Is it March already? My New Year resolutions and my Lenten practices seem to have run into each other. Can’t say I have accomplished all I set out to do, or change. But as many times as I fail, each morning, I look to the new day and begin again. March is a month that is full of paradoxes and contradictions. It is still winter for half of the month, until March 19 when spring begins. We have snow one day and spring-like temperatures the next. My Italian grandmother used to say, “ Marzo (March) a pazzo (crazy).” March 10th begins Daylight Savings Time. We “spring ahead” which also means we lose an hour sleep.

We have lots of holidays and celebrations in March. March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day. St. Patrick used the shamrock to convert pagans by teaching them about the trinity. The shamrock has three branches, but is one plant, three in one. The shamrock is also the symbol of Ireland. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with corned beef, cabbage, a Guinness and Irish soda bread.

March 19th is St. Joseph’s Day. No coincidence this day is the same day as the first day of spring. St. Joseph is the patron saint of fathers, a happy death, laborers, and the Church. He is a powerful saint to pray to particularly during lent. It is a time for zeppolas, sfinge, and pasta, yum, yum!

March is a time of rebirth, renewal, and resurrection. Easter when the Resurrection and eternal file is celebrated is March 31.

How will you celebrate this Easter: Attend mass? Dye Easter eggs for an Easter hunt? Cook a traditional Easter dinner of lamb or ham? Have a chocolate fest with Easter bunnies and Cadbury eggs? Wear your Sunday best? Watch an Easter parade, or watch the movie on TV? Wear an Easter bonnet? Send Easter cards? Make an Easter tree? Visit those loved ones who have passed? Watch a movie about the reason for Easter, such as King of Kings? It is a time to celebrate life.

March’s flower is the daffodil, and can be white, orange, yellow or a combination of both. I am so thrilled to see the daffodils growing where there was once nothing. They tell us as they dance in the wind – that spring has spring. The birthstone for March is aquamarine and blood stone. The aquamarine birthstone looks like the colors of the sea and symbolizes purity of spirit and soul.

The bloodstone birthstone is the color of blood and is supposed to bring health and strength to the wearer.

MOON WATCH

The vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere occurs on March 19. The first full moon in March which is called the Worm Moon, which reaches peak illumination on March 25th at 3:00 a.m. The worm moon is from the Indian word, which desctribed the moon when “worm beetle larvae” would emerge from the tree bark as trees began to thaw. This full moon is at the same time as Easter and makes March’s moon the Paschal “Easter” moon. With so much to do, see, celebrate and enjoy, have a wonderful March, and renew and refresh your soul.