Sgrios Mass: Autumn Prayer for Sgrios

The sun has begun its gradual retreat; our days are growing shorter and considerably cooler. The trees discard their fiery leaves with reckless abandon and the children walk with a spirited gait, equal parts frightened and elated; driven by horrific tales and fantastic fables that spread across the fields of Temuair. This is the most holy time of the cycle for a Sgrian, the time when decay presses its mighty thumb into Cail’s creation and wilts the abundance so effortlessly that one wonders if the struggle between the two temples exists at all.

But with the weather and the seasonal sensations; the smell of dried leaves, the chill of the air, the taste of sweet, ripened apples and the sounds of small critters scurrying through exposed brush attempting to etch out enough of a stash to make it through the winter - we must take stock of the wonderful work of Lord Sgrios.

Considering that today is a festival day, with the Troupes Red Moon celebration captivating the minds of the population, I thought I would just take a brief moment of your day to give thanks to Him for all that He does. Yes, this is a season of decay, but without this respite of life, we would not enjoy the fertility spring brings. Without the debris of death across the forest floor, we would not have strong trees to shelter us from the summer sun. Without a fallow season, our farmers would tax the land with production until there was naught left for the soil to give.

Much the same, we find this with life as a whole. Without an end, there would be no urgency, no drive to accomplish. No preciousness to the spark we all carry. It is Sgrios’ endless wisdom that enlightens our land and, while Cail may walk with glory in his blossoms and lush greenery, he walks barefoot over the stage set by our Lord; and without the food that death brings, we would not have the apples we enjoy today.

So today, as we celebrate with the troupe across this great land, take a moment from the grim festival to appreciate that all we have and all we have lost is a gift from the Great God Sgrios, and give thanks that one enlightened being sees the value that decay can bring.