Happy Groundhog day

 If the groundhog comes out of hibernation and sees his shadow or doesn't see it is supposed to predict if winter will go on six more weeks.

But in today's world, it's Bill Murray's Groundhog day, the movie:

... 

repeating the same day over and over until you get it right.

in Catholic countries, February 2nd is Candlemas, or the day of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. LINK. Traditionally candles are blessed.

usually left out of the discussion: Well, the poor (shepherds) and the rich (Magi) and the Gentiles (Magi) were shown Jesus, but on Candlemas, he was revealed to the pious elderly. 

and tomorrow, we used to get our throats blessed, on the feast of St Blaise, who cured a boy of a fish bone in his throat. Remembering when what we now see as a simple sore throat that can be cured with penicillin was once feared, because in those days a strep throat could be fatal, and some sore throats were diphtheria, a very deadly disease where you could choke to death. I am old enough to remember when we had an "infectious disease" hospital in our city, and we were shown the bell where the staff could be summoned if a choking child was brought in, so they could do an emergency tracheostomy.

I only had to do one of these, for severe croup, and in an emergency it isn't as easy as it sounds.

Sigh.

Churches and other organizations keep the memory of the past alive: Remembering the problems faced by one's ancestors, and remembering the rules that worked to keep a healthy society.

for example, Father Z notes Feb 1 is the feast of the martyrs of the Vendee massacres. Bet you've never heard of that genocide: it was the peasants who opposed the take over of the church by the secular government after the French revolution. (and yes, Napoleon was one of those who helped murder civilians, another inconvenient fact that is ignored by his admirers). 

Ah, but the secular types prefer to ignore these rebellions inspired by religious belief, because they see the wish for religious freedom as something illogical (read, a way for the ordinary people to stop their power grab).  

Lots of that silencing of ordinary folks going on, if you read the US MSM: in the name of racism or niceness or whatever it the present day ethic of the elite. 

AnnAlthouse even links to an article saying hey we don't need a God for a prayer in government ceremonies.

well, actually we do: Because that prayer is a way to recognize that the government is not all powerful, but answers to a higher power.

 Because get rid of God, and voila, instant tyranny by the God=Emperor who no one dares to oppose, as the many tyrannies of the twentieth century shows.

nor is this a "Judeo Christian Muslim Hindu" concept:(that a wrathful Allah/Jehovah/Shiva will punish tyrants).

Even a secular China knows that the government is under the Mandate of Heaven: where one's actions are limited by the virtuous behavior...and if you abuse that power you will lose the "Mandate of Heaven" and another will take over your throne. 

Something that both Emperor Xi and Emperor Joe need to realize.