Christ Healing the Blind (done between 1570 and 1575) El Greco (1541–1614) Source: Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden via Wikimedia Commons Public Domain
Laetare Sunday is the fourth Sunday in the Lenten season. Since it is half way through Lent, it is a time to rejoice (Laetare means rejoice) and a time to understand about baptismal rebirth. Priests can elect to wear rose colored vestments on this Sunday. And the Gospel of John account of the blind man being healed is read. The Solemnity of St. Joseph, which is observed on March 19, will be moved to the following day should it be on Laetare Sunday.
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Foggy Forest by George Hodan Publicdomainpictures.net
Spring is almost here but winter still has a kick in it.
Rain Flooded Country Road Credit:Sheila Brown/Publicdomainpictures.netPhoto: George Hodan (publicdomainpictures.net)
And in case you forgot-Daylight Savings Time began at 2 am by adding one hour to 3 am on March 12. So if you did not do so, you need to move your clock one hour ahead or you will be late for work on Monday!
February by Leandro Bassano,1595/1600 Public Domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
January has been sent to the exit and we welcome February. February is the second month on the current Gregorian and the old Julian calendar. The month is the shortest on the calendar: 28 days in regular years and 29 during a leap year. Meteorologically speaking, it is the last month of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. However, winter can and often does continue after February no matter what a certain groundhog indicates. February comes from Februa, a Roman ritual of cleansing.
Why the leap year?
The old Roman calendar was ten months, which began in March and ended in December. When January and February were added it meant February became the last month of the year. That meant the month had to have 28 days to fit into the calendar. A leap month was introduced every few years after February to make room for the thirteenth month. This meant February had to be shortened. As you might guess, this made things a bit confusing. Julius Caesar introduced the new calendar in 46 BC (named for him of course). He abolished the 13th month and introduced the leap year so that every fourth year, February would have 29 instead of 28 days. Thus, the leap year was born and became part of the Gregorian calendar as well.
February has some important events in it. There is Groundhog Day (Feb 2) where a groundhog comes out of its burrow in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania, and its behavior determines–if he goes back in or stays out–whether winter will last six weeks more, or spring will start early. German immigrants used to see hedgehogs coming out of hibernation as a sign of winter ending back in Germany. Unfortunately, hedgehogs are not found in the wild in Pennsylvania (or most of North America except as domesticated pets where allowed) so the groundhog became the substitute.
For many Americans, Superbowl Sunday is the big event where two top teams in the NFL duke it out. It is one the biggest sports events of the year and millions tune in to watch. Fast food places get lots of orders for delivery on that day and bars showing the game are often overflowing. And the ads for the game itself are specially tailored for the event. For everyone else (like some friends of mine), watching the original Star Wars IV, V, and VI or The Godfather I & II are that Sunday afternoon.
Of course, the other big day is Valentine’s Day on February 14 which is celebrated in the U.S. and around the world as well. Restaurants, florists, and chocolate makers all are major beneficiaries of this day set aside to show our affection to our wives, girlfriends, and others close to us.
The symbols for February are:
The birthstone is amethyst. It symbolizes piety, humility, spiritual wisdom, and sincerity.
There are three birth flowers for February: the violet (Viola), the primrose (Primula vulgaris) and the Iris.
Fun fact: The first full moon of February is called the Snow Moon.
The Winter Solstice occurs usually between December 20-23 with the sun directly overhead the Tropic of Capricorn. This results in the North Pile being tilted the furthest away making it the shortest day of the year followed by the longest night. The further north you live during winter means less daylight during the winter. Some areas in Alaska or Scandinavia can be nearly dark or near dark during this period. By contrast, those in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate the Summer Solstice, as it marks the beginning of summer. Which is why while people shiver in Philadelphia and New York for Christmas but down in Australia, Christmas is celebrated outdoors with a barbeque.
Solstices and Equinoxes Image: NASA
Many cultures observed the Winter Solstice as it marked an important time in the agricultural cycle. By this time all crops and livestock had been prepared for winter. Important foodstuffs were stored for the months when virtually nothing grew. Wine and beer, which had been fermenting during the year, was ready. Cattle and pigs would often be killed at the start of winter so they would not have to be fed during this time. The early months of winter were tough in many places and often called the “famine months” since little food was to be found. Many cultures observed the Winter Solstice as a renewal or that the year was reborn. For out of the seeming withdrawal of the sun, it would come back just as strong and powerful as before. Thus, the Winter Solstice was seen by many as the start of a new year such as the old Roman Feast of the Unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) which happened around the 25th of December.
Night town with the Christmas lighting, Harrogate, North Yorkshire George Hodan, publicdomainpictures.net
December is the 12th month on the Gregorian calendar. The name derives from the Latin word decem, which means ten. Originally December was the tenth month in an older calendar as it started in March. Apparently the winter days that followed December were not included in a month until much later when January and February were added. December retained its name though. Anglo-Saxons used the term Yule for December-January, but that now that has largely come to mean December and the Christmas season.
December has the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the summer solstice in the Southern. Winter traditionally begins on the astronomical calendar around 21 December or the date of the actual solstice. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and depending on how far north you live, sunlight may only be for a few hours on that day. The symbols for December are the narcissus flower and turquoise, zircon and tanzanite as the birthstones.
Most Christians celebrate Advent in preparation for the celebration of Christmas on 25 December. Jews celebrate Chanukah/Hanukkah, the 8-day Festival of Lights in December as well. Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26-January 1.
For many in the U.S., the day after Thanksgiving is a time to go for some long walks or exercise to work off all the food eaten the day before. Many put up holiday lights while others head to do some shopping. Friday after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday where stores open to the masses to sell products at deeply discounted prices. Alas with the inflation running high this year, most will keep to necessities. Only those with disposable income will be spending lots of money. Kim Kardashian will probably drop lots of money and then tweet out what she has bought to those who actually follow her.
Or you could sit back for a bit and have a bit of fun after all the heck you went through to get the materials for the feast, cook and serve to friends and family. Or that family member that grumbled they did not like the cranberry sauce since it did not come out of a can, or that the mashed potatoes were too mashed for their taste. So take step back and enjoy some humor. Here is the now infamous turkey drop scene from an old tv show called WKRP. The infamous turkey drop will never be forgotten. And of course all the poor fools who thought they knew how to deep fry turkey and instead ended up cooking something else entirely different.
Deep fried turkey tastes delicious but requires careful preparation. Far too many people put a turkey into the pot but fail in putting too much oil. The hot oil bubbles over the top, hits the ground and fires erupt. If your turkey fryer is too close to home, well it can be quite unfortunate. The most inane thing to do is put a frozen bird into hot oil. I am dumbfounded that people did not get this in their high school science class. Putting something cold, especially frozen, into a hot liquid will have explosive consequences. The safest way is simply to use a large deep fryer that sits on your counter top. You simply lower the meat into the oil, close the lid, and set the timer. There are indicator lines that show exactly how much oil to use. If you are going to use the open deep fryer, you have to follow those instructions carefully and make sure to use less oil than actually needed. And make sure to have lots of baking soda or the right fire extinguisher rated to put out oil based fires. Never use it indoors and always away from any structures. Keep children and pets away. A splash of hot oil on your skin will be very painful, so wear protective gear on your hands and even your face.
Bridge In Autumn Forest Image: Lilla Frerichs publicdomainpictures.net
For those following the liturgical calendar, this is the last day of ordinary time in most Christian churches. Next Sunday is the start of a new liturgical year and is the first Sunday of Advent for those that follow that calendar (Eastern Orthodox uses the old Julian calendar, so they are 13 days behind. For 2023, Christmas Eve will be on January 6 and Christmas Day on January 7.)
Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. is this coming Thursday, November 24.
