Happy Candlemas

This Christmas, there was unprecedented attention paid to the secularization of that Holiday. It seems that not only are we "taking the Christ out of Christmas" (something that has been going on for some time), but with the help of the PC police, we are even "taking the Christmas out of Christmas." In this post, I'd like to put the Christ back into one of our most silly and secular Holidays, a Holiday that most people don't even know has a religious connection.

Today is Groundhog Day. This is the day that  Punxsutawney Phil, an overfed pet groundhog living in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, makes his famous prognostication regarding the coming of spring. Today, as he almost always does, Phil "saw his shadow" and dove back into his hole, much to the disappointment of the throngs of revelers who had stayed up all night imbibing to the health of the mantic marmot. This means there will be six more weeks of winter. If the rest of the winter is as mild as it's been so far, though, I won't mind.

The legend of the groundhog predates Phil's ascent to the throne of chief pundit back in 1871 (That's one old rodent!). The original Pennsylvania Dutch legend goes back to similar European folkloric traditions of using animal behavior as signs of weather to come. The date's significance is tied to its position nearly halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox (It was exact before the adoption of the Gregorian calendar). Groundhog Day has always signified hope, a chance to start thinking of the renewal of the Earth that will be coming soon. It also speaks of the harshness of our current plight, our dependence on the higher laws of nature, and of our reliance on revelation. All of these serious themes were brilliantly and humorously addressed in one of the great Holiday movies of all time, Groundhog Day.

Coincidentally, today is Candlemas, a Christian feast whose importance has been lost of late. Candlemas commemorates the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple. The gospel of Luke relates that Mary was purified according to the religious law on the 40th day after Christ's birth, The date of Candlemas is tied to that of Christmas, being the 40th day of Christ's life. The purification of Mary was followed by Jesus' presentation in the Jerusalem temple. These facts explain the formal names, the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin and the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, given to the festival. The common name for the feast comes from the tradition of the blessing on that day of beeswax candles to be used during the year. The association of candles with the the event being commemorated seems to come also from Luke's Gospel. There, the story is told of Simeon, a devout Jew who had been promised by the Holy Ghost that he would not die until he had seen the Savior. When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem, Simeon was there, and he took Jesus into his arms and uttered the so-called Canticle of Simeon:

Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,

according to your word;

for my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles

and for glory to your people Israel.

Thus, Candlemas is a day when we recongnize Mary's obedience to a higher law, Simeon's reliance on revelation, and the happy attainment of his hope. But, through the memory of Mary's ritual purification, we also recall the harshness of our current life. Time to prepare for Lent.

Comments

[Chris]

Very nicely done, Marty.

Until 3 years ago, I never had much of a fondness for Candlemas, but now I do. I remember going to Church that AM (it was a Sunday) and listening to the reading. Afterwards, Jamie began the first twinges of labor. So I can't forget the other person (besides Simeon) who recognized Jesus as Saviour; it was the prophetess Anna.