Nothing earth-shattering there.
But last week I heard the relation to the solstices for the first time. (Bear with me if I'm the last to figure this out!)
John's feast day is very close to the summer solstice - the longest, brightest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. There are many analogies one can draw from that (ie, John blazed the path to Jesus, shone the light towards Him, etc).
But ironically (or planned?), just as John said he must decrease - so Jesus could increase - each day after the summer solstice gets a bit shorter and a bit darker.
Until, of course, we get to the winter solstice, which ironically (or planned?) is right about when we celebrate the birth of our Savior.
After that, every day gets a bit longer and a bit brighter!
God Bless.
6 comments:
Interesting facts, Michael. This would certainly throw a monkey wrench into those who say Jesus wasn't born on or around Dec. 25.
Michael,
Be honest now. Do you secretly fly over to our church every Sunday? What you said here is exactly what our priest said in his sermon last week. Unless it is you who writes his sermons?
I'll ask him next Sunday.
God bless.
Our Pastor mentioned this in his homily too! It struck me the way it struck you!
God bless you, Michael :)
Karinann, Colleen, Victor, Mary: Thank you for stopping by and leaving your comments. I'm glad I'm not the only one to just learn this! (Victor, I'd feel bad for your parish if your priest used me as inspiration for his sermons! We'll just go with the flying thing ;) )
Michael,
We have two priests. One of them gives long drawn-out sermons that are meant to put everyone to sleep. I think he needs your help in writing better sermons for him. Your Quick Bytes would improve him no end.
God bless.
I just thought of the to and googled to your page. Near the summer solstice that just past I had a weird feeling almost an anxiety attack and was looking up at the sky and had thoughts of it opening up and than a big storm came through. Later that night I learned Romani gypsies have some story or parallel and call Elijah the thunderer and many people believe John is Elijah. Very strange. Of much context just weird feeling n thoughts on that day June 24-25
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