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Cici
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| Posted: Nov 08 2006 at 7:30pm | IP Logged
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I'm not sure if this should go here or in the Montessori forum.
We enrolled 4.5 year old dd in a neighboring parish's Atrium. Today she came home and told me that "you light a candle when you pray so that Jesus can see. When you're done praying, you snuff it out - instead of blowing."
Mind you, this doesn't mean that she learned this today...or that that's what she was told...but that's what her little mind grasped at some point during the past 6 weeks.
She asked to light a candle for our nighttime prayers (which we normally say laying in bed, right after stories, before cuddles, before I leave).
I don't fully understand - or understand at all, really - why candles are lit for prayer. Much less how to respond, encourage my daughter. I'll do some research at the usual Catholic.com, and EWTN. com, but anybody have:
1) Atrium experience that you can translate the above for me?
2) Suggestions for incorporating this in our home?
Thanks,
Christine - who is forever asking these simple questions, and so relieved that you all still have the patience for them...
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Christine - mom to 
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kjohnson
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| Posted: Nov 08 2006 at 10:03pm | IP Logged
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I'm not familiar with the Atrium experience that you have described, so I can't help you there. But the pious act of lighting candles in prayer serves as a symbol of a fervent soul in prayer. Our heart burns like a flame before God when we are in conversation with Him. And with the smoke of a candle or that of incense, Psalm 141 comes to mind,
"Let my prayer rise as incense before thee, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice."
Our family keeps a perpetual flame lit on our mantel by an Icon and relic. It is a constant reminder to our family of God's constant presence among us. "I am the Light of the world." And the constantly burning candle, which is slowly consummed, is a symbol of the sacrifice required in the life of faith.
HTH
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In Christ,
Katherine
Wife to Doug and Mother of 6
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Erin
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| Posted: Nov 09 2006 at 1:29am | IP Logged
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Katherine
Do you know I am a cradle Catholic and I never knew all that nor even worse have I wondered why  thank you for such a beautiful explanation, and thank you Christine for asking.
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Erin
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hylabrook1
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| Posted: Nov 09 2006 at 6:40am | IP Logged
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Katherine -
In Atrium, a candle is lit whenever there is a prayer time; for the 3-6 (which I think is what your daughter is in) that includes group singing, which is a big part of the prayer experience for the youngest children. A candle is also lit whenever Scripture is read, whether directly from the Bible or from the Scripture booklets that accompany any of the parable works or infancy narratives (The Annunciation, Visitation, Birth of Jesus and Visitation of the Shepherds, Epiphany) or any other Bible-based work. As the candle is lit, everyone says "Christ has died, Christ is risen". The older groups (6-9, 9-12), whose program includes discussion of the Parousia, also add "Christ will come again." The frequent use of candles is to convey and remind us that Jesus is the Light of the World.
There is a lot in Atrium that emphasizes Jesus as the Light of the World. He comes among us, dies on the cross, and rises from the dead. Jesus' death is never mentioned without including His Resurrection. For a brief time after His death, it appeared that the Light had gone out, but then He rose, and the Light shines brighter than ever, never to go out again. This is the image the Church uses in the Easter Vigil, with the kindling of the new fire, and the lighting of the Pascal candle.
The candles in Atrium are never blown out, but are put out using an extinguisher. There may be some significance to that, but I always thought it was to spare the risk to people and property of hot wax blowing and hitting someone. Candles are never lit without an adult right there and are not moved until the wax has re-solidified; safety, again.
I hope that answers your question; if you want to know more, I'll gladly try to help.
Peace,
Nancy
Peace,
N
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hylabrook1
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| Posted: Nov 09 2006 at 6:41am | IP Logged
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Christine -
Please forgive me for addressing the precious post to "Katherine". It was meant to respond to your post!
Nancy
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hylabrook1
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| Posted: Nov 09 2006 at 6:44am | IP Logged
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Oh my goodness! I think I need to go back to bed and start over! None of my posts is "precious"; what I meant was "previous"
Nancy
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Cici
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| Posted: Nov 09 2006 at 2:10pm | IP Logged
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Nancy, thank you! No forgiveness necessary - and the post was precious. Thanks again.
I understand the light of the world, etc. - and most certainly agree that they probably use a snuffer to avoid the inevitable 3-6 year old "blow"ing of the candles! When I visited the Atrium last year, before enrolling, we happened to catch the presentation when the light of the world went out - briefly - it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen and was what absolutely convinced me to pursue this.
So, you think she just misunderstood when she says "we light a candle so Jesus sees us pray?" I am thinking of setting up a prayer table in our house (probably should have done it long ago ), and I can easily set up a candle. But I don't want her to start thinking that Jesus only sees/hears us when we pray if there is a candle nearby  .
I guess I just want to make sure that this isn't really taught?? Of course, I'll talk to the teachers next week...but I'm just trying to deal with the questions in the meantime.
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Christine - mom to
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hylabrook1
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| Posted: Nov 09 2006 at 2:59pm | IP Logged
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Cici -
I'm pretty sure that that is not really taught. My take is that is some combination of what was actually said and an imaginative 4.5 yo trying to remember why candle lighting is important; why "turn on a light" if not to see and be seen? 
Peace,
Nancy
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Topic: Lighting candles for prayer...
