At this writing (November 25), we are engaged in different types of counting.
For example: it is one day until Thanksgiving, 15 days until the first night of Hanukkah (for those who celebrate), 29 days until Christmas Eve (for those who celebrate), and 36 days until the eve of 2020’s conclusion.
Vote counts in the 2020 Presidential election are still being certified.
Sadly, we note the increasing number of people who have been infected with COVID-19. We remember people the world over who have died during this pandemic, offering our condolences and support to their family members.
In recent months, many holiday celebrations, meetings with family and friends, and gatherings for remembrance have been virtual. They have also been very meaningful.
We appreciate the commitment of health care workers, and the worldwide cooperation among medical experts that has led to the creation of not just one vaccine, but several vaccines, that will, hopefully, diminish the deleterious effects of COVID-19 on our lives.
As the days grow shorter leading up to winter, our light can still shine more brightly. That is likely why, long ago, light became a central aspect of various holiday observances at this time of year, along with their associated stories that lift up values such as hope, unity and dedication.
Hanukkah means dedication, recalling the reconsecration of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem as a sacred site of Jewish worship in 165 B.C., three years to the day after the Syrian Greek rulers of Judea had temporarily appropriated that holy place for their own purposes.
The Maccabees, the Jewish forces marshaled to regain the Temple, focused on the restoration of their religious freedom and on gaining independence from their tyrannical rulers.
Hanukkah was, at first, a celebration of that independence. Eventually, once Jews were ruled by the Romans, the festival’s most prominent ritual was the kindling of special lights for eight nights to commemorate a victory grounded in faith.
Jews recite a section of the biblical book of Zechariah on the Sabbath during Hanukkah. Sages of Jewish tradition highlighted the message of one declaration in that passage: “Not by might, not by power, but by My spirit, says the Eternal One of all creation.”
That verse teaches the universal lesson that there are intangible and priceless aspects of our lives that must supersede any selfish designs people might have on gaining positions of power and control.
We have learned in 2020 that generous acts of kindness matter. The support we offer one another in times of need and in the face of loss matter. Our work towards fostering justice, equality, respect, and human decency matters. All of these efforts belong in the realm of spirit, where power is merely a means to make them happen.
A teaching attributed to the Sufi mystic Rumi has been “making the rounds” lately on social media. Sometimes those platforms, often filled with vociferous discourse, can provide us with gentle pearls of wisdom that can truly guide our lives. Here is the quote:
“I asked a wise man, ‘Tell me sir, in which field could I make a great career?’ He said, with a smile, ‘Be a good human being. There is a huge opportunity in this area. And very little competition.’”
More than ever, we need to be good human beings for ourselves, and for each other, so that we can engender optimism, safety and a cooperative spirit. That is how we can sustain our community and our world.
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