I enjoyed Groundhog Day this year. Usually I don’t give it much thought actually. In the past I have heard a few weather forecasters make small mention of it. At times I have forgotten just what the shadow means – more winter? Or earlier spring? That is about how much attention I give to it. Basically it has been low on my radar.
This year will stand out for me a little differently. Maybe you paid attention to the news, but I don’t want you to think that a mayor being bitten by a groundhog in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin is the big difference this year for me, although that was a surprising weather story. I never knew that groundhogs could be so cranky. Then again if I had been roused from slumber and a TV camera and lights were in my face, I might be out of sorts and want to return to my den as fast as I could despite a mayor standing in my way. I can be somewhat sympathetic with that poor rodent.
I am also glad that Grand Marais’s new mayor is safe from ferocious groundhogs.
What will make this year stand out differently is a story a friend of mine shared about a day he celebrated
February 2 in a church he served in Vilnius, Lithuania. In his church they remembered the many festivals of the church year and for them February 2nd was not Groundhog Day, it was Candlemas, the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord.
You see February 2nd is the 40th day after Christmas. And that is the day that Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Temple according to what was required in the Torah. And it was on that day that Simeon the old prophet in Jerusalem took Jesus in his arms and blessed and praised God and announced that Jesus is the “light for revelation to the nations.”
The churches that remember this as a special day hold a festival service and bless the church candles as symbols of this light to the nations, which we are honored to carry. Hence the day is also called Candlemas.
On that particular day in Lithuania, as my friend celebrated worship in a poorly heated un-insulated 17th century sanctuary, the windows and the poinsettias glistened in the early morning light with the frost that gathered from the breath of all the singing and praying. It cast a wonderful glow as if to assure them in a frigid land that spring was not far away. Upon reading his story I went into our sanctuary at Bethlehem, lit a candle, read Luke 22-40, and gave thanks to God for the light to the nations we are honored to carry today.
As I left our well-heated adequately insulated 20th century sanctuary, I glanced outside and caught the sparkle of sunlight on the beautiful blanket of snow we have been blessed to receive. That dazzling display didn’t make me think of spring even as bright and wonderful as it was, but I just had to pause and admire the beauty God shares with us in so many ways and I was deeply aware of all the blessing God does provide.
Here in the northland we have the blessing of such beauty in the snowflakes and ice crystals that help mollify the harshness of the frigid winter days. With all this beauty I can wait a little longer for spring. With my friend’s story in mind I will look for that display of beauty each year at Candlemas to remind me to bless and praise God for the light to the nations. This year certainly I was renewed in that practice to carry the light of God’s blessing and grace forward. “Lord, 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 sight of all peoples, a light for revelation to the nations and for glory to your people Israel.”—spoken by Simeon the prophet in Luke 2:29-32
Each month a member of the Cook County Ministerium will offer Spiritual Reflections. This month our contributor is Reverend Mark Ditmanson of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Grand Marais.
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