Thursday's (late) entry

At a retreat on Wednesday, a priest told us, “You're worried that the faith is dying. You worry that some churches are poorly attended, parishes are dying. Let me show you something.”

He turned the lights in the sanctuary down, and had us all light candles.

“Hold them up,” He said, and we did.

“It looks beautiful in here with candles, doesn't it? Now those of you over ninety, blow out your candles.”

A woman in front of me on the left blew out her candle. But the light was undimmed.

“Now over eighty years of age.... Now seventy.” The sanctuary remained bright.

“Sixty” - the light began to dim a little.

Fifty, forty-eight, forty, thirty-five, thirty, twenty-five, twenty... the light was mostly gone.

“Let everyone with a lit candle come forward to the altar.”

Ten kids came up to the front.

“How many of you are there? Ten... there were eleven apostles, scattered.... twelve later. But this will suffice. Go light those candles.”

In seconds, the church was alight again, blindingly bright in candles.

There is a candle in every soul

Some brightly burning,

Some dark and cold

There is a spirit who brings the fire

Ignites his candle and makes his home

Frustrated brother,

see how he's tried to

Light his own candle some other way

See now our sister,

She's been robbed and lied to

Still holds a candle without a flame

Carry your candle,

Run to the darkness

Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn

Hold out your candle for all to see it

Take your candle and go light your world

from Chris Rice's “Go Light Your World”