Br. Louis Bethea, O.P., on the Paschal Candle and the Light of Christ

"The coronavirus pandemic has led many of us to seek understanding and spiritual nourishment in the absence of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Despite the slow rescinding of the moratoria around the country, many continue to seek consolation from the Lord in intimate prayer, as we Dominicans do each day as a part of our observance. In trying to understand God's hand in the sadness and complexity of the pandemic, I too sought to meet the Lord in my heart through prayer. I went to the chapel and just before arriving at my choir stall, amid the emptiness of the space around me, I walked past a familiar sight: the Paschal candle. As I sat down in my stall, recognizing that it has been there for a long time now, I looked up at this beautiful symbol of the risen Christ with a curious wrinkle in my eyebrow and thought, 'What are you still doing here?'

"More than 40 days after Easter the Paschal candle remains in the center of our chapel. What does holy Mother Church mean to teach us through this wax column’s continued presence? . . . "

In a recent commentary, Brother Louis Bethea, O.P., reflected on the Paschal candle as a reminder of the light of Christ and His continued calling to each of us..

To access Br. Linus' complete reflection, please visit:

Dominicana: O Light of Christ (27 MAY 20)