Are you planning to go to Punxsutawney, PA for the annual gathering on February 2nd to see whether Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow or not? Phil and his groundhog ancestors have participated in the superstitious prediction of weather in North America since 1886. Canada, of course, has its own Groundhog Day, as do many other cities throughout the U.S.
You could travel to Raleigh, NC to see Sir Walter Wally, except he retired in 2022, leaving Snerd, in Garner, the only working groundhog in NC. You may not want to see Potomac Phil in Washington, DC because he always forecasts six more months of political deadlocks, and is a taxidermied model, a fitting symbol for his predictions.
Live groundhogs, as you know, have only one duty: to see their shadow or not. If they see their shadow, they are to retreat into their dens to hibernate for another six weeks of winter. No shadow means spring will arrive early.
The origin of our Groundhog Day is rooted in the medieval German tradition of Badger Day; different animal, same forecast. However, Badger Day was originally a much older Christian holiday, Candlemas. The birth of Jesus was first celebrated on December 25, 336 AD. Jewish law said a woman was to wait 40 days to be purified after giving birth (Leviticus 12:1-8). It was this custom when Joseph and Mary presented Jesus to the Lord in the Temple (Luke 2:22-32). Forty days after December 25th is February 2nd, first celebrated as a holy day in 386 AD. Among its many names, Candlemas was known as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ.
Luke’s gospel account mentions a Jewish man, Simeon, who took Jesus into his arms and proclaimed him to be, “a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” Based on this verse, Roman Catholic priests in the 7th century began to bless candles for people to burn throughout the year, and the event was called Candlemas.
Folklore around the candle lights of Candlemas shifted towards weather forecasting. Sunny days meant more of winter, overcast days were a sign of an early spring. In Germany, badgers replaced the candles and the event became known as Badger Day.
I can’t figure out why a sunny day would mean more of winter. After all, you would think a groundhog would bask in the sunshine, and anticipate hibernation was done, a new season was coming. Instead, he is afraid of his shadow. If I were to re-invent Candlemas (Groundhog Day), I would add some scriptures from John’s gospel and reverse the interpretation of shadows.
John’s introduction to Jesus states, “In him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness but the darkness has not understood it” (John 1:4-5). “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God” (John 3:19-21).
The new Groundhog Day (Candlemas) interpretation: A cloudy day is where there is no light of Jesus, and people cannot recognize their need for a new season, so they retreat back into the darkness of their hole. A sunny day is where the light of Jesus shines, and you see the shadow of your former self, and the light guides you into a new life.
You’re not afraid of your shadow are you?
Nomads2 