December 3, 1995

Samuel: Well greetings, dears.

Greetings, Samuel.

S: ‘Tis the season. So are you? Aye. Fa la la la la la (trying to sing).

My desire this night is to talk about this season, because, of course, it’s a very, very special season. It is a time of four great lights. And that’s what I desire to talk about to you tonight.

Is there anybody here who last month felt truly left out because I did not take a call for gifts? Or this month will feel absolutely devastated if you’re unable to give yours, because if there is not, I will move right on. But if there is a gift that’s just needing to be given, go ahead, let me know. [Pause]

Four great lights, because ‘tis the season of light. All right. Four great lights. What do you think they are? The four lights of the season. Any ideas?

The winter solstice.

S: Good. The Festival of Lights. The winter solstice.

Hanukkah.

S: Hanukkah. The story of warrior light. Yes.

The Christ energy.

S: And the energy of Christ Jesus. Absolutely. And one other we’ll hold just for a bit of a surprise. All right? Because this holiday season I would like to remind you that you are a light, and these four great lights are truly about you.

The first light, of course, is the very first one you mentioned. The light of the winter solstice, because within this season, across, certainly this half of the world, this is the time in which your days have been getting …

Shorter.

S: Meaning that the light has been growing …

Shorter.

S: Shorter also. And, of course, a long, long time ago—more than last week—well, don’t you think time’s going so very fast now that last week seems like a very long time ago? A long, long time ago, when people were, of course, much more primitive than you are now—could not resist, sorry—the tribal peoples feared the darkness, because in the darkness, of course, there were many things that could harm them. The wolves would come in the dark. It was cold in the dark. When the days were very short, it meant that food was scarce. Times were hard. And society after society after society in this world had great bonfires that were lit on the night of the winter solstice as a means of reminding the sun to return. That’s sort of “like attracting like,” don’t you think? Look, sun, a bonfire. Doesn’t this make you feel like you should come visit?

And indeed the celebration of the solstice was that. A celebration, a festival of light, because it was a time of incredible hope. Hope. Hope that the sun would return. The days would get longer, and life would become secure and safe once again. It was a celebration of hope. And the first of those great lights, the great season of light you are moving into, is a reminder that times will change. The sun will come again, and the brightness will be longer. And, metaphorically in your life, the sun will shine again. And the season of darkness is growing shorter. And so, beloved friends, have hope. Sing, for the light is coming.

And with that, I would like Lisa to come and light a light [a candle]. [To Lisa] And you are a light in the world, go forth and shine. Thank you.

Times will soon be warm and light. Have hope. Shine.

The second light is the Maccabeean light that you know of as Hanukkah. And do you know that story? I called that one a “warrior light.” Some of you have heard me speak of the story of Hanukkah. Do you remember? Well, to make it a shorter story, since nobody seems to be jumping up saying, “I will tell, I will tell.” The ruler of the tribes of Israel, of all of the peoples of the two lands of the great deserts, the tribes of the people of God, and the tribes of the people who did not know the One God, that ruler put out an edict. Well, if you’re looking at politics, the edict actually was not too stupid. It’s something that’s been done repeatedly, over and over and over in history. In fact it has been done fairly recently in your own history, in your own society. And that is, if your desire is to really affect people, to force them to be yours, then, of course, what you must do is take away their worship, force them to your worship, because by taking away their understanding of God—is there anybody in here who thinks that can be done?—by taking away their God, by not allowing them to worship in their temples, by destroying what is sacred to them, you will surely break their spirit, and they will be yours.

Across the land temple after temple was destroyed, including the one that belonged to a tribe that are called the Maccabees. Small amounts of time passed. They were able to return to their temple. As I said, since it’s not the major aspect of my story tonight, you’re getting quite a condensed version of it, because the point of it is, in order to worship again it was going to require purifying the space. You remember that in your own life, don’t you? That in order to rebuild, first you must purify. Well, what that required was burning an eternal flame in the lamp with the holy, blessed oil, the sacred oil. But unfortunately there was only a very small amount. Enough for one day, maybe two, and it needed to burn for eight. And in order to procure more of this precious supply, they were going to have to go away by far longer than the eight days. What to do? What to do?

They went ahead and lit the lamp with the faith that they would be provided for. All right, beloved ones, tell me what happened?

It burned for eight days.

S: And that light, with not enough oil in it to burn even two days, burned all eight days for the purification of the place, of the people. These warriors who would not give in, who were willing to fight to the death to not take on a false teaching, these people were blessed with an abundance of what they needed to purify their space, to purify their hearts.

It, too, is a light of hope. It, too, is a light of hope. The hope that they would have what they need to do what is right. The hope that allowed them to fight and follow with a full heart.

I have a question for you with this one, my friends. Is it possible that in your life you don’t have the satisfaction of your heart because you have not purified your space? Is it possible that your fear that you will not have enough keeps you from having it all? But this is not a hope based on a fear that the darkness will ever be, as in the Festival of Light. This is a different hope, this is a hope based on the power that there is more, and that opens the door to abundance. Hope in the power of more, my friends, is a warrior’s hope, because without it there is nothing worth fighting for.

Harvey, beloved, will you come and light the second [candle]. [To Harvey] And you are a light in this world. Go and shine.

The third great light, of course, is what allows this season to be thought of as the Christmas season, because it is the celebration of a great hope brought to the world. Yet, a sun. Yet, worth fighting for. Yet, a light with the birth of …

Jesus.

S: Jesus. Well, I know that you probably knew the answer to that one, and that maybe that one would get you talking here. However, as much as that story is familiar to you, the direction that I’m going with it is the light that guided, because it too is a light of …

Hope.

S: Hope. You’re getting good at this. You’re getting good. And so the prophecy was that out of the line of the greatest kings of the Children of Israel would come one who would—and depending upon where you were lighting your hope—who would, on a very small scale, turn the Children of Israel away from difficulty, and light would come and the Messiah would be there, who would help them out of poverty and hopelessness. Who would come and rule, instead of Rome.

Well, that’s one version. And the second version is [one] who would come and be the shepherd for the great flock of humanity. The final sacrifice, the propitiation. The lamb and the shepherd who would be the light into the world. If for no other reason than simply the idea that this one might bring peace in a heartbreaking time.

Several leaders who had been very typically scientists of the time recognized that a great sign was in the heavens letting them know that something very, very special was happening, that it was a time unlike any other, and that surely by going to see what this sign was about they would perhaps find the great new leader that could bring peace to the world. So you know the song, eh? We three kings, following yonder star. I really like the idea that so many of you have in your head of riding by camel, three together, until they reach the place where the great star was over a small stable in Bethlehem. Are you going to tell me that I know your Bible better than you know your Bible?

However, again the point is that leaders came, because they were following a sign in the heavens, a great light that represented for them hope. Hope for peace. And they got there and they found a child. If this child were not proclaimed Son of God, it still would be quite an incredible story, right there. The metaphor right there. They came to see what the hope the heavens were sending about, and they found a child. You’ve got to love that. The irony of it. Is this what we’ve been following? For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a child. And they shall call him Wonderful, Marvelous, and among many other things, some of which you don’t want to think about in later years, also Son of God, Prince of Peace. Because indeed those great wise men had found the peace, because that child Jesus’ work was to teach there is no greater love than this. To create a system of understanding that wreaked absolute havoc with both the political and the spiritual leaders of the time. Whose gentle and powerful life has touched, in one way or another, every one of you in here, because the light that was the hope for peace, was a life of light that brings you the hope of peace. And the light, that light, is also a light of hope. Hope, not only of the sun, that the days will grow warmer and everything will be fulfilled. Not only the hope of the warriors who know that the abundance will be there, but the hope of peace. And it is that light.

David, dear, will you come and light for me?

Me? [Passing by the room]

S: Well, I’ve been waiting for you, dear, to come and make a light for me.

A what?

A light.

S: [To David] Aye, dear. And you too are a light in this world. Shine. Thank you.

The hope of peace. So there are three great lights for this season, and they are all a light of hope. But I told you that there were four, and I told you what it was. Because all of the light in this season requires another light in this season. And I promise you, beloveds, that it too is a light of hope. And that one is you. This season is about—depending upon the direction from which your heart receives fulfillment—this is a season of the light of the Festival of the Sun. It is the light of the hope of the warriors. The light that burned eternal so that the purification, the reconstruction, could begin. It is the light in the sky that heralded the light of Christ Jesus’ birth, and the hope that that too offers.

But, beloved ones, all any of those beautiful examples of light are, they are nothing but only pretty stories and an example if you do not have hope. If you do not have hope in the light you are, and that that light [is] not to be hidden, but to be put out into the world now.

You know too much to say and do so little. You know too much to say and do so little. You who know that yours is a work of love, who hold the light within you and know you hold the light within you. You who have worked in this world and stumbled on the path and reached up your hand and couldn’t help, you know too much to say and do nothing in this world. Because if the Festival of Lights can represent hope that tomorrow will come and the day will be brighter. And in your life you know that tomorrow will come and the day will be brighter. If the light of Hanukkah, the warrior’s hope that by purifying recreation happens and it’s worth fighting for, you in your life know that recreation happens, as every day you make new your vows and commitments to make this world a better place by being the best you can be. And you have sometimes found yourself standing out in the field—that’s as opposed to outstanding in your field—standing out in a field, holding your pike, guarding what you love best—probably yourself. And with the celebration of Christmas you too know the light of peace.

If you would not act, where is the hope? The hope that there is a bridge from one world, one teaching, to another to bring about unity in a world that has lost so much hope. Hope that there is something to celebrate. Hope that love works. That love works through your heart, and love works through your hands, and love works through your mouth, and love works through your feet. Hope that tomorrow will be better, that recreation happens, that peace is available, and that you are here. You are here in this world now, that has learned to adapt to the darkness, because it sees so little light. In this season of so many kinds of power, sweet beloved friends, you too are a major part of the hope of the light of this season.

Beloved Kay, will you please, representing all of this room, and symbol of the hope you hold in your hands, because you are a light, and you do shine in this world. Glow.

[Tries to put candle down, but has to move a small toy left by Lea on the table] Oh now, thinks it’s going to steal the show.

So for a moment, not having the foggiest notion what it’s going to do to the video, I would like, dearest for you to turn down the lights. Panicked out there in TV land? And as you look up here, what draws your attention?

The light. [Referring to the four candles]

S: And because those are beautiful words you just said, let me ask again. And as you look up here, what draws your attention?

[In unison] The light.

S: Because you see, beloved, when it’s dark, it doesn’t take a bonfire, it takes a single flame. People are drawn to the light. Thank you. [Lights are turned back on] Drawn to the light.

And so, beloved ones, I would remind you that you are the light. People are drawn to your light. And I would beg you, truly beg you, dear friends, with your light, bring hope, spread hope, be hope.

May your holidays be holy days in which you recognize your work in this world. In which you claim the light you are. In which you light the fire. In which you burn the oil. In which you follow the star. In which you shine in a world that is looking for light. May you be blessed this season in proportion to the blessing you are.

Glochanumora, my friends. Happy, happy trails.