If you have not yet done so find time in the next few days to look for the signs of spring in a garden or park and take time to wonder at the marvel of the seasons, that bulbs buried deep bring forth new life and trees with bare branches come into bud.
We get too used to the seasons and perhaps too remote from them in our age and in doing so lose the childhood wonder at the discovery of the world around us.
Spring is a season of simplicity because it is so much about allowing that childhood wonder to be re-kindled. The world is amazing, life is amazing, you are amazing.
The snowdrop is one of the symbols of early spring. A delicate pure white flower pushing up trough frozen ground, delicate yet amazingly strong.
Snowdrops are signposts of hope described by Patrick Kavanagh, “Christ will come in his January Flower” I love early February as we celebrate St Brigid’s Day this Thursday. May Spring 2018 be a time of hope for us all. May we embrace the hope and new life that visits us during this sacred season.
Imbolc
The pagan festival of Imbolc honouring the goddess Brigit falls on the same day, 1 February, as the feast of St Brigid. Imbolc is one of the four cross-quarter days with Bealtain, Lugnasagh and Samhain.
It fell midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox of the Celtic calendar and falls on 1 February in the modern Gregorian calendar.
Imbolc coincides with the festival of St Brigid of Kildare, whose cult probably incorporated elements from the worship of the goddess Brigit, or exalted one, the daughter of the god Dagda. Brigid died on 1 February 525 and the Annals of the four masters includes this death notice.
“Saint Brighit, virgin, Abbess of Cill Dara, died. It was to her Cill Dara was first granted, and by her it was founded. Brighit was she who never turned her mind or attention from the Lord for the space of one hour, but was constantly meditating and thinking of him in her heart and mind, as is evident in her own life, and in the life of St Brenainn, Bishop of Cluain Fearta.
“She spent her time diligently serving the Lord, performing wonders and miracles, healing every disease and every malady, as her life relates, until she resigned her spirit to heaven, the first day of the month of February; and her body was interred at Dun, in the same tomb with Patrick.”
“For everything there is a season.” The truth of the matter is that all of us carry with us a sense of winter and spring. Winter is often felt in the pain, anxiety and burden that is part of our human story.
So, too, it is experienced in our falls and struggles, our losses and human frailty. However, this fragile truth does not truly define who we are.
All of us have a beautiful spring, constantly being renewed in all our hearts. The spring tells the story of our resilience, courage, determination and imagination.
The spring in our story is about being able to begin again. The spring marks a significant change in the year. Spring is in the air, may we take time to breathe in its hope and light.
Traditional Prayer to St. Brigid…..
Dear St. Brigid, brilliant star of sanctity in the early days of our Irish faith and love for the omnipotent God Who has never forsaken us, we look up to you now in earnest, hopeful prayer. By your glorious sacrifice of earthly riches, joys and affections obtain for us grace to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His justice” with constant trust in His fatherly care.
By your life of laborious charity to the poor, the sick, the many seekers for light and comfort, obtain for us grace to be God’s helpers to the utmost of our power during our stay on earth, looking forward, as you did, to our life with Him during eternity.
By the sanctified peace of your death-bed, obtain for us that we may receive the fulness of pardon and peace when the hour comes that will summon us to the judgment seat of our just and most merciful Lord. Amen. I also love this poem that reflects on the life of a snowdrop………
To an Early Snowdrop
How amazing to see you
Ahead of your hour
Using your strength
To reveal a small flower.
Like a pure white pearl
Amid emerald blades
Your head peeps through
Winter’s harsh shades.
A courageous act
Pushing through frozen earth
To show me your beauty,
To reveal your true worth.
Stand tall and proud,
Delight me with your charm;
For the merest sight of you
Makes my heart calm.
Fr Paddy Byrne
SEE ALSO – Fr Paddy: Dolores O’Riordan – Iconic musical genius
