Liturgical Lifestyle | Martinmas

We've a long winter ahead of us.  The days are drawing up short at 5:30 pm.  But Saint Martin brings one last exhale of summer (what's now called Indian Summer) to gird us for the cold days coming.

Martinmas is a light festival.  But unlike the bonfires of All Souls' and All Saints', its lights are subtle.  Tiny flames tucked into lanterns remind us to keep the light of Christ kindled through this last stretch before Advent.

It's a time for giving in the spirit of Saint Martin, and I think for our ancestors it was a simultaneous act of faith and piety to give so freely so soon before winter, after the last of autumn slaughters.  Give in times of plenty and it'll be easier to give in times of less.  I've seen this working in mine and others' lives.

In true celebration, we ate cake first--this was a madeira cake John brought home from the store--followed by our feast of sage stuffed chicken and roasted vegetables.

Lest I give the wrong impression--I did not make extravagant preparations!  All these things were bought pre-baked and ready-to-cook.  Our little feast was thrown together the evening of.  Many people have emphasized simplicity and smallness when starting to celebrate the liturgical year, so I won't reiterate, except to say that to become fluent in the liturgical lifestyle, you have to start somewhere.