This is not new to me. When I was a child, our pastor built a new parish church and had this type of electric votive candle installed. The pastor did so because, overtime, the flame lit candles left a smoke residue on the walls in the old church and the walls constantly had to be repainted. The pastor wanted to avoid this inconvenience in the new church, so the tacky electric votives were installed. There was also a coin box attached to the front of stand for donations for each candle one lit.
It's the intention and the fervour of the prayer prayed when the light is lit that counts. The light electric or natural is a symbol of our prayer to the Light of the Nations that we may be light to our world. If we'd rather something else we can still be grateful for what we have.
I would rather just fervently say my prayers and forego the "fake" light. There just seems to me to be something not quite right about "flipping a switch" as opposed to "lighting a light" or "igniting a fire". Perhaps that is because to do one requires some careful effort or even thoughtful action my part, as opposed to just doing something I always do everytime it gets dark in my house or wherever.
Rome. 
Why, there's no price, of course.
ReplyDeleteThis is not new to me. When I was a child, our pastor built a new parish church and had this type of electric votive candle installed. The pastor did so because, overtime, the flame lit candles left a smoke residue on the walls in the old church and the walls constantly had to be repainted. The pastor wanted to avoid this inconvenience in the new church, so the tacky electric votives were installed. There was also a coin box attached to the front of stand for donations for each candle one lit.
ReplyDeleteIt's creepy. And I know they aren't supposed to be candles. That would be even more creepy.
ReplyDeleteIt's the intention and the fervour of the prayer prayed when the light is lit that counts. The light electric or natural is a symbol of our prayer to the Light of the Nations that we may be light to our world. If we'd rather something else we can still be grateful for what we have.
ReplyDeleteI would rather just fervently say my prayers and forego the "fake" light.
ReplyDeleteThere just seems to me to be something not quite right about "flipping a switch" as opposed to "lighting a light" or "igniting a fire". Perhaps that is because to do one requires some careful effort or even thoughtful action my part, as opposed to just doing something I always do everytime it gets dark in my house or wherever.