Ascension and the Easter Candle

I am very far behind in my revision (and almost in panic and desperation, alas an acute attack of medicus scholariasis, please pray for me!), but I feel that I must share these thoughts with you, because they are too beautiful to keep to myself until next year. My priest pointed this out to me in passing comment after Mass, and it gave me much thought to mediate on during my walk home.

Being my first year in Dublin, this most unworthy soul has been given the great blessing and privilege to be hear Mass in the extraordinary form on a daily basis. Thus, this year, I have had the great grace to experience much of the liturgy through the lens of the extraordinary form, and so I assisted at my first EF Mass for the Ascension.

During this Mass, following the end of the Mass of the Catechumens (Liturgy of the Word), before the Creed is sun, the Paschal candle is extinguished. In silence following the homily, the server takes the extinguisher (I don't know what you call it :/) and solemnly put it over the candle's flame, and when he removes it, all that is left is a trail of smoke ascending heavenward. After Mass, the candle is removed from the Sanctuary. The entire procedure is simple and plain, yet extremely poignant.

Throughout the entire of Easter, from the Vigil to until Ascension, the Paschal candle is light during Mass and remains on the gospel side of the sanctuary. The light is Christ Himself, having risen from the dead, he remains with us, in plain sight, as He did with His apostles for forty days. During that time, there was much rejoicing! One of the responsaries of the minor hours of the Office through Eastertide is , 'Gavisis sunt discipuli. Alleluia. Viso Domino. Alleluia', from John 20:20, The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord. How happy we were when He rose, but then on Ascension, He leaves us again. When the candle is put out, the physical lost of the Light of the World is felt, and we feel as the apostles, lost, and scared, and we in this manner until pentecost, when He sends the Paraclete to us.

It was only after He had sent them His spirit that the apostles understood their mission and begun to preach the Word. Then they celebrated Mass, and conferred Christ down unto the altar. He promised that He would not leave us orphans, and He hasn't.

It makes you wonder the words of the Gospel of the 3rd Sunday of Easter, wherein He teased His disciples.

'A little while, and now you shall not see me: and again a little while, and you shall see me' - John 16:16.

(yes, yes, I know this relates more to resurrection.)