As darkness falls and the fire crackles and flares and smokes, we light the vigil candle.
It’s an old technology, candles. But it’s a beautiful one. Humans have always gathered around fire. Candles tame the fierce flame in the most creative way.
The beeswax is gifted from bees then carefully molded around a braid of cotton or paper wick. The wick made not to burn too slowly or too quickly, too hot or too cold. Just enough to melt and pull the wax up as the wick itself burns ever downward. The flame radiates light and heat in every direction.
This last year, I’ve taken to making candles with the Stonehill campus community. They are simple soy candles for our Grotto. It began last summer as a few of us experimented with wax and wicks in yogurt jars.
Since then candle making has become a monthly practice. We gather staff, faculty, family, alumni, and students–all cleaning jars, pouring wax, setting wicks and sharing stories as the wax cools and hardens. We bless the simple candles before bringing them to our beautiful Grotto for anyone to light.
Each little candle lit is a paschal prayer. The wick’s downward thrust is the plunging into death, the dying with Christ. The inseparable upward draw of puddled wax is the rising with Christ. The light and heat shines freely as the candle is consumed and the smoke rises to praise God.
This paschal prayer happens through work and community and creation’s play. All fused together for that crackling fire that flares and smokes. Ultimately, we light these candles for one reason: to process toward eternity together with our love and prayers and deepest intentions which are inseparable from life in Christ.
Fr. Aaron Morris, C.S.C.
Published May 12, 2026 by the Office of Vocations
Photo provided by Fr. Aaron Morris, C.S.C.
