The Lives of the Saints Volume 1 - St. Patrick's Basilica

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singing in the ways of the Lord, because great is his glory." He shows
that the concurrence of many in the procession and prayer is a symbol
of our union and charity, and renders our praises {340} the more
honorable and acceptable to God. We _walk_ while we sing to God, to
denote that to stand still in the paths of virtue is to go back. The
lights we bear in our hands represent the divine fire of love with
which our hearts ought to be inflamed, and which we are to offer to
God without any mixture of strange fire, the fire of concupiscence,
envy, ambition, or the love of creatures. We also hold these lights in
our hands to honor Christ, and to acknowledge him as the _true
light_,[5] whom they represent under this character, and who is called
by holy Simeon in this mystery, _a light for the enlightening of the
Gentiles;_[6] for he came to dispel our spiritual darkness. The
candles likewise express that by faith his light shines in our souls:
as also that we are to _prepare his way_ by good works, by which we
are to be _a light to_ men.[7]
Lights are used by the church during the celebration of the divine
mysteries, while the gospel is read, and the sacraments administered,
on a motive of honor and respect. On the same account lamps burned
before the Lord in the tabernacle[8] and temple. Great personages were
anciently received and welcomed with lights, as was king Antiochus by
Jason and others on his entering Jerusalem.[9] Lights are likewise
expressive of joy, and were anciently used on this account in
receiving Roman emperors, and on other public occasions, as at
present. "Throughout all the churches of the East," says St. Jerom,
"when the gospel is to be read, though the sun shines, torches are
used, not to chase away darkness, but for a sign of joy."[10] The
apostolic canons mention incense, and oil for the lamps, then used in
the churches.[11] Many out of devotion burned lamps before the bodies
of saints, as we read in Prudentius,[12] St. Paulinus,[13] &c. The
corporeal creatures, which we use, are the gifts of God: it is
therefore just that we should honor and glorify him by them. Besides,
in our embodied state, they contribute to excite our souls to
devotion; they are to our eyes, what words are to our ears, and by our
organs move the affections of our hearts.[14] Though piety consists in
the fervor of the soul, and is interior and spiritual, yet many
sensible things concur to its aid and improvement; and we may as well
condemn the use of words, which are corporeal, and affect the soul by
the sense of hearing, as the use of suitable approved ceremonies.
Christ made use of sensible signs in the institution of his most
divine sacraments, and in several miraculous cures, &c. The church
always used external rites and ceremonies in the divine worship. These
contribute to the majesty and dignity of religion, which in our
present condition would appear naked, if destitute of all exterior.
The candles are blessed previously to the use of them, because the