before the announcements.

We light because in the beginning God lit the world with a spirit of love.
God separated light from darkness.
In a world where a flip of a switch can send darkness scattering at any hour,
We need an hour of focusing on a flame.
To draw near.
To watch it silently dance before our eyes.
To maybe smell the sweet scent it can give out.
To feel its warmth.
To listen in the still small silence as wax slowly slides down the side.

A simple candle one could say.
But a tangible, tactile way we sense more than a trace of God's grace, I say.

Amen.