The Christmas Candle

Is it the candle itself that creates the miracle or the fact that the one who's given the candle prays and has faith that God will act? For many years, the villagers have felt the candle touched by an angel was necessary for the miracle. Now they are all vying for the one candle the angel touches every 25 years. The chandler is torn about who should receive it. A stumble means no way of knowing which candle is the correct one. Yet all who received a candle report blessings and the new reverend, who was skeptical of the candle's tale, is even convinced.

Book 259 - Max Lucado - The Christmas Candle

A beautiful short Christmas tale about a little village that believes. Every 25 years an Angel visits the village and touches a candle which blesses the person that receives it from Edward and Bea Harrington - the candle makers. Someone in need…someone who has suffered or simply someone who is…

When a new Reverend arrives…he places doubt on the whole ‘candle business’. What happens when Edward and Bea lose the actual Christmas candle and have to truly rely on faith and trust in a whole new way ?

It is an awakening of faith within the village who discover so much more than almost what has become candle worship…a return to God…a return to community…a return to true family.

Is it show more cheesy ? Yes…
Is it predictable ? Oh yes…

Is it wonderful ? Indubitably

Made into a film in 2013 with the marvellous Sylvester McCoy as Edward…worth watching…

Stoke the fire…grab some hot chocolate…and let candle light the future show less

When a book carries an inspirational tale, strengthened by a reader's own beliefs and hopes that magic and miracles do exist, the moments you spend in reading the story becomes a better experience. That, in a nutshell, is what I want to say about this particular book by Max Lucado, "The Christmas Candle".

The tale begins in 1664, when a candle maker and his wife are jolted awake by a strange, bright light emitted by an angelic visitor. The visitor touches one candle - making it glow in all its glory - and soon disappears. Undoubtedly shaken by what they just saw, the couple decides to keep the visitation and the candle as a secret... but not for long. With a kind heart and obviously saddened by a young widow's plight, the candle maker's show more wife decides to give the angel-touched candle to the widow. Unbeknownst to her and her husband at that time, that kind gesture would trigger a beautiful life-changing miracle that would soon occur.

The story continues years later in that same quaint English village. A new, modern-thinking, young reverend visits the town. He couldn't seem to understand why the simple town folks have a steadfast and immovable faith for that candle miracle - hoping that they, too, would experience it and live to tell the tale.

The book is a novella; reading it won't take much of your time. On one hand, I find the tale to be somehow light and confusing. Effective and stronger characterization and more descriptive details of the plot would've been nice to see as part of its tale, to fully bring out the value of this book. On the other, I also find this tale to be a pleasurable read when I thoroughly grasped what message it was trying to convey. The latter parts of the book had somehow pinched my heart and made me wish that I, too, may find that Christmas miracle in my life.

(Note: This is part of the review I posted at my second blog, SittieCates Loves Stories. You may read the rest of the review here: Book Review and Trailer: The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado show less

This short novel tells the story of a candlemaker who recieves a visit from an angel. He blesses one of the candlemaker's candles and then disappears. The candlemaker gives the blessed candle to a struggling neighbor and tells him to light the candle and pray about his problems. The neighbor does so and is miraculously relieved of his burdens. So begins a tradition that occurs in the village every so many years, until one year when a new preacher arrives to replace the previous one. This new preacher is skeptical of the candle story, and even though it is the year when the angel is supposed to bless a new candle, refuses to sanction the practice. For what happens next you'll have to read the book.
Lucado is a very descriptive writer, as show more you may know from his non-fiction, and this novella has a rich sweet feeling. You feel like you are there, and of course there is a lot of heart felt emotion in the story pulling at your heartstrings. Pick this up when you are in a sentimental mood for a good story--whether it's Christmas or not. show less

The first chapter was intriguing and hopeful. Read half the book and just couldn't stay with it.

In the tiny town, everyone believes in miracles, those that especially happen every 25 years when a single candle is lit by an angel in a candle makers shop on Christmas Eve. The young reverend is the only unbeliever. When hope and forgiveness meet, miracles can happen.

Picked up at the library, looked like a quick read (finished in about a half hour). Sweet story about faith.