Letter from the Pastor
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February 6, 2022
It was the last month of the ancient Roman calendar year until 450BC. The ancients considered winter to be a month-less period. The name “February” comes from the Latin term februum, which means "purification”. There was an ancient purification ritual held on February 15. February was always the shortest of the months, yet it is packed full of events.
In the secular world, it is the month that we celebrate the birthdays of great Americans: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglas. It is the month of the romantic love of Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year, Groundhog Day. It is African-American History Month. It is the snowiest month of winter.
The Church’s calendar in February is also filled with special days and great saints. The very beautiful feast of the Presentation of Jesus and the Purification of Mary begins the month and the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes who first appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous on February 11. We have the Saints, Blaise with the blessing of our throats;
St. Scholastica, St. John Emiliani; a new saint, Josephine Bakhita, the kidnapped slave from the Sudan; SS. Cyril and Methodius, the patron saints of Europe and the Slavic people; of course St. Valentine and on February 22, we even celebrate a chair, the Chair of St. Peter.
Even though February is packed with days of celebration, February is also a month that we see a greater number of depressed people. Many are afflicted with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or winter depression. People with SAD experience mood changes and symptoms similar to depression. The symptoms usually occur during the winter months when there is less sunlight and usually improve with the arrival of spring. The most difficult months for people with SAD in the United States tend to be January and February.
SAD is more than just “winter blues.” It can be very troublesome even interfering with daily life. However, it can be treated. About 5 percent of adults in the U.S. experience SAD and it typically lasts about 40 percent of the year. It is more common among women than men.
SAD can be effectively treated in several ways, including light therapy, antidepressant medications, talk therapy or some combination of these. While symptoms will generally improve on their own with the change of season, symptoms can improve more quickly with treatment.
It is no mere coincidence that our Lord called Himself, the “Light of the World.” On the second day of this month, we celebrated the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. It was at the moment when the old man Simeon held the child Jesus in his arms, and uttered the beautiful words of his prayer, the Nunc Dimittis. The sainted old man called the baby, “a light to the gentiles,” and the “glory of your people, Israel.”
In the midst of the darkness of life, the troubled times, the sadness of everyday life, there is no darkness, no troubles, no sadness that will ever extinguish the Light of the World. We are people of hope; nothing can be ever that bad that will take away the hope of a follower of the Light.
thank you!
I would like to thank all those who contributed to the Christmas Collection.
As you know both the Easter and Christmas collections are
the most important collections of the year.
God bless your generosity and thank you for your love and loyalty to St. Margaret’s.