joy of nine9

“Faith is passed by contact, from one person to another, just as a candle is lighted from another.”

This quote and image illustrate the Holy Saturday Vigil. The church is dark. A bonfire, made from last years blessed palms, blazes outside. A priest lights the Pascal candle from this fire.

He chants three times- once at the back of the church, once in the middle and again in front of the altar

“Christ is the light of the world.”

Then the celebrant invites the faithful to reach up and light their own tiny taper from this Pascal candle.

The scene is powerful, as a slow but steady tidal wave of light sweeps through the congregation as each person lights their own candle, one from another. Soon the whole sanctuary is ablaze with a warm light, reflected on each face.

This scene is a metaphor for how we pass on the faith to those around us.

Pope Francis is a hands-on-pastor who rubs shoulders with his sheep, especially the poor and the marginalized because he understands dogma, sermons and encyclicals are necessary, but our faith is a living faith. Christianity is all about communion with God,  an intimate relationship of being loved and loving in return, then passing Divine love to others in person, heart to heart, soul to soul, spirit to spirit.

The Holy Spirit is caught from others, not taught. Teaching can only prepare a heart to receive the  living light of God.

Toby, at The Overlord Bear’s Den is a devout Catholic whose stories and doodles are creative and uplifting. He has tagged me for the Three-Day Quote Challenge. Thank you, Toby, for your constant

support.

The rules of this challenge:

1. Nominate 3 other bloggers to participate per post.
2. Post one quotation a day for three days (they can be from other sources or one of your own).
3. Thank the blogger who nominated you.

tagging Jennifer at Veils and Vocations

Grace at Praying With Grace

and Prayerfully Yours