Inspired by Scholastica

 

The Gift of Light


I was not familiar with the story of the Maccabees in the Old Testament. Over 2,000 years ago the temple in Jerusalem was desecrated, and most of the Jews fled. But a small group, the Maccabees, stayed and tried to keep the oil burning in the temple lamp. There was only enough oil for perhaps a day, but it burned for another eight days. That gave them hope that it would burn until they could buy more oil.

Light is very significant in the Scriptures, especially during the Christmas season. We all know the story of the Magi following a star they saw in the East. Astronomers assured them that it was an unknown star that had just appeared They believed that it indicated the birth of a new King and they got on their camels to seek him. After a long arduous journey, they found the newborn King in a stable in Bethlehem and offered their gifts.

Light is also important in the Resurrection story.  As dawn was rising in the east, Mary Magdalen came to Jesus’ tomb to anoint him but found it empty.  When she told the apostles, Peter and John came running. They found the empty burial cloths and then realized the meaning of Jesus’ words: “I will rise again on the third day.” The Light of the World had returned.

Recently, Pope Francis wanted to emphasize the gift of hope when he declared 2025 a Year of Hope, which is closely related to light. We must pray and look for glimmers of light around us. The 14 new saints that the pope canonized last Sunday, among them 11 priests martyred in Syria, are a sign of hope and blessing. The 39 federal death row inmates whose sentences were commuted by President Biden last month are a sign of hope. The end of Assad’s cruel regime in Syria is another sign of hope. These signs are keeping the temple light burning. The Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday when we light candles for each other in the dark visualizes how we can bring light into our darkened world.

 

Barbara Mayer, OSB

 

 

 

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