On Candlemas Day

Last year, 2012, did not see many posts here.  Right now when I think 2012, the one word that comes to mind is tears, lots and lots of tears.  When the new year rolled around I couldn't come up with any  resolutions except to maybe not cry so much this year.   And I've already broken it.   Sigh.

This morning, on one of my favorite days of the year, I happened to be thumbing through a book that I haven't looked at in years and found a sweet little legend -

A Tear Moves His Heart

There is a legend of the Blessed Mother and her Divine Infant, seated under a portico, the Infant sleeping in Blessed Virgin's arms.  A group of pleasure-seeking young people passed by; but the sleeping Infant did not hear them. A procession of newly-weds approached with festive noise and still the Infant did not seem to hear them.

Then the thought came to the Blessed Virgin of Simeon's prophecy in the Temple, that a sword would pierce her heart.  A tear appeared on her cheek and the Infant started out of sleep and opened His eyes.

'What has alarmed You, my Child?'asked the Mother as she bent to caress Him.

'Mother,' replied the Infant, I heard something like a thump in My heart that awakened Me.

In the midst of the world's tumult, the silent tears of mothers of families still move the tender Heart of the Son of God."
- From "Family Life -Catholic Facts, Sayings, and Stories" by Fr. Anselm J. Viano *

And just look at that picture above - my cyclamen bloomed this morning!!  One of these years I really want to force some snowdrops but I am tickled PINK that my cyclamen bloomed again. You see, you have to understand something - for years I have purchased two cyclamens in support of my daughter's youth orchestra.  I bring them home after the concert which is held the first weekend in December and slowly watch them die throughout Advent.  By Christmas they are generally rather pathetic looking and moved to outside the back door before any company comes.   But this year our local paper ran an article on their care and some of the tips really helped.

I removed the foil wrapper and put the pot on top of a layer of shells in a clay saucer.  I filled the saucer with water and whenever it went dry I refilled it.  The shells keep the pot out of the water but the evaporating water helps the plant get the moisture it needs.  I also moved the plants to a cooler room in the house (not hard in our little drafty house and they were much happier in a window that got morning sun.  In the past they did not like being in a sometimes steamy, sometimes freezing bathroom or in the same room with the wood stove. 

 I am just giddy!

We've removed the Chritmas greens - as we always do this day -

Down with the rosemary, and so
Down with the bays and misletoe;
Down with the holly, ivy, all
Wherewith ye dress'd the Christmas hall;
That so the superstitious find
No one least branch there left behind;
For look, how many leaves there be
Neglected there, maids, trust to me,
So many goblins you shall see.

Robert Herrick - other versions here.

 

Here's a couple of pictures of the boys from our very happy Christmas this year -

 

 

 



 

*This book is a reprint from a past era, and while there are lovely little gems to be found like the above story, there are also sentiments that are better left in the past!