Hanukkah: Each Candle a Miracle
Posted by Rev Roger
Posted on December 21, 2019
Sunday is the first night of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights in the Jewish tradition.
Every night an additional candle is lit on the Menorah to mark the progression of the 8 days.
This is the Hanukkah miracle: the little bit of oil in the lamp was able to last for 8 days during the siege by imperial forces. The story reminds us of the power of patience and courage in our lives and in community, and the promise of resilience in facing challenges that are personal as well as political. May each one of us be reminded of the courage that we can bring to light. –Rev. Roger
Here is a reading from the UUA Worship Web by Amanda Udis-Kessler:
Each Candle a Miracle
We light the Hanukkah candles in wonder, joy, and gratitude, each candle a miracle.
When the Holy Temple was rededicated at the time of the Maccabean liberation battle,
only one day’s worth of oil remained, yet it burned for eight days so we light candles in remembrance.
We rededicate ourselves to the miracle of light in a season of darkness
to the miracle of trust in a time of anxiety
to the miracle of hope in a time of despair
to the miracle of faith in a time of cynicism.
We rededicate ourselves to the miracle of wholeness in a time of fracture
to the miracle of courage in a time of fear
to the miracle of resistance in a time of oppression
to the miracle of peace in a time of violence
and in a time of hatred we rededicate ourselves to the miracle of love.
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