From the Rector…
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Christmas season which lasts from December 25 through January 5—twelve nights. It also marks the start of Hanukkah which, as Adam Sandler put it, lasts “eight crazy nights.” Most Christians will celebrate around a Christmas tree, opening gifts, and eating turkey. Many Jews will celebrate by lighting a candle, exchanging gifts, and eating brisket. For both Christians and Jews, we celebrate the light that has entered the world, even though we perceive that light in different ways.
Christmas and Hanukkah are a time for us to shine the light of love and peace into a dark world that has forgotten its possibilities. Instead of focusing on all the trappings of the holiday season, we have the opportunity to glorify God through the way we treat one another—by sharing in one another’s lives and seeking understanding and commonality rather than division.
Throughout the season of Advent, we have been lighting the Advent wreath each week, growing the light of Christ as we anticipate his coming. Hanukah follows a similar pattern; growing the light of God by lighting an additional candle each night until all eight candles of the menorah are aflame. John 1:5 says, “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.” In the shortest days of the year, when daylight fades quickly into night, the lighting of a candle brings hope and peace. It chases away the shadows and illuminates the darkness. Whether you are lighting the Christmas candle or the menorah tomorrow, you are celebrating the light that has come into the world.
Hanukkah and Christmas are not only times to remember the light that has entered the world but also times to shine that light for all to see. We do that by taking care of those in need, offering hospitality to the stranger, and receiving the kindnesses of others with grace and gratitude. Rather than striving for a “perfect” holiday, we embrace the messiness of faith—Christ was born in a stable, and Hanukkah celebrates a time when humanity’s scarcity became God’s abundance. Both are deeply rooted in the theology of liberation. For Christians, Jesus comes to save us from our sins. For Jews, Hanukkah celebrates liberation of the Temple and the land from the Seleucid Greek Empire in the second century BCE.
We may not agree on politics, religion, or much else, but most of us can agree on a desire for freedom—freedom from suffering, fear, and anger; freedom to know peace and joy. We all want to love and be loved. We are all a child of someone—parents, spouses, or a friend of someone. We all have hopes and dreams. In these basic ways, we are all connected to one another. It is in this great connection of one human to another, that we can shine God’s light into the world.
I pray that this Christmas you find ways to shine the light of Christ into the world. Maybe it is in wishing your Jewish friends a Happy Hanukkah or even swapping some leftovers—turkey for brisket doesn’t sound like a bad trade off. Maybe it is in simply practicing generosity and trusting in God’s abundance, knowing that there will be enough—just as in the tradition of Hanukkah when one day’s supply of oil lasted for eight. Maybe it’s in reaching out to those who are alone and spreading good cheer. When we are intentional in staying connected to one another, there is no wrong way to shine God’s light into the world.
I wish you the blessings of peace and the light of Christ this Christmas season.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!
Light and Life,
Candice+