Written for RDP where Punam asks us to
get creative with the words “votive”.
Thanks, Punam! Here’s where the prompt took me.
Quite a few years ago, when I was still attending mass, we had an incident during the Easter Vigil. That is one of the most well-attended masses, with people standing in the rear and along the sides of the church. The first 15 to 20 minutes of the Vigil are celebrated in darkness; the only light in the church is from the votive candles and the parishioner’s hand-held candles. It’s a beautiful sight …. unless something goes wrong.
On this particular night, a man in the back of the church became tired of standing and innocently leaned back against the metal frame holding an array of lit votive candles. What he didn’t realize was the bottom of his jacket was too close to one of the candles and it caught on fire. Fortunately, a few local church-going police officers standing near the man sprang into action and tackled him to the ground, smothering the flames and putting out the fire. Once everything was back to normal, the service continued.
During the homily, the priest (who thought he was Rodney Dangerfield) reported that the man was doing fine but he couldn’t say the same for his jacket. The priest could not resist saying that the man was “truly filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit”. He was rewarded with a collective congregational groan.
As a result of that incident, all traditional votive candles were replaced with electric ones, and the ambience inside the church was never quite the same. The priests obviously didn’t spring for the slightly more expensive, realistic ones. It figures.
NAR©2026
This is “Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum
Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.
The Elephant's Trunk 
Hot story and song Nancy 😀
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Lol me too 💜💜
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Great story Nancy. Sprit in the Sky is a classic which he said made him comfortable on royalties for the rest of his life. 👍💗
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I can easily believe that one! Thanks so much for that tidbit and for your very kind words. Happy Saturday, my friend. 🥰
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when safety first backfires for real…..
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Hahaha!! Great play on words! Loved it!
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Great story 😁… Terrible priest jokes? .. love Norman Greenbaum .
I remember celebrating Christingle at our local church years ago when the boys were still at school! All the children carried an orange decorated with cinnamon and sweets with a small candle in the top. The children all processed around the church…. One boy got too close to the girl in front… Nearly catching her plaits! … Disaster was averted … Thank goodnesd🤔🤔🤔
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Thanks so much, Willow. I really enjoyed your anecdote; after years of being involved in church and school pageants, I totally relate to that story. 😊
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Well, this made me laugh–a good Catholic laugh, of course! Christmas and Easter Mass bring out all those who don’t attend all year so the ‘fire of the Holy Spirit’ sounds like a little poke from up above. I did get a kick out of Father Rodney’s joke, though. 🔥😂
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I was anticipating your response, Lois; I knew it was going to be a good one, and I was not disappointed. I’m really glad this story gave you a good catholic laugh, even Father Rodney’s terrible jokes. You know what we call the people who don’t attend mass regularly? A&P Parishioners; Ashes & Palms! Thanks much, Lois 😊
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