Candlemas and Ground Hogs Day; there is a connection

 

February 2nd: Groundhog Day or Candlemas?

“If Candlemas be fair and bright, Come winter, have another flight.
If Candlemas bring clouds and rain, Go winter, and come not again.”

Groundhog Day or Candlemas?

On February 2nd a quaint tradition unfolds, known well to schoolchildren and adults alike. The fate of Spring hangs in the balance as a burrowing animal looks for its shadow. But where did the this tradition come from?

For centuries, February 2nd  has been celebrated as Candlemas, a Christian Feast Day. Candlemas is also called the Feast of the Presentation, because it honors the day that Mary and Joseph presented the infant Jesus at the Temple. In bringing their child to the Temple and offering a sacrifice, Jesus’ parents were following the Mosaic law (specifically Leviticus 12:6). As the Gospel of Luke recounts:

“And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.” (Luke 2:22)

The painting at the top of this article shows the holy man Simeon blessing the Christ child at the Temple.

Why is Candlemas on February 2nd?

The date of Candlemas is always February 2nd because it is exactly 40 days (inclusive) after Christmas on December 25th. The Mosaic law stated that 40 days was the period of purification after the birth of a child, and so the presentation took place 40 days after Jesus was born. Incidentally, February 2nd is also halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, so the date has always had significance for ancient people.

So What’s the Connection to Groundhog Day?

Candlemas became linked to weather predictions about the end of winter because of an old English poem:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come winter, have another flight.
If Candlemas bring clouds and rain,
Go winter, and come not again.

It makes sense that early February was a good time to prognosticate about the weather, especially as February 2nd marks the midpoint between Winter and Spring. And the English poem appears to be the source of the shadow connection: “fair and bright” = sun = shadows = more winter, while “clouds and rain” = no sun = no shadows = spring arriving soon. It seems counterintuitive (why should a sunny day mean more winter?), but this is the exact pattern that Groundhog Day follows.

Candlemas Traditions

The name Candlemas refers the traditional processions and blessing of candles that came to characterize the feast day. To learn more about the symbols and practices of Candlemas, as well as traditional activities, check out this Building Faith article by Sharon Ely Pearson: Candlemas: History and Traditions.

One of my favorite days of the year: Fall Back!

Don't forget to change your clocks tonight!

 

Before you go to bed tonight -
don't forget to turn your clocks BACK one hour!

How great is this?

Hundreds of millions of people conspire to pretend that it's an hour earlier than it is 
and they turn back all their clocks, watches, computers and gadgets as part of the game.

And we get an extra hour's sleep in the bargain!

On March 8, 2020 we'll lose an hour's sleep but we'll begin the slow process back to longer days of sunlight!

Besides the dastardly unrelenting heat of 5 full months, this would be the other major reason I HATE summer. That is all.

Dragging the tree to the curb tomorrow; down comes the decorations; guess you forgot the true reason and season of Christmas

You know the types, take down that darn tree ASAP, if it's real drag it to the curb.  Quick, pick up all the ribbons and bows and decorations and shove them away.  After all, we are done with Christmas.  Well I guess you can do whatever you want, but if you are all about getting Christ in Christmas, and claim to know the reason for the season, then what the heck are you doing.  How do you not know that Christmas has just begun.  Christ indeed is the reason for the season, and the season has just begun.

Oldest Christian tradition tells us that Christmas is celebrated as an Octave and that means 8 days.  Therefore, Christmas the day, the celebration of the birth of the Word made flesh and the splendor of the Father ends on January 1st.  Furthermore, as a season, oldest Christian tradition extends until at least January 6th, the traditional day we celebrate the Epiphany.  In fact for centuries, the Epiphany was often referred to as Little Christmas.  Newer Christian tradition extends the season of Christmas until the Sunday in January where we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.  In fact the Epiphany and the Baptism of Jesus are two of the three manifestations of Jesus before he begins his very public ministry.  By the way, the third manifestation is the Wedding at Cana.  One final long held Christian tradition extends Christmas all the way to February 2nd, called Candlemas and the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple!

Whatever your belief may be, if you cling to Jesus as the reason for the season, you don't flush Christmas away on December 26th.  Not at all!

Christmas season has just begun; embrace it, celebrate it.

Don't let your Christmas end prematurely; it's still got a lot to offer!

I'm not supposed to hate October, we're wasting time here

Everyday in October so far has felt very much like July or August.  Lows around 75, highs around 92, heat index around 98 and now this; what a waste of a normally pleasant month:

Here it is October 1st

Every year on or near October 1st I take to these pages and hope/pray for an onslaught of cool weather, cold weather, autumn traditions, the end of daylight savings time, the start of the best half of the year.  Quite frankly I love October thru March much more so than the other half of the year.

This year I feel the same excitement as we begin October in spite of the challenges I face; a very ill wife, the 120+ day illness and struggles of a mother-in-law, the soon to be decided what do we even do with Wendy's mom.

But it is the beginning of these great months and I'm determined to enjoy them as best I can despite these realities.

I hope to blog often as we enter October more fully.

So maybe it's the right time for one of my famous "time of the year" updates; then again maybe not; but here goes anyways

I used to do these all the time but deep down I know it's of little interest to most of you.  Every now and again I post these things because, well, because I feel like it.  So since this is a "time of the year" post I need to acknowledge up front that we are in August, my own self-defined worst month of the year.  August is always super hot and, along with early September, the highest likelihood of hurricanes!  This summer started off very bad, first of all late May and most of June was way above normal heat index wise and gave us little hope for August.  And while it is still hot, it actually hasn't been as bad as it could be.  And this summer has been totally dominated by my mother-in-laws illness and extended hospital/rehab center stays.  She is back in the hospital by the way, yet another setback.  And today is day 62; that's right, 62 days of trying to recover, Wendy's daily schedule a disaster and lots of prayers for eventual recovery.

August, by the way, does have a good component, there is actually a football game on TV tonight from the NFL Hall of Fame.  It does make me look forward to actual football season and the hope that always springs eternal concerning the New Orleans Saints, although many believe this should be a great year for them; have you seen the schedule?  Tough!

August 2018 brings for both Wendy and me the new phenomena of a grandbaby here!!  We love Calvin and Katelynn dearly, and had a great visit late May, going back in September, but it is nice to see Brennan whenever we can.  In fact she came and visited me at Mass to hear me preach and then I went to visit last night.  Brennan is grandbaby #3 and we love all 3 with all our hearts.

If you all really read me you also know that I am still on a personal and spiritual re-charged batteries high from last week's National Diaconate Congress.  I still love to review my notes, articles in Catholic media and my own blog posts to relive that week that was so special; not only to me but to Wendy too!  I was excited to share some of my Congress excitement in my homily that I got to deliver three times this past weekend and am already looking forward to sharing with the men at Rayburn next week.  As a Catholic Deacon I am indeed very aware of all the blow back from the recent scandal centered around former Cardinal McCarrick.  The realization of this latest scandal indicates to all of us that there are miles to go to drain the church of predators, pedophiles and anyone who would prey on our young people.  While it is very discouraging, it does not diminish my resolve to preach Christ and His Church, to remain firmly on the vine which is Holy Mother Church and to bring service, charity and encouragement to a hurting world.  My faith grows even stronger in the face of recent scandal.

So August promises to be very busy; predicated, in part, by whatever the news of the day/week may be surrounding Wendy's mom.  But I know that I have many masses to assist, at least 3 Baptisms this month, a special Deacon celebration of St. Lawrence on his feast day, August 10th and plenty more indeed.  And all this time we will actually be drawing closer to the real start of football season, and eventually real fall season, maybe even temps below the always mid to high nineties.

So this is all I got for August, thankful for making it through June and July and hoping to be in October soon enough!  Time marches on, and it is all gift from God!