Hanukkah, the festival of lights is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian Greek empire under King Antiochus the fourth. He wanted to eliminate Jewish practice, traditions and observances. And replace them with the pagan Hellenistic culture of the Greek empire. They defiled the temple, sacrificed a pig on the altar. Matisyahu and his sons fought a long battle, and eventually defeated the Greeks in 164 BC. They rededicated the temple. The word Hanukkah means rededication. It is to rededicate the temple, but also re-dedicate ourselves to our belief in God and Jewish practice. The other part of the story is that there was only enough oil to last for one day, but it lasted for eight days before they could get the ritually pure oil. That showed that God was with the defenders of Judaism. Each night an additional candle is lit, leading to the eight days. The light is there to inspire us, and to push away the darkness. It is to rekindle or rededicate our faith. It is a story of religious freedom, of weakness over the strong, of faith over paganism. There was another Jewish rebellion in 70 A.D., which was crushed by the Roman Empire. There was a second rebellion in 135 A.D. by Bar Kochba, but this, too fell to the power of Rome. Jerusalem and the temple were plowed under and the earth was salted. Hundreds of thousands died. Rome, renamed Israel Palestina to demoralize and humiliate the Jews by renaming it after their ancient enemies, the Philistines. But the flame continue to burn in the hearts of the Jewish people, and after 2000 years in 1948 out of the ashes of the holocaust, the modern state of Israel was born. Is forces defeated the five Arab nations that attacked it at the moment of its birth, with the intent of annihilation. This was another miracle. But the Hanukkah lights continue to burn in Israel sometimes wavering, but still shining more than 70 years later. Christmas is also upon us and there is a light that burns for Christians also under attack in the west by the secular Marxist left and around the world, especially within the Muslim world. It is symbolic that in the darkest time of the year Christian Teaching tells that the logos, the word was made flesh in the form of the newborn baby, Jesus, a Jew, under a star, a light for the world to drive away the darkness, and bring redemption and hope. Hanukkah and Christmas are linked in the calendar and is fitting for the message each brings. The two faiths together Judaism and Christianity also referred to as the Judeo Christian tradition is the foundation of western and American civilization. Western nations are the greatest in the world, because they are based on Judeo Christian principles. it is in the west where human rights, liberty, the rule of law, democracy, music, art, science and technology have flourished, and where slavery was ended. These are the nations that people from around the world seek to live. It is in western nations where citizens are most free and enjoy the greatest prosperity. It is not an accident. we should dedicate ourselves to protecting and preserving America the west and western civilization by preserving the Judeo Christian tradition. The light of Hanukkah and Christmas must continue to burn and illuminate the night. The darkness that is always present, the norm for most of history. The Judeo Christian tradition is what distinguishes us from the rest, our values, and devotion to truth, knowledge, goodness, beauty, and reason. It is the belief in the sanctity of the individual made in the image of God. We reject the moral and cultural relativism of the postmodern Marxist left and the totalitarian threat of unformed Islam. We must rededicate ourselves in our current battle as the Maccabee did against the Greeks, and as Israel did against the Arab armies that sought its destruction in 1948. The spirit of Hanukkah and Christmas should inspire us. Happy Hanukkah and merry Christmas.
