While the pagan secularists and protestants with whatever little faith in Christ that they have left are out celebrating a couple of rodents be they in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania or Wiarton, Ontario, we Catholics are blest to know that the groundhog is but a beautiful creature of God, it is not a god that can predict anything -- even in jest. It is a mockery of the One True God and His First Commandment - to even joke that an animal can predict the weather other than by its Creator growing it a longer coat.
Today is Candlemas, the official end of the Christmas Season according to ancient tradition. The Christmas cycle ends with the last singing of the Alma Redemptoris Mater tonight and on a personal note, the Christmas tree will be lit one last time tonight and out tomorrow.
This feast - solemnity recalls the day when our Blessed Mother - Mary being a Jewess and forty days after giving birth to her first-born Son, the Messiah; presented herself in the Temple as Orthodox Jewish women still do today for a mikvah, or Purification.
The proof that "Groundhog Day" is Candlemas is in history.
Look at this little English rhyme:
In Germany, it went thus:
For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,
These were quaint little cultural occurrences in Europe. When the protestants came to America, mainly the Germans into Pennsylvania, they could not have anything to do with their heritage, the One, True Catholic faith.
So they substituted a rodent.
Canadians of course, followed suit with the worship of Willie rather than the Light to the Gentiles.
For the rest of us Catholics in the Toronto area, there is this:
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Today is Candlemas, the official end of the Christmas Season according to ancient tradition. The Christmas cycle ends with the last singing of the Alma Redemptoris Mater tonight and on a personal note, the Christmas tree will be lit one last time tonight and out tomorrow.
This feast - solemnity recalls the day when our Blessed Mother - Mary being a Jewess and forty days after giving birth to her first-born Son, the Messiah; presented herself in the Temple as Orthodox Jewish women still do today for a mikvah, or Purification.
The proof that "Groundhog Day" is Candlemas is in history.
Look at this little English rhyme:
If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come, Winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Go Winter, and come not again.
In Germany, it went thus:
For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,
So far will the snow swirl until May.
These were quaint little cultural occurrences in Europe. When the protestants came to America, mainly the Germans into Pennsylvania, they could not have anything to do with their heritage, the One, True Catholic faith.
So they substituted a rodent.
Canadians of course, followed suit with the worship of Willie rather than the Light to the Gentiles.
For the rest of us Catholics in the Toronto area, there is this:
Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord,
according to Thy word in peace;
Because my eyes have seen Thy salvation,
Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples:
A light to the revelation of the Gentiles,
and the glory of Thy people Israel.
