VERNAL EQUINOX

crocus (I planted years ago) photo taken yesterday on The Feast of Saint Joseph

Yesterday was the Feast of Saint Joseph – NOT the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker as Representative Nancy Pelosi inadvertently said in the last couple days. We wait for May Day or the first day of May for that.

Today is the Vernal Equinox, or astronomically the first day of spring when for the next quarter where both the days continue to get longer (until the summer solstice) but also the daylight will be longer than the nighttime. But only in the northern hemisphere.

It has been my observation and understanding that Pagan traditions attached great meaning to the times and workings of the earth, sun, and heavens. It is also my observation that “the church” has tried to eclipse (as it were) the pagan traditions with overlaying Christian traditions, eschewing or downplaying Pagan traditions. Christmas, rather the commemoration of Christ’s birth – which seems to arbitrarily assigned to the winter solstice time of year. Christmas is dependent upon Christ’s conception which is seemingly arbitrarily assigned to the vernal equinox – The Feast of the Annunciation is next week. Early Christians probably would not begin to fathom contemporary Christians observation of Christmas and “Jesus is the reason for the season” slogans.

We approach Easter. But even the word “Easter” shows its Pagan ancestry. “Eostre – comes from Austron – goddess of fertility sunrise whose feast was celebrated at the spring equinox. The Venerable Bede noted that Anglo-Saxon Christians adopted her name and many of the celebratory practices for their Mass of Christ's resurrection.

To me, this doesn’t have to be an either/or argument, either Pagan or Christian. It doesn’t matter if yesterday was The Feast of St. Joseph or the very same St. Joseph the Worker. The argument, almost any argument exposes our human frailties of vast inability to fathom God. I am happy for both. I am happy for the equinox, it’s celebration, and happy also for the time in its cyclical and linear sense that we will soon once again mark Christ’s resurrection.

photo of same crocus today - the vernal equinox - the first day of spring - with snow

Yours is the day, yours also the night; *
you established the moon and the sun.

You fixed all the boundaries of the earth; *
you made both summer and winter.

Psalm 74: 15-16


SOLI DEO GLORIA