Photo was taken last night at Tooreenbawn, Millstreet, Co.Cork (Irl)
Today is St.John’s Day and traditionally in Ireland bonfires are lit on the eve of the feast day. The tradition is still very strong in Cork.
Thought on Sunday – June – 24/06/2012
The following reflection is by Jane Mellett called ‘That Way’
Today we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist and listen to Luke’s account of his nativity. Don’t panic, Advent hasn’t arrived yet! John’s story is one of sacrifice and humility. His parents know there will be something very special about this child. Jewish historians account that John was a preacher around the time of Pontius Pilate who went around calling people to renewal! He spent a lot of time in the wilderness, eating wild things and wearing sackcloth. People flocked to the River Jordan to be baptised by him, a symbol of their repentance or renewal of relationship with God. John was a preacher, a prophet, a signpost pointing people in the right direction. We can pray today for all those people who acted as signposts in our lives and brought us closer and closer to God:
‘Lord, we thank you for people who guided us, but did not try to possess us: parents, teachers, spiritual guides, friends. For a time we stood with them. Very simply, like John the Baptist, they said to us, “Look, there is the one you should follow,” and hearing this we followed that person’ (Michel de Verteuil).
The following is by Fr.Silvester O’Flynn to mark St.John’s Day
Q. Why are bonfires lit in parts of the country on St John the Baptist’s Eve?
A. Bonfires on this night developed from the mid-summer festival when the sun reaches its highest glory but then begins to wane. That is how John the Baptist understood his mission in preparing the way for Christ. ‘He must grow greater, I must grow less’ (John 3:30). John the Baptist was the light destined to give way to the light of Christ. In a neat piece of counterpointing, the birth of Christ is celebrated just after mid-winter’s day when the sun begins to return. Christ is the light come into the world as a tiny baby destined to grow. I remember an old lady who used to bless our bonfire on this night with the plant known as St John’s Wort.
