A Life Lesson In Light

Not long ago I heard a soft tapping on my apartment door and when I opened it, there stood my friend Harry. He held the cross in his hand, which surprised me because Harry is Jewish and a cross does not fit into his theology. Harry is an artist with cut glass. I’ve seen some very high quality pieces in his apartment down the hall. He said: “I made this for you.” Imagine that. Now the cross hangs on the desk lamp where I see it everyday against the backdrop of warm light. For a Christian, the cross has deep meaning. Light, too. But the symbol of light spans religious boundaries. Today is the first day of an eight-day Jewish celebration called Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, a very important few days for Jews around the world. In my faith tradition, Jesus said: “I am the light of the world.” Light is a common denominator. The sun shines on all of us without regard for location, language, heritage or history. For me, light shines through the cross. For Harry, light is the backdrop for religious festival and celebration. It seems to me that if we looked hard enough, we would always find the commonality in our diversity, the sameness that unites people and nations that seem so different. I’m grateful for my friend’s thoughtfulness, for friendships that are not restricted by boundaries, for the blue, cut-glass cross that hangs on my desk lamp, and for light that falls on us all. May the light of the Advent candles and the light of the Menorah remind us of who we are. Merry Christmas and happy Hanukkah to all.