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Friday, December 10, 2004

Hanukkah

The Jewish feast of “Hanukkah,” a Hebrew word that means “dedication.” began on December 8. It is an eight-day festival celebrating an event that took place a century and a half before Christ.

In 167 B. C., on the 25th day of the third Jewish month, the tyrannical king of Syria desecrated the Temple by removing its altar and putting up a pagan altar on which he offered a sacrifice to Zeus. This capped off years of attempts to paganize the Jewish people, some of whom went along with it. Others, however, were willing to die for their faith.

A revolt ensued and, exactly three years to the day after the desecration, Judas Maccabeus, leader of the revolt, purified the Temple, built a new altar, and dedicated it.

There was great rejoicing for many days, and candles played a large part in the celebration. Today a nine-branched menorah is used with one main candle from which an additional candle is lit each of the eight days.

The feast of Hanukkah usually falls in December.

Friday - Second Week of Advent

They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:

’And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

(Matthew 2:5-6)

The Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah emphasized most of all that he would bring freedom. This meant a great deal to a people that had known exile, enslavement – to a people that often lived from hand to mouth trying to eke out a living from arid soil to which they must have felt enslaved.

And when the Messiah came, the early Christians did experience freedom. They were free from the treadmill of the law and now were born into a new life.

Observers remarked about the early Christians that they were a people with a sense of freedom – there was a certain peace and joy and fresh air about them.

If the Messiah has brought freedom, and the Messiah has come, I should experience this freedom. Here. Now.

And I can. I don’t have to be God. I don’t have to be the Messiah. I don’t have to be God toward myself, toward my family, toward my friends, toward the world. All I have to do is my best, and to pray and know that God loves us and we are his children.

I can let God be God…and rejoice.

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.