Groundhog Day Prayer
This Groundhog Day Prayer is a good way to connect the traditional celebration of Groundhog Day with our desire for better, warmer days to come quickly and for winter to end soon.
Although Groundhog Day is not a religious celebration, it grew out of a day on the church calendar called Candlemas. Candlemas is celebrated on February 2 and commemorates baby Jesus being presented at the Temple for purification. Traditionally, it is a day to celebrate Jesus as the Light of the World.
Somewhere during history, Candlemas became known as a day to predict spring’s return based on whether or not the day was sunny. Strangely enough, a sunny day meant winter would continue. In Germany, tradition added in folklore about whether or not animals such as a badger saw their shadow, which led to today’s Groundhog Day observances.
Groundhog Day Prayer
Dear God, today as we enjoy the tradition of predicting the end of winter
On whether or not the groundhog sees his shadow,
We offer to you our longings to see an end to cold, lifeless days
And for the return of the warmth and growth of spring.
We thank you that you are the God of all seasons
Who is with us and warms us in your love.
Increase our faith as we look for signs of your presence each day.
Amen.
About This Groundhog Day Prayer
As a girl I had always known about Groundhog Day and it was a fun day to wish for spring. For me, there was no need to actually believe that not seeing a shadow was a sure sign of spring. These days I see that folk traditions, although often whimsical, point us to larger spiritual truths.
The Bible tells us that we should try to correctly read spiritual signs.
Jesus says in Matthew 16 “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red, and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy , for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.” (Matthew 16:2, 3 NIV)
The quote Jesus uses is an old saying about the weather that my grandparents were still using on the farm in the absence of modern weather radar and my mother taught me as a girl.
Ground Hog Day can remind us to look closely at the spiritual signs of our lives and times so we can be a part of what God is doing and about to do in our lives and our world.
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Copyright Karen Barber 2023. All rights reserved. 
