Symbols, Colours and Objects - Two of the things we do

I've had a couple of interesting questions regarding symbols and objects. The first relates to candles on the altar (table) and what they signify because when they asked whether the candles signified anything they were told they were there because 'Jesus is the light of the world'.

Now I'm probably going to get into some heavy weather with some out there but as far as I know (and that's probably little) the reason we have candles (two or more) on the table (altar) is down to the fact that without them it's pretty difficult to read the service when it's dark! Basically candles were lit for purely practical reasons BUT of course it doesn't take long before someone adds some spiritual or other context to the blesséd things and they become part of something they were never intended to be.

I recall a lecture on liturgy, worship and the things we do in our services where someone read out something about the candle being a trinity where the candle, the wick and the flame represented God, the believer and the Holy Spirit. In the same lecture we were told how, with regard to the epistle and Gospel sides of the table (altar) - which (looking at the congregation) is apparently left and right respectively - the candle was lit on the Gospel side first (that's reversed for the person lighting because they do it from the front!). To make it more interesting, if you were into multiple candles you'd light them left then right and then repeat for as many pairs of candles you had (extinguishing them in the reverse order).

The only candle that represents the light of Christ remains the Paschal candle.

The second 'interesting' question relates to adding water to the wine when we celebrate the Eucharist (Communion). When asked the person asking me was told that it's all about symbolism as it speaks of the blood and water that flowed from Jesus' side when He was pierced by the spear.

Sadly I think this might be one of the great sounding explanations that fall just a little short of the reality and yet has made it into law! I know I was told that when I first realised the bloke up the front was watering down the red stuff - wasn't him fiddling the books or making the wine go further after all - there was this cool sounding spiritual explanation.

Truth is that it was the Greek custom for water and other stuff to be added to the wine and Israel having been part of Hellenistic and then Roman culture had been exposed to such practices and also made them theirs. It was what they did. BUT one of the reasons I was given (accompanied by a defence of the Eucharist by one of the Early Christian Fathers+) stated that it wasn't some licentious booze up (my words) but something else and that this could be demonstrated by the fact that the wine was watered down. Another explanation I had came from an RC friend who spoke of bread, wine and water forming a trinity and then went on (at length) to explain how it brought God, man and Church into a oneness - have to say I wasn't convinced and so find myself going along with the contemporary practice of the time and the 'not boozing' scenarios. But I'm happy to have someone who knows lead me further forward.

So there we are  - two questions and two (as brief as I can be) answers - a ten minute splurge - hopefully something sound and of worth here.

Pax