The Calendar

The Egyptian calendar had 30 day months with 5 days at the end of the year. Many years later (46 BC), the Greek astronomers of Alexandria by direction of Julius Caesar improved this calendar by adding an extra day to each month (called the Julian calendar). The sacred year was reckoned from the moon after the vernal equinox; the civil year began in September (the less productive period of the year).

The Julian calendar had March at the beginning of the year. The ides of March was the new year (in like a lion; out like a lamb). The Sept in September is Latin for seven, Nov was nine and Dec (as in in decimal) was ten. February was at the end of the year and had 30 days. This is why our leap year is always in February. Julius Caesar felt that the month named for him should be more prominent and took a day from the end of the year and made July to have 31 days. Augustus Caesar, not to be outdone, took another day from February and made his month August to have 31 days.

The Calendar that we have today is based upon the Julian calendar, but reformed in the sixteenth century by Pope Gregory XIII for more accuracy.

Interesting is the story of the Mayan Calendar which is set to end on the winter solstace, December 21, 2012. Supposedly that is when the world as we know it may end with leaving few left to build anew. The Mayans broke time into sections. A period of 144,000 days is called a baktun and the calendar contains a total of 13 baktuns. That would date the calendar from around the dawn of civilization, before 3000 B.C. and end around the time of the Lord's second coming.

Resurrection Sunday is the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox. It is tied into the Passover season which can vary from year to year. I have heard the precise date for this but then it was disputed because of various calendar interpretations. I have heard that it was a jubilee year. Yes, December 25th is not the actual date of Jesus' birth, it was set long ago and since we do not know the actual date, it doesn't matter. There have been those that tied it into the date that the star appeared but that would not be accurate either because Jesus was already born.

According to our calling, it is wrong for us to judge one way another about times or seasons or the sabbath day or feast days or whatever, including any denunciations of the practices of others. If the Lord is honored and put first, then it is enough. In that a vague and past time goddess Ishtar is remembered or forgotten is nothing compared to the love and forgiveness that we should look toward in remembrance during the Easter season. We should not honor a pagan holiday but we should honor Jesus and Him crucified. Nor should we judge another because of their ignorance of pagan origins of calendar dates, that's the job of the accuser of the brethren and those subject to him. We should try to love them and honor them and be as much as we can be like Jesus, just like the Lord would have us do and not cause division because of the mistakes others have made in the past.
[310, 377, BD]



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