Happy February!

The 2nd February marks a turning point in the Church's calender. It is the feast of the Presentation in the Temple, the day when Jesus was offered to his Father to redeem our world.  We used to call it Candlemas Day - do you remember that?  It still is the day when all the candles to be used in the Church's ceremonies this year are blessed. It is a reminder that Christ is the light of our world, and that his coming lighted up all the dark places of this planet, not just physically dark, but places where people are lonely or depressed, sad, and without hope.  That is real darkness. 

 

But, you and I have been given a task, and that is to bring the light of Christ to bear on all those dark places where people feel hopeless and there is no one to lead them to Christ. He has given us his hands to work with, his heart to love with and his mind to illumine the world.  Us?" Yes, actually All of us.  We have to make people feel better for having known us. We have to bring Christ into our own homes, our schools, our places of work and recreation.

 

That doesn't mean being a 'holier than thou' sort of person - it just means that we remember each day to smile at that person who never seems to be happy, to pray for all those on the buses and trains we travel on, those who walk our streets.  Just a little prayer, that God will bless them. Bringing the light of Christ to every situation we find ourselves in is really much easier than it seems. We never know what good a little prayer does, but one day we will meet those people we prayed for, and they will thank us in Heaven.  That is sure. 

I hope you remembered that February starts with the feast of St. Brigid.  By any standards she was a remarkable woman.  Her father was a chieftain and her mother a slave in his house! Brigid was their only child. She had a special gift of helping others.  She was never known to refuse anyone who asked her for help, especially those who were poor.  Often she was in trouble with her father because she gave away some of his possessions to the poor!

 

She was very good-looking, and her father wanted her to marry, but she became a nun and founded a monastery in Kildare which was famous for its learning.  Brigid could turn her hand to anything. She did beautiful art work, especially illuminated scrolls, and she and her seven companions produced a famously beautiful illuminated book called The Book of Kildare.  Wasn't that something in the 5th century?  She was made an Abbess by St. Mel, which meant that she had the same authority that a Bishop had.  It was remarkable that a woman of that time could become so famous and so powerful, in the sense that she was revered and listened to by kings, chieftains Bishops and priests alike!  What a blow for the advancement of women! There were of course, great women around at that time, in fact the pre-mediaevals were known for the valour and holiness of their womenfolk!

 

What I like about the feast of St. Brigid is that in Ireland they call it the first day of Spring.  I went out on Friday to look at the ground and to search for signs of that welcome the season.  I really could smell the quickening of the earth, or was it just wishful thinking?

 

Anyway, pray to St. Brigid for wisdom, courage and generosity.  She will surely smile at you and give you something of what you ask.  Have a good month of February.  More next week!

 

 

 

Click here to learn how to make a St. Brigids Cross.