We light the shepherd's candle to remind us of the great light and joy that surrounded the shepherd's when they heard about Jesus' birth.
The lighting of candles each Sunday of Advent is a familiar custom to many Christians. Symbolically, the light represents Jesus as the promised light of the world. With each successive week, an additional candle is lit, culminating on Christmas Eve, when the full brightness of all the candles burn to remind us that Jesus has come and is leading us forth to be light for the world.