Candles and Lights
Light is central to our being. Without it life itself is not possible. In the Biblical Creation story, light is the first thing created by God:
In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. (Genesis 1:1-3 NSRV)
The books of Isaiah tells of the coming of the Messiah, the one who brings light:
The People who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness -- on them light has shined. (Isaiah 9:2 NRSV)
The Gospel of John begins his narrative in this fashion:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:1-5 NRSV)
Today, we continue to use the light of candles and electric lights to symbolize this. In some traditions, candles and light are used to guide the Christ child to the home awaiting Him.
“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.”
1 John 1:5 NRSV