Christmas Candle Talk 2025
SCHLEIERMACHER
Two hundred years ago, a great scholar named Friedrich Schleiermacher wrote a book about Christmas Eve. In the book a group of friends discuss the meaning of Christmas. Some of them were skeptics who worried that Christmas was getting too religious. Others said that for her Christmas is simply about the beauty of the traditions, decorations, and music.
The last person to speak is probably the author himself. He invited his friends to put aside their doubts. He urged them to receive the gift of Christmas as a child does, in simple faith. The gospel story, the church’s traditions, the music, food, gifts and laughter of Christmas Eve flow from the blessing of the child born in Bethlehem. Without the story of the first Christmas, there would be no candles tonight, no joyous music, no hot coffee or cedar garlands. It is the story of Bethlehem’s child that touches our hearts and renews our spirits. Yes, Christmas is for children, including the child in each of us.
Schleiermacher wrote: “To me today all men are children; and for that very reason they are only the dearer to me. The solemn wrinkles are for once smoothed away; years and cares do not stand written on the brow; the eye sparkles and lives again; and in them all is the presentiment of a beautiful and gracious existence. To my own delight I have also myself become wholly a child. As a child quenches his childish pain, and suppresses his sighs, and draws in his tears when a childish joy is communicated to him, so to me today the long, deep, imperishable pain of life is soothed as never before. I feel myself at home, and as it were new born in the better world, in which pain and sorrow have no more a meaning, nor a place.” [Friedrich Schleiermacher, Christmas Eve: A Dialogue on the celebration of Christmas 1805.]
BEAUTY
I have traveled to many places and have seen countless beautiful things, but I think one of the most beautiful things in the world is this candlelight service at Home Church. As I stand here looking out on the assembly I see each of your faces illuminated by the candle in your hand. Your faces were once in shadow and suddenly, silently, they became bright.
Every face in this room is glowing and your eyes are sparkling. Each of us in our own way is sitting beside the manger with Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds pondering the glad tidings brought by the angels. No matter how many years we have lived, we are all like children again delighting in this moment of sacred joy. And to make it even better, the gift of your light is shared with everyone. Thiis whole room is illuminated by you. Please, take a moment to look at your neighbors and see how beautiful they are in this heavenly light.
PAUSE
PROTECTING THE LIGHT
In the congregation I grew up in, it was the custom for older children to light the Advent candles each of the four Sundays. We had to walk down the center aisle of the sanctuary holding a lit candle to light the big candles in the front of the church. You can imagine how scary it was when you were eight or nine years old and entrusted with a lit candle. Though it was scary to carry a flaming candle, we children knew that this was a sign that we were growing up and could be trusted with an open flame during an important moment in worship.
I remember walking very slowly down that long church aisle while everyone stood and sang. As instructed, I cupped my hand in front of my candle to keep it from blowing out from the air as I walked. From the front you couldn’t see my candle because of my protective left hand, but I could see the flame. Everyone else could see that my face was illuminated just as yours are now.
But my first year doing this did not go as rehearsed. When I got to the front of the church and stretched to the tall Advent candle, I moved away too soon. The tiny flame on the candle winked out. Smoke rose from the wick. Every eye in the church was on the smoldering wick. I had walked all that way but had failed. Yet, all I had to do was turn around and relight the candle and be patient until the flame was strong.
PROTECTING OUR LIGHT
Why am I telling you this story from my childhood? Because I think it tells us something important about our spiritual lives. There are times when we feel the warmth and light of God’s mercy in our hearts, times when we truly feel that we can be lights in the world. But, as Elton John sang, sometimes our lives are like a candle in the wind. Sometimes, the storms of life threaten our light.
My message for tonight is this. It is okay to protect your light when the winds of the world buffet you, or when you have to run for shelter from the storm. It’s okay to cup your hand around the flame of your faith to keep it lit. It still brings light to the world by reflecting off your own face. Others will still see your face glowing with faith, love, and hope as you face challenges.
And if for any reason your spiritual candle winks out and the wick is smoldering, don’t despair. Let someone share their light and relight spiritual candle. When the darkness threatens to overwhelm you, don’t be afraid to turn around and ask someone for help. Tonight, we are bathed in light because everyone is willing to share their light. We are living examples of what the Gospel of John tells us. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.
Let us now stand and sing our closing hymn of praise to Christ, and on the final verse raise your candles high.
