A Carpe Diem Snapshot:
A fun way to Carpe Diem today is to mix up this dessert cocktail in honor of the saint with the peculiar diet, St. John the Baptist. Each year my friend Kris and I religiously practice our tradition of toasting the official beginning of our favorite season (summer, of course; we are Michiganders, after all) with Grasshopper Cocktails. It's about the easiest recipe in the world and you can find it below (and thank me later).
Liturgical: Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist
In today's Liturgical Year page of Catholicculture.org there is a short and helpful explanation of the temporal cycle and the sanctoral cycle and why today's celebration of the birth of a saint is so exceptional.
Sanctoral: John the Baptist, the forerunner and cousin of Our Lord
Human: Religious Freedom Week, June 22-29; Today is the birthday of another saint named John as well- the mystic John of the Cross (1542). Here is some nice content from The Writer's Almanac.
Natural: It's Midsummer Day!! In pre-industrial Europe, this was a colorful and raucous festival day marking the halfway point for farmers between planting and harvest. In Italy it is known as Le notte di San Giovanni, and the ancient traditions are full of symbolism. It is still celebrated in many places throughout Italy. As with Christmas Eve, the Eve of St. John also has special significance and traditions. To celebrate, here are some recipes with grasshoppers (tastier than locusts!) and honey for the Feast of St. John the Baptist-- Grasshopper Cocktails, Honey-Sweetened Grasshopper Bars. Although we are absolutely certain the saint partook neither of strong drink nor desserts, did he actually eat locusts?
Italian Word(s) of the Day: Riti, tradizioni e leggende della notte di San Giovanni
Quote: "I must decrease so that He may increase." St. John the Baptist, the forerunner, whose birth is celebrated just after the summer solstice when the light begins to decrease each day until the winter solstice, just before the birth of Christ, when the light then begins to increase.
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