March Traditions

Today was Ash Wednesday, the time of the year when so many Christians undertake an inner spiritual pilgrimage. To others the 40 days of Lent is a time of giving up luxuries and exercising self-discipline. Why 40 days? Because the number 40 is significant in the Bible. The flood was caused by 40 days and nights of rain, Moses fasted for 40 days before receiving the 10 Commandments, the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years before they reached the Promised Land and Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness in preparation for his ministry. I found that Sunday is not included in these 40 days because Sunday traditionally is a weekly reminder of Christ's resurrection. Lent means spring and may well have come from the word "lengthen". Planting begins this time of year, so this period of growth, planting and hard work seems to fit with the idea of abstinence during Lent.

March also has an Irish or Celtic focus and I found some of the origins of those traditions interesting. March coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb (or visa versa) comes from the unpredictability of the weather. In Scotland, there is a variation "March comes in with adders' heads and goes out with peacock tails" drawing attention to the awakening adder and the mating ritual of the peacock.

The spring equinox, on March 21, thought of as the first day of spring, matching the autumn equinox on the other side of the Celtic wheel, is the time when day and night are of equal length.

And March also has St. Patrick's Day and I will do a bit of research on that for the 17th.

"This is the time of tension between dying and birth"

T. S. Eliot

'I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee'

(Ezekiel 27:18).
".....till you return to the ground , because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return."

(Genesis 3:19)