Light in the darkness
As I post this first offering for the New Year somehow the theme of light in the darkness seems very appropriate. The last few days have brought bad weather to many with flooding and snow causing problems in equal measure and we currently find ourselves into our 3rd session of lockdown within the space of a year. Some friends have given up on watching the news because, in spite of hope on the horizon in the shape of a vaccine, the daily reports with their spiralling statistics are just so depressing.
Yet looking out of my study window in the natural world there is hope on the horizon. The shortest day is behind us, the evenings are beginning to draw out and although it may not feel like spring the birds are beginning to sing, from deep in the earth small signs of life and hope are starting to appear if only we are able to see them. This message of new life and hope is one of the major themes of Candlemas which we celebrate on February 2nd. There are of course many traditions surrounding this day and indeed the beginning of February. One ancient rhyme connected with the festival says:
If Candlemas day be sunny and bright, winter again will show its might.
If Candlemas day be cloudy and grey, winter soon will pass away.
In North America February 2nd is Groundhog Day. The name comes from good old fashioned folk lore brought to America by Dutch and German speaking settlers. Originally the legend said that if the badger (which was revered back home as a reliable forecasting animal) emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow because the sun is shining it will retreat to its den and winter will persist for six more weeks. However, if the day is cloudy and there is no shadow then spring will be early. On arriving in their new land, the settlers were dismayed to discover a shortage of badgers and so as the next best thing the responsibility for forecasting the beginning of spring passed to the humble Groundhog, as the great Michael Caine once said “not a lot of people know that!”
However we choose to mark the beginning of February, at this time of the year as the darkness begins to recede, my hope and prayer is that we may make the effort to seek out those signs of new life and hope, whatever shape or form they may take, and take the time to share them with others.
After the following quote and prayer you will find a video with reflections on Candlemas in words, music and pictures.
Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you think you’ve been buried,
but actually, you’ve been planted.
Christine Caine
Lord, bless to us your light in our darkness
bless to us your hope in our hearts
bless to us your peace in our homes.
Prayer taken from
Dreamers and Stargazers Chris Thorpe
Canterbury Press
Rose's Occasional Ramble 