Now Judas celebrated the festival of the restoration of the sacrifices of the temple for eight days, and omitted no sort of pleasures thereon; but he feasted them upon very rich and splendid sacrifices; and he honored God, and delighted them by hymns and psalms. Nay, they were so very glad at the revival of their customs, when, after a long time of intermission, they unexpectedly had regained the freedom of their worship, that they made it a law for their posterity, that they should keep a festival, on account of the restoration of their temple worship, for eight days. And from that time to this we celebrate this festival, and call it Lights. I suppose the reason was, because this liberty beyond our hopes appeared to us; and that thence was the name given to that festival.
Josephus
Let him who has zeal for the Law and who stands by the covenant follow me!
Mattathias starting the Maccabean Revolt, 1st Maccabees 2:27.
I have always thought it fitting that Christmas and Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, are so close together usually on the calendar. This year Hanukkah will begin on December 14 and end on December 22. Approximately 160 years before the Coming of Christ, the Jews revolted against the Seleucid Empire. This was one of the most important struggles in all of human history. It determined that the Jews would remain a people set apart, worshiping Yahweh, and not become, like so many peoples before and since, a lost people, blended into larger populations, their God forgotten. It was this revolt against the odds, led by Mattathias, his name meaning “gift of Yahweh”, and his sons, known collectively as the Maccabees, that is told in First and Second Maccabees.
The revolt was successful, but ultimately, through civil wars and the overpowering military might of Rome, the Jews again fell under foreign domination, and Jesus was born into a world ruled by Rome. However, the revolt established that the Jews would remain a separate people, worshiping their God and safeguarding their faith. This was an essential element in setting the stage for the coming of Christ.
Throughout history we Catholics have remembered the Maccabees. In calling for the First Crusade, Pope Urban II stated: If in olden times the Maccabees attained to the highest praise of piety because they fought for the ceremonies and the Temple, it is also justly granted you, Christian soldiers, to defend the liberty of your country by armed endeavor.” Such citations are endless in Catholic history, because we recognize in the Maccabees a heroic striving to defend the worship of God.
The Festival of Lights and the entry into this world of the Light of Christ are intertwined, something for us to remember as we celebrate Christmas.
Best, very appropriate, most timely, most take-it-seriously-to—your-heart and brain post ever
Here is what I put on Facebook today
The Festival of Lights!
Mazes tov! A blessing on your head 😁
During Hanukkah the celebration is of the Goodness of God and His Protection and Provision
Read the two books of the Maccabees and see the top-down forced apostasy! Remember the Maccabees defending their religious freedom!
Things looked absolutely impossible and a foregone conclusion when Maccabean Revolt against Empire held the line – and the miracle now remembered in the Festival of Lights.
Judas Maccabaeus didn’t know it, but they were preserving their culture, religion and heritage – preparing the way for the Light of the World!
Great posts, Anzlyne. 👍🏆
Yes, great post, Anzlyne.
Let us remember what Mattathias and his seven sons had to do to reach the point where the Temple could be purified of Seleucid paganism and Hanukkah celebrated for the very first time. Let this be an example of what it may take in zeal and determination to oppose today’s neo-pagan post-modern liberal progressive Democrats and restore one nation under God. Lord forbid that the blood shed of the Maccabeans be repeated in this day and age, in this our nation. But “the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.”
“Hanukkah, Christmas and Physics: the Theology of Light.” A reflection on these holidays and strange physics, on Catholic Stand, published today. See here
https://catholicstand.com/christ-be-our-light-hanukkah-christmas-and-physicsthe-theology-of-light/
Great minds think alike Bob! 🙂
The daily Mass readings from November 15-20 were from Maccabees. It was interesting timing given that the recent bishops’ meeting took place from November 15-18. What a contrast.
and tomorrow, the 20th, I’ll be reposting (slightly altered): “Christmas, Hanukkah and Strange Physics: the Theology of Light.”
Yes, great minds do think alike!
Always Bob!
Anzlyne. Thank you.
Notice that the tradition was their legacy to their posterity. Our legacy to our Constitutional Posterity can be no less than freedom in all God’s works.
The Maccabees were fighting for freedom of Religion.
I highly recommend listening to Handel’s beautiful Judas Maccabeus oratorio (first video posted above). If you don’t have time to listen to the whole thing, then I recommend cueing it to 49:40 for Judas’s aria, “Sound an Alarm!” and the chorus that immediately follows. Keep in mind that up to this point in the oratorio, there has been no brass, only strings. The effect is electrifying. The music perfectly embodies the words: “Justice with courage is a thousand men.”
As you can tell, I love it!