Candlemas

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright
Winter will have another fight.
If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain,
Winter won't come again.

If Candlemas Day be dry and fair,
The half o the winter's to come and mair;
If Candlemas Day be wet and foul,
The half o the winter's gane at Yule.

Tomorrow is the feast of Candlemas, originally an ancient festival marks the midpoint of winter, halfway between the shortest day and the spring equinox. Candlemas is a Christian festival when we remember the presentation of Jesus Christ in the Temple. Forty days after the birth of a Jewish boy, it was the custom to take him to the temple in Jerusalem to be presented to God by his thankful parents. In pre-Christian times, this day was known as the 'Feast of Lights' and celebrated the increasing strength of the life-giving sun as winter gave way to spring. It was the day of the year when all the candles to be used in the church during the coming year were brought into church and blessed - so it was the Festival Day (or 'mass') of the Candles.

So, as I'm getting ready for tomorrow's service, I've thought about light .....

The light we see here on earth left the sun about eight & a half minutes earlier, but was created in the core of the sun 100,000 years ago

At least a quarter of people respond to bright lights by sneezing. This is called the photic sneeze reflex or, believe it or not, ACHOO syndrome (Autosomal-dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst)

Better to light a candle than curse the darkness
Chinese proverb

Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you
Maori proverb

Where there is sunshine the Doctor starves
Flemish proverb