What do the candles mean in church? A Pentecost thought

Rev. Benjamin Mayes led chapel for us at Concordia Publishing House last week. In addition to stealing all my thunder, since he devoted his homily to Pentecost, and I am giving the chapel service this coming Wednesday, he began with an aside that I thought was quite profound and useful. He paused to point to the burning candles and said, "We've always said that the candles we light represent the light of Christ, and that is true, but I was thinking that as we consider the tongue of fire on the candle, we should be reminded of the tongues of fire that appeared on the heads of the Apostles and the rest of the disciples on that first Pentecost (Acts 2:1-12). And then as we recall that event, we consider that today the Holy Spirit is present, and at work among us, through the Word and Sacraments, and so that tongue of fire on the candle is a symbol of the presence and work of the Holy Spirit." I thought that was quite a good thought!