15 August - Assumption

Weather: On Saint Mary's Day, sunshine brings much good wine.

If the sun shines on Mary's day, that is a good token, and especially for wine.

[Heretofore I have entered that last word as ‘wind’ because that is the way I found it, but I do believe the typesetter of that book made an error; therefore I have changed it to wine.  Wind at this time of year is not a good token, too often taking the form of Category I or higher.  Of course, overindulgence in a good wine can make you feel like you’ve been through a Category 1 or higher.]

Rain on St. Lawrence is late but good            (August 10)

Rain on Assumption is also late but good     (August 15)

But if St. Bartholomew rains, slap him!         (August 29)

[once the harvest begins, we need dry weather.  A late rain can mildew the plants in both field and barn]

Farming and Gardening:

When Mary left us here below,

The Virgin's Bower begins to blow;

The Holy Queen of Heaven gives us the first nuts.

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Hail! Holy Virgin mother, wedded Maid;

Blest Temple of the Trinity ador’d;

All Angels’ joy, meek Virtue’s Cypress shade,

Fountain of clemency, pure Spouse of God,

Lost pilgrims’ Loadstar on life’s troubled way;

Candle of heavenly unction, Patience’s Palm

Sweet light of morning, bright Star of the day,

Lamp of Devotion, wounded sinners’ Balm.

Chaplet of graces, Posy of our prayers,

Chastity’s Cedar, Humility’s fair cell,

Hope’s constant magnet, solace of our cares,

Vessel of comfort for Affliction’s dell,

Rose of sweet heavenly odors, Lily pure,

Beneath thy foster care we rest secure.

                                 Thomas Forster, Philosophia Musarum, 1845

Here we are again at the glorious high-summer festival in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Take herbs to be blessed at Mass today, or make an Assumption bouquet of flowers and herbs.  And chocolate was discovered today!  Huzzah!

Good wine and good chocolate and a beautiful summer’s day – doesn’t get much better than that.

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Once upon a time, not too long ago, this was an important Feast, a Double of the 1st Class, with a Vigil (with its fast) fore and an Octave aft, and a Plenary indulgence attached.  Now it is a Solemnity, with all the accoutrements stripped away that might make Protestants even more nervous than they already are with this further evidence of Catholic Mariolotry (got to keep that ecumenism going!)

Okay, I am being facetious.  Over the years, several popes have decided to make things easier (you can say 'dumbing down' if you like - I do) and so instead of a truly awe-inspiring Feast, we now have something from the category, "oh-bother-not-another-holy-day-of-obligation-I-just-went-to-Mass-on-Sunday-I-have-other-things-to-do!".  Can't get much easier than that.

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Artwork: “Assumption” from the Hours of Catherine of Cleves, 15^th century. Morgan Library, New York.

23 April - Saint George; Poke Cake

“The birthday of St. George, whose illustrious martyrdom is honored by the Church of God among the combats of other crowned martyrs.”

You can read the Golden Legend’s account of Saint George and the Dragon here.  The account below comes from an Old English Martyrology, a compilation of early medieval martyrologies, and doesn't mention the dragon:

“On the twenty-third of the month is the festival of the holy man St. George, whom the emperor Datianus tormented seven years with unspeakable tortures that he might forswear Christ, but he never could overcome him; and after seven years he ordered him to be beheaded.”

[George must have been relieved]

“When he was led to his execution, fire came from heaven and consumed the heathen emperor and all those who had formerly tortured the holy man.  St. George prayed to the Lord speaking thus: ‘Jesus Christ, receive my spirit: and I beg of Thee that which man soever keep my commemoration on earth, Thou remove all sickness from the house of this man: no enemy may hurt him, nor hunger nor pestilence; and if a man mentions my name in any danger either on sea or on a journey, then Thy mercy may attend upon him.’  There came a voice from heaven speaking to him: ‘Come, thou blessed one, whatever man invokes My Name by thee on any danger, I shall hear him.’  Since then, the powers of this holy man were often made widely known.  He who reads St. Arculfus’ book may perceive this, that the man was heavily punished who dishonoured St. George’s image, and he who sought it for the sake of intercession was protected against his foes in the midst of great peril.”

 The Reflection in John Gilmary Shea’s Lives of the Saints comes from Saint Bruno:

“What shall I say of fortitude, without which neither wisdom nor justice is of any worth?  Fortitude is not of the body, but is a constancy of soul; wherewith we are conquerors in righteousness, patiently bear all adversities, and in prosperity are not puffed up.  This fortitude he lacks who is overcome by pride, anger, greed, drunkenness, and the like.  Neither have they fortitude who, when in adversity, make shift to escape at their souls’ expense; wherefore the Lord says, ‘Fear not those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul.’  In like manner, those who are puffed up in prosperity and abandon themselves to excessive joviality cannot be called strong.  For how can they be called strong who cannot hide and repress the heart’s emotion?  Fortitude is never conquered, or if conquered, is not fortitude.”

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In Catalonia (Spain), the day is a celebrated by giving roses and books to loved ones. [Catalonia, as a former territory of the old Kingdom of Aragon, celebrates Sant Jordi as their patron.]  An enterprising 20^th century bookseller saw a way to reduce his stock and promoted April 23^rd as the “Day of the Book”, since Miguel de Cervantes died today (well, he was buried on this day in 1616).  And what better way to celebrate books than by giving one to each person you love?  In 1995, citing a few more authors who were either born or died on the 23^rd (like William Shakespeare) the day was made universal by UNESCO as “World Book and Copyright Day”. 

[Not that the Widow has anything against a festival which honors books (in fact, when it comes to giving books to loved ones, she would remember that she loves herself a whole lot), but have you ever noticed that when reading about the history of holy days, the usual mantra is about how those mean ol’ Christians stole the days from the fun-loving pagans and then either absorbed or suppressed the pagan celebrations, but when secular entities turn our holy days into festivals honoring man’s achievements (or vices) nobody thinks, “Why, those mean ol’ secular entities! How dare they!” ?  You hadn’t noticed?  Never mind, then.]

The Catalan flag, four red bars on a field of gold, is everywhere, and besides the books and the roses, there are delicacies offered today, like pa de Sant Jordi, a savory bread striated in red and yellow, and, of course, cakes decorated either in the Catalan colors or, more fanciful, made to look like books.

So today, take a nod from the Catalans and make a cake to honor Saint George.  A POKE CAKE would be fun and easy.  If you need a recipe, try this one from Kraft.  Otherwise, the steps are simple, using a box of cake mix, a box of gelatin mix, and whatever you fancy for frosting.

For Saint George’s emblem (red cross on a white field) = white cake.  For the Catalan flag = yellow cake.

Make a sheet cake or cupcakes according to directions.  Allow cake to cool.

Poke holes in the cooled cake about ½ inch apart (three or four holes in cupcakes).  The recipes call for using a fork.  I use the handle of a wooden spoon, which produces a hole about 3/8” diameter.

Choose a flavored gelatin mix.  Both St. George’s cross and the Catalan flag would have red stripes, so use strawberry or raspberry gelatin (or another favorite red flavor).  Or, since it was once traditional in England to wear blue today (the color of the Order of the Garter, under the patronage of Saint George), use blueberry gelatin with white cake.  Dissolve a box of gelatin mix in 1 cup of boiling water.  Stir in ½ cup of cold water.  Pour this over the cake.  Put the cake in the refrigerator and let it chill for 3 – 4 hours.

When ready, frost and decorate as you like.  Whipped cream is always good.  White frosting with a red St. George Cross in decorating gel or even fruit (like strawberries).  Yellow frosting with four red bars in decorating gel for the Catalan flag.  If you are really creative, draw St. George on the top of the cake.  If you are more like me, color and cut out figures of St. George and the Dragon, attach them to wooden skewers or popsicle sticks and insert them into the cake.

And for dinner?  It has to be Dragon’s Breath Chili!  Be brave!  Remember, FORTITUDE!

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Artwork:

‘Woodcut of St. George’, The Golden Legend, (Dutch, 1485)

“Saint George”, The Belles Heures of Jean, Duc de Berry, 15^th century.

Flag of Catalonia, swiped from Wikipedia.

‘Saint George’, Hours of Catherine of Cleves, 15^th century

15 December - Bill of Rights Day

How apropos.

In 1791, ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States were ratified by the required three-quarters of the states and became law.  While further amendments have been made to the Constitution, these first ten are known as the "Bill of Rights".

Celebrate them while you can.

One part of the First Amendment has been under fire for the last four years, and will come to its proving ground next year.

And because of yesterday's horrific crime, the usual suspects are up in arms (oh, did I say that?) screaming for the deletion of the Second Amendment.

The Bill of Rights.  Going the way of the dinosaurs.

Because, as the old show said, "You Asked For It!"

15 May - Ides of May

Ovid in his fasti says that today is a festival of Mercury, and he writes the amusing prayer of a local merchant.  It starts off pious enough, and then descends to something less, as so many prayers do:

‘Wash away all the lies of the past,’ he says,

‘Wash away all the perjured words of a day that’s gone.

If I’ve called on you as witness, and falsely invoked

Jove’s great power, hoping he wouldn’t hear:

If I’ve knowingly taken the names of gods and goddesses,

In vain: let the swift southerlies steal my sinful words,

And leave the day clear for me, [so far so good, and then...] for further perjuries,

And let the gods above fail to notice I’ve uttered any.

Just grant me my profit, give me joy of the profit I’ve made:

And make sure I’ll have the pleasure of cheating a buyer.’

Ovid stopped short.  What about:

O Lord, forgive my hasty temper and unkind words and help me to find a charitable way to tell That Woman that she is a female dog...

O Lord, forgive me for stealing from my employers by wasting time on the Internet during working hours, but there is a comments war going on at my favorite forum and You really don't expect me to miss that, do You?... It's a Catholic forum, if that helps.

O Lord, help me to be more charitable... and there is no way I'm volunteering to drive that old woman to church, because then she'll want to stop for coffee, or do a little shopping, or go to the park because it is such a lovely day.  What am I, a chauffeur?

O Lord, the priest says that carrying on an affair with a married person is a sin, and of course he is right, but this isn't an affair because we're in love... and besides, everyone says that I am so joyful, so that must be a good witness for the Faith, right?

O Lord, I'm really sorry that my business has gone down the drain and I had to let go of my employees, but its not my fault, it's the economy and those d---d politicians from the opposite party, but it's okay because I have been very clever in moving company funds into my personal accounts over the years so I will still be able to give some money to the Church, only not right now, because who knows when the economy will come back up and I have four properties to pay for, and my kid has been accepted to Yale, and tuition there doesn't come cheap, Y'know? And thank You for Your many blessings.

OMG! I mean, O Lord, the priest says that I'm taking Your Name in vain, and I'm sorry if you think so, but OMG! is just a phrase we use online and texting - You know what texting is? - and even when I actually say OH MY GOD! I'm not really referring to You, it's like saying NO WAY! and GET OUT! so will You please tell the priest to get off my case?

And so on....

14 February - Saint Valentine

Of Saint Valentine nothing is known, except that he (or they - there were at least two of the same name around the same time) was martyred for his faith.  Everything else is pious legend.  His association with lovers seems not to have occurred until the late 14th century.

The story of Saint Valentine, as known to the medieval European, is recounted in the 13th century "Golden Legend":
"S. Valentine, friend of our Lord and priest of great authority, was at Rome. It happed that Claudius the emperor made him to come tofore him and said to him in demanding: What thing is that which I have heard of thee, Valentine? Why wilt thou not abide in our amity, and worship the idols and renounce the vain opinion of thy creance? S. Valentine answered him: If thou hadst very knowledge of the grace of Jesu Christ thou shouldest not say this that thou sayest, but shouldest deny the idols and worship very God."

This did not go over well with the emperor "...and S. Valentine was delivered in the keeping of the provost."

"When S. Valentine was brought in an house in prison, then he prayed to God, saying: Lord Jesu Christ very God, which art very light, enlumine this house in such wise that they that dwell therein may know thee to be very God. And the provost said: I marvel me that thou sayest that thy God is very light, and nevertheless, if he may make my daughter to hear and see, which long time hath been blind, I shall do all that thou commandest me, and shall believe in thy God. S. Valentine anon put him in prayers, and by his prayers the daughter of the provost received again her sight, and anon all they of the the house were converted. After, the emperor did do smite off the head of S. Valentine, the year of our Lord two hundred and eighty. Then let us pray to S. Valentine that he get us pardon of our sins. Amen."

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The choosing of a 'valentine' seems to have been an attempt to nudge young people in the right direction toward matrimony - following along the thought that if you pair up an unmarried young man with an unmarried young woman, who then keep company together, give each other little presents, wear each others' favors, attend the dances and festivals together, etc., they might just have a heart-shaped lightbulb moment and continue keeping company all the way to the altar.

Be that as it may, once the idea of choosing a valentine took hold, it stayed - except that it wasn't so much choice as luck of the draw.  The universal custom relied on lots to assign valentines to each other - but from there, the customs differed according to time and place.

[Oh, and none of this had anything to do with the Roman festival of Lupercalia.  Nothing.  Zip. I refer you to this article on the Lupercalia, and Mr. Thayer's comments at the end of it.   As he says, "There are a lot of things we don't know.  Many people, abhorring a void, fill it up with nonsense."  True... too true.]

But, back to the differing customs:

1. The names of the young unmarried women (only) were put in a receptacle. Each unmarried young man drew a name, and for the time being (whatever it was by custom) was that woman's cavalier servente. [per Rev. Butler, Saint Francis de Sales tried to stop this in the early 17th century by substituting saints' names for those of the young women.  I wonder, did he substitute female saints for the young men to worship?]

2. The names of the unmarried young men and the unmarried young women were put in different receptacles.  Each person drew from the names of the opposite gender, giving each young woman two beaus to her string (the one she chose and the one who chose her) and each young man two belles to his.  Little attentions were expected from all, but, as reported in Francois Maximilian Misson's "Memoirs and Observations in his Travels into England" in 1698: "... the Man sticks faster to the Valentine that is fallen to him than to the Valentine to whom he is fallen. Fortune having thus divided the company into so many couples, the Valentines give balls and treats to their mistresses, wear their billets several days upon their bosoms or sleeves, and this little sport often ends in Love."

3. Another custom using the lot was that the first person of the opposite sex one sees that day is one's Valentine.  William Walsh in his "Curiosities of Popular Customs" (1898) calls this "challenging your Valentine": "The challenge consisted simply in saying, "Good morrow, 'tis St. Valentine's Day," and he or she who said it first on meeting a person of the opposite sex received a present.  Later a gallant custom enacted that the gentleman alone should give the present, but only if he were successfully challenged. This explains good Mr. Pepys's anxiety when early on St. Valentine's Day (1664) he called at Sir William Batten's and would not go in "till I asked whether they that opened the door was a man or a woman, and Mingo, who was there, answered a woman, which, with his tones, made me laugh; so up I went, and took Mrs. Martha for my Valentine (which I do only for complacency); and Sir W. Batten he go in the same manner to my wife, and so we were very merry.""

Further: "It seems also that some element of choice as well as of chance had now been introduced into the sport, for a person could wilfully close his or her eyes and refuse to open them until an appropriate mate arrived. Thus, on next St. Valentine's Day Mr. Pepys records that Will Bowyer came to be his wife's valentine, "she having (at which I made good sport to myself) held her hands all the morning, that she might not see the painters that were at work gilding my chimney-piece and pictures in my dining-room." "
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Today would be a good day to make a contribution to the Heart Association; maybe even a pretty quilt or two for the use of young heart patients at your local Children's Hospital; or start saving up your pledge for the local heart walks which will be starting up here shortly as the weather gets better.

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A teeny-tiny rant:
Oh dear.  As with every holiday so far, the legions are out decrying today's celebration.

"It is just an excuse for debauchery and fornication!"

("Where?" says the Widow, suddenly interested.)

Black Friday (The Widow Rants)

Image from Eyehook.com

If you are looking for a sweetness-and-light post, today's isn't it.

Today - the Day After Thanksgiving - is known in the U. S. as Black Friday, so-called because the intense shopping puts the account balances of the merchants in the black (they hope).  Although horror stories from previous years of Mob Madness, of shoppers crushing people to death without a thought as they surge through the doors in search of something else they don't really need, would make a much better definition of Black Friday.

Let the frenzy begin!

Some people make this part of their holiday traditions, staking out a place in line in the wee hours of the morning to get the best bargains as soon as the doors open.  While I have no problem with people rushing out to commercialize the season as soon as possible, acting in unlovely ways as they grab items out of the hands and carts of others, yelling, screaming, fighting, pushing, shoving, giving the one-finger salute to all and sundry... I do have a problem with merchants who pull their employees away from their Thanksgiving dinners and families (if they allow them the time off at all) in order to get the store ready for the 3 am onslaught.

I take it back.  I have a big problem with people so crazed with shopping mania that they would trade a man's life for another trinket.  Pretty fair bargain, that!  Who cares that he might have wanted to live a little longer, as long as we are first in line for whatever is on sale?

Why am I not surprised?  This is, after all, a society for whom life is just another throw-away item.  It costs too much to maintain?  Toss it!  It has outlived its usefulness?  Toss it!  It is inconvenient?  Toss it!  It (and I wish I had never heard this) is a 'punishment'?  Toss it quick!  Destroy it!  Let us be rid of everything for which we have no use, because otherwise it might mean the we have to take that ugly and unknown word - RESPONSIBILITY.

I would like to think that there is some decency in the world.  Today always argues otherwise.