This year, Christmas Day and the first day of Hanukkah coincided. At first glance, these celebrations have little in common, but a closer look reveals a powerful shared theme.
During Hanukkah, Jews recall a time when the Seleucid king, Antiochus IV, outlawed Judaism, and desecrated its temple. It was a very dark time. But Jewish rebels, led by the Maccabees, through their courage and faith forced the Seleucids to flee. As the Jews rededicated the temple to God, they found only enough oil to light the sacred menorah for one day. Miraculously, the light burned for eight days until additional oil could be procured.
Light triumphed over the darkness in both the defeat of their oppressors and in the burning of the lamp. The celebration of Hanukkah is called the Festival of Lights, and it is joyfully celebrated with candle lighting and songs. The festival is a call for Jews to rededicate their lives to God, to religious freedom and to living as light in the darkness.
On Christmas Eve, Christians gathered in churches to celebrate the birth of Jesus, whom we hail as the Messiah, Savior and Lord. We sang carols, read the gospel stories of his birth and reflect on the significance of his life. Then, at the climax of the service, we darkened our sanctuary, a visible reminder of the darkness in the world — injustice, violence, tragedy, poverty, sin and more. In this darkness, a single lit candle enters the room. It represents Jesus.
We remember that he came to bring light to the world, and then called his followers to let his light shine through them. From this one candle, each person in the room lights their candles, and soon the room is filled with light. The service ends with a call for each person to rededicate themselves to pushing back the darkness in the world.
In nearly every religion, we find similar themes. Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and others draw upon these same metaphors of light and darkness. In them, light is associated with love, compassion, goodness and mercy, a relentless pursuit of justice and for those who are theists, with God who is the source of this light.
In the words of Robert Louis Stevenson, we’re all called to “punch holes in the darkness.” Every day, each of us plays a part in increasing or decreasing the light in this world. As we celebrate Hanukkah and the days of Christmas, and prepare for a new year, what if we begin each day with this mission in mind: Today, I want to do all I can to increase the light in this world.
— From Tribune News Service
