In the west Michigan USA where I live, winter solstice and with it the shortest day of the year is approaching. We’re getting only about nine hours of potential sun light each day, but it’s been so cloudy and snowy we’ve seen little of it. WE NEED LIGHT! And we need it in more ways than one. Jewish people all over the world are lighting candles each night from December 14-22. Churches started lighting Advent candles on Sunday November 30. Both of these candle traditions direct us back to the pervasive and profound imagery of light in the Bible. Let’s have a look at how all this fits together.