A Bundle of Myrrh

St. Martin of Tours, November 11th.

Laterne:
My lantern, my lantern shining in the darkness.
Jesus let Your word, Jesus let Your Word
Be a light to my path in the dark dark world.

The Feast of St. Martin is a favorite of mine and as the babies grow it’s becoming one of their favorites too. This year I found and bought a book to add to our Fall library on St. Martin, I only had to edit out one line, but it gave me the opportunity to teach the kids about different understandings of saints. Who they are and what they do…or don’t do. We don’t pray to saints asking them to protect or pray for us but we do remember them for their example of godly lives or their faithfulness to God’s Word in the face of persecution. Also, as examples of sinners saved by God’s grace, just as we are.

I made the cookie I look forward to all year and of course even though I look forward to it all year I still manage to forget to stock one essential ingredient. This year it wasn’t the butter, it was the nuts. I like to add pecans to these. I didn’t have those. I didn’t even have almonds. But I did have Almond Flavor. Shew. And each year more of the babies try them and enjoy them with me. Shoot. Now I have to share.

This year the babies are also getting big enough to remember the traditional St. Martin’s Day songs kids sing in Germany, Laterne Laterne and Ich geh mit meiner Laterne. These songs are sung during the popular Lantern Walks German folks take on this night. I decided not to teach the German and the English versions translate differently and really don’t have messages I’m attempting to teach with keeping St. Martin’s Day. So I did some rewritting. My versions are as follows:

Lantern Lantern –

My lantern, my lantern shining in the darkness
Jesus let Your word, Jesus let Your Word
Be a light to my path in the dark dark world.

I Walk with my little lantern-

I walk in the light of Jesus, as Jesus is in the light.
Whoever walks with Jesus will have the light of life.
For Jesus is the light of the world
A-le-lu-ia – A-le-lu-ia!
For Jesus is the light of the world
A-le-lu-ia – A-le-lu-ia!

Much easier for the kids. Though, the German does get stuck in my head.

Because Daddy had to preach at church this night we had supper then our “bonfire” (without fire) in the back yard as we waited for him to get home. I was sad to find that we were out of propane for our fire bowl, but we sat around it and pretended anyway. We enjoyed apple cider and cookies. The kids were wild and ornery. I was glad they were outside. They were eager for Dad to get home since he traditionally takes them on their walk while I stay home and put some babies to bed.

The boys take turns being “St. Martin.” This year it’s Gerhardt’s turn. I loved that he was a knight for Halloween so we had the perfect sword. We added an old helmet and red cloak from our dress up supplies.

The Lantern Walk has never been long for us. Now that we live where we do and have no neighbors to knock and sing for, the kids just walk with their lanterns around the outside of the church and come home. Lily was the song leader this year and they all seemed excited to sing along with her. When they got back to the house I had left out “Beggar Bags” for them filled with some leftover Halloween candy and FOUR quarters each!

The commemoration of St. Martin of Tours is a great time to pray for soldiers and their families, for the homeless and for boldness for Christians to be lights in darkness. It’s also a good day to gift the babies with new warm winter items like gloves, hats or slippers and to change the sheets from cotton to flannel. You can also use it as a day to remind children of their baptisms or where their names come from since this is Martin Luther’s baptism day and Martin of Tours is his namesake.

We had a great time remembering St. Martin of Tours.

“Lord God of hosts, Your servant Martin the soldier embodied the spirit of sacrifice. He became a bishop in Your Church to defend the catholic faith. Give us grace to follow his steps so that when our Lord returns we may be clothed with the baptismal garment of righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. “(Treasury of Daily Prayer, page 903)

Click HERE more on St. Martin of Tours.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 23rd, 2017 at 7:42 pm and is filed under Church Year. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.