In keeping with the traditional Catholic kosher imperative, 'The Remnant' has published an article titled, "Lessons of Hanukkah for 2012" which offers the Talmudic fable of 'the miracle of the oil which lasts 8 days' as hope to neotraditionalists despairing a litany of issues approved for them to despair.
The Chanukah 'miracle of the oil' has its origin in Talmud tractate Shabat 21b and is generally accepted as originating 600 years after the events recorded in Book of Maccabees. Numerous rabbinic scholars have determined that the fable was invented at a time when militant Judaism would be a liability (c.f. the Bar Kochba rebellion), and so the 'miracle of the oil' was contrived and emphasized over the militant theme in the Book of Maccabees to mollify fanatics and thereby avoid backlash. This is an example of Judaic dispensationalism at work. For our time, when fear of backlash is less, we can see that the militant theme of Chanukah is more heavily emphasized (c.f. George W. Bush's White House Chanukah party speeches, Chabad Chanukah literature).
During the Advent season of 2012 we should find hope in anticipation of the commemoration of the Incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ who drove the moneychangers from the Temple, chastened the rabbis' pharisaic forefathers, healed the sick, raised the dead and conquered sin by His own death and resurrection, not a silly rabbi-contrived "miracle" that even Judaic people are wont to poke fun at and liken to arriving at a gas station when the fuel gauge is near empty. This kind of regressive bait-and-switch itself would cause despair to any thinking Christian.
Let us find hope in the countless Christians; St. Stephen, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John Chrysostom, St. Vincent Ferrer, et al, who putting aside "fear of 'the Jews," preached the unvarnished Gospel and converted 'Jews' rather than converting the message to one Judaic sensibilities can tolerate. This is true cooperation of man with the will of God which the true Church was built upon and it's the only way a true restoration of the same can take place.
The Chanukah 'miracle of the oil' has its origin in Talmud tractate Shabat 21b and is generally accepted as originating 600 years after the events recorded in Book of Maccabees. Numerous rabbinic scholars have determined that the fable was invented at a time when militant Judaism would be a liability (c.f. the Bar Kochba rebellion), and so the 'miracle of the oil' was contrived and emphasized over the militant theme in the Book of Maccabees to mollify fanatics and thereby avoid backlash. This is an example of Judaic dispensationalism at work. For our time, when fear of backlash is less, we can see that the militant theme of Chanukah is more heavily emphasized (c.f. George W. Bush's White House Chanukah party speeches, Chabad Chanukah literature).
During the Advent season of 2012 we should find hope in anticipation of the commemoration of the Incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ who drove the moneychangers from the Temple, chastened the rabbis' pharisaic forefathers, healed the sick, raised the dead and conquered sin by His own death and resurrection, not a silly rabbi-contrived "miracle" that even Judaic people are wont to poke fun at and liken to arriving at a gas station when the fuel gauge is near empty. This kind of regressive bait-and-switch itself would cause despair to any thinking Christian.
Let us find hope in the countless Christians; St. Stephen, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John Chrysostom, St. Vincent Ferrer, et al, who putting aside "fear of 'the Jews," preached the unvarnished Gospel and converted 'Jews' rather than converting the message to one Judaic sensibilities can tolerate. This is true cooperation of man with the will of God which the true Church was built upon and it's the only way a true restoration of the same can take place.
