December 23, 2022
Don't Let the Light Go Out!
In keeping with the tradition of trimming the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, I offer some late-Advent reflections strung together like popcorn and cranberries on a string.
It is almost Christmas. We held our last worship service in Advent this past Sunday. Christmas is almost upon us—and this may be good news for some, and not so good news for others. However much you want Christmas to come soon, or are praying for one more day before Christmas comes, I pray you find time to reflect and enjoy the promise of God’s light and love becoming flesh in Christ. In a hectic and sometimes abrupt holiday season, Christmas offers the promise of peace on earth and good will to all people.
It was in Advent about 25 years ago, when Susan and I transferred our membership from South Bend Covenant Church in Indiana to North Park Covenant Church in Chicago. As was the practice of North Park church then, the deacon assigned to us would welcome us into the church with a meal in their home. And so it was that Stephanie and Sandy Nelson’s parents invited we seven Johnsons to their home after church for lasagna. As we departed from their home, one of the triplets said, looking at the Swedish Christmas candles in their windows, “I didn’t know they were Jewish.” We have had a lot of fun retelling that story over the years. But there was also some insight there, as I have heard more than once—including recently in our church—those candles referred to as a “Swedish Menorah.”
Now is the time for the real menorahs. Our Jewish friends’ winter holiday of Hanukkah has begun. It marks the restoration of the Temple desecrated by the Greeks who were forcing their culture on the Jews. The Jews fought back against the Greeks and reclaimed a semblance of self-rule for a time. Their first order of business was to consecrate the Temple. Purifying the Temple required burning menorah candles for 8 days, yet they only had one day’s worth of oil. They lit the candles in faith, and the oil miraculously lasted 8 days, giving us the 8 days of Hanukkah. The menorah is the symbol of Hanukkah the way the manger is the symbol of Christmas. They are both symbols of the promise of God’s light breaking into our world.
Right now, some of our Jewish friends are having second thoughts about putting menorahs in their windows. The level of anti-Semitic speech and violence in our country has reached levels we have not seen in decades. For many of our Jewish neighbors, the practice of their freedom of religion is being limited by the threat of discrimination, and sometimes violence.
Last Sunday at Cocoa and Carols, people shared some of their favorite Christmas carols. In that spirit, I would like to share one of my favorite holiday songs. It was sung by the folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary. Peter Yarrow is Jewish. Paul Stookey is Christian. Mary Travers was a lapsed Baptist with Jewish leanings. At times they sang songs of faith, both Jewish and Christian. Together they sang one of my favorites songs of holiday season, a Hanukkah song whose chorus urged, “Don’t Let the Light Go Out!” The light of which they sang was the light of freedom and the light of faith.
As Christians, we declare the Jesus was the light of the world, and we are to make our lives of faith reflect God’s light to the world, shining for all to see. Though it is easy for us to do most of the time in our country, it is not the case for all of our sisters and brothers in Christ around the world. And evidently not for our Jewish neighbors in our nation.
Before Christmas was a Christian holy day; early Christians set aside December 28 to remember the innocent children slaughtered by Herod trying to kill the newborn “King of the Jews.” This reminded them that there are forces in the world who want to extinguish the light of Christ, forces that harm, even kill, innocent people. “Don’t let the light go out!” was very much their prayer. Might the example of this ancient Christian holy day remind us to pray for Christians around the world who experience resistance and persecution daily. Might it also call us to be good neighbors, speaking out for the freedom of religion for all people in our country, and an end to bigotry.
Although these reflections may seem like an odd Christmas offering, it is an unfortunately timely one. This Christmas may God grant us all, in this country and around the world, the promise of the incarnation: peace on earth and goodwill towards all people.
I pray a blessed Christmas for you all.
– Pastor Todd