Lord of Spring
A devotional blog for Bridget’s day on 1 February It comes early. The first signs of spring greet us with surprise. The breakthrough of snowdrops, their heads bowed in quiet worship. The first sight and sound of young lambs in the fields, dancing for joy. The assurance that life breaks winter’s bleakness. The light half of the year has begun. This is what the first days of February bring us. It marks the quarter day. Half way between winter solstice and spring equinox. A time when the Celts of old celebrated Imbolc, which is old Irish for, ‘in the belly’. A time when sheep were about to lamb, their bellies full of life. It welcomed the beginning of the light half of the year. This year it brings a much welcomed early bank holiday in Ireland on the feast of St Brigid, which remembers Brigid of Kildare who lived around 450-523. She is associated with protection and promise of life, health and well-being and even warding off evil. The timing is no accident, as it matches spring’