In the Celtic lands, mid August was harvest time. The festival of Lughnasa was the harvest celebration in honor of the God of the harvest Lugh who was responsible for the bounties of the harvest.

There was singing and drinking and dancing (hence the title of Brian Friel’s famous play) and story telling in gratitude for the harvest and the promise of food to eat during the winter months. In Christian times it became the festival of Mary at Harvest Time because Mary reflected the life giving, life nurturing love of God.

So we thank God on this festival day for all our food and drink and his nurturing love in all its forms.

Fr. Greeley's Last Book:

Once upon a time the Lord God went out on patrol of heaven just to make sure that it was still a city that worked. Everything was fine, the hedges trimmed, the grass cut, the fountains clean, the gold and silver and ivory polished, the mall neat (Of course they have a mall in heaven. Where else would they put the teenagers!).

He stopped by to listen to the angel choirs sing and they were in great form. Then on one of the side streets he encountered people who had no business being in heaven, at all, at all. Some of them should have been serving a long sentence in purgatory, others would not get  out until the day before the Last Judgement, still others would make it into heaven only on very special appeal.

So he went out to complain to St. Peter. You’ve let me down again, he said and yourself with the keys of the kingdom of heaven. I have not said St. Peter. Well, how did they get in? I didn’t let them in. Well, who did? You won’t like it. I have a right to know how they got in. Well, I turned them down and didn’t they go around to the back door and didn’t your mother let them in!

(Theologically this story of course is nonsense. But as a story it reflects Mary’s role as reflecting the maternal love of God).

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Psalms 78:1-2,34-38

1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,
34 When he slew them, they sought for him; they repented and sought God earnestly.
35 They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.
36 But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.
37 Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not true to his covenant.
38 Yet he, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often, and did not stir up all his wrath.

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This book has a chapter about Fr. Greeley and is dedicated to him. Great read!
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