Liturgy Q&A

No, it isn’t! This is not what Scripture is about. The passage must be taken in the context of what was going on in the world at the time. The pagans, when they would pray to their gods, would say a prayer to one god, and if nothing happened, they would say the same prayer to another god... and this would continue, going through all the gods of the pagan world. So, when Scripture says that we are not to use repetitive prayers like the pagans, it is saying to have faith in only the One True God. Jesus even tells a parable about being persistent in continual prayer. “I tell you: even though he will not get up and give it to him because of their friendship, he will get up and give him whatever he needs because of his persistence” (Luke 11:5–8).

No, but it gives attention and respect to what the book of Gospels truly is. The first time that candles are described in writing at Mass comes from the late 500s (6th century) in a writing by Pope St. Gregory the Great. Their usage was mandated in all Masses celebrated by the Pope or someone he designated. They were carried near the book of Gospels as a sign of veneration and festive celebration, AND to remind people that Christ is present in the Gospel and the Priest, and therefore they become an image of the light of the world (John 8:12). For us, we see the candles being carried with the Priest and the Gospel to remind us that we follow Christ with the gaze of our hearts fixed on him.