Have you wondered why our 12-month calendar year concludes with September, October, November and December – names which mean the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth months? Who was responsible for the names of the months of the year?
The Roman year originally had ten months, a calendar which was ascribed to, Romulus. Tradition had it that Romulus, the legendary first king of the Romans, named the first month, Martius (March), after his own father, Mars, the god of war. This month was followed by Aprilis, Maius, Iunius, and Augustus names derived from deities or aspects of Roman culture. Thereafter, the months were simply called the seventh month (September), eighth month (October), ninth month (November) and tenth and last month (December).
The institution of two additional months, Ianuarius (January) and Februarius (February), at the beginning of the year was attributed to Numa, the second king of Rome. However, even though there were now 12 months in the Roman year, the numerical names of the later months were left unchanged. January takes its name from Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and endings, and February comes from the word februum (purification) and februa, the rites or instruments used for purification.
For most of us our lives – birthdays, wedding anniversaries, weekdays, public holidays, etc are regulated by the Gregorian Calendar (proclaimed in 1582) also called New Style calendar, which is itself a modification of Julius Caesar’s calendar introduced in 45 B.C.
Sadly, many of us have forgotten that it is with God to change times and seasons as he pleases, and he has done so in salvation history for great commemorative purposes. Thus, the Jews seem to have had two or three beginnings of the year in relation to different purposes.
He also changed the Sabbath, for whereas the day of rest was formerly the seventh, it is now merged in the Lord’s-day, which is the first day of the week. To every man or woman, God makes such a change of times and seasons when he deals with them in a way of grace; for all things have become new within Him, and therefore He begins a new chronology for those who are His.
Some of us used to think our birthday fell at a certain time of the Gregorian calendar; but now we regard with much more delight another day as our true birthday, since on that second natal day we truly began to live.
When is your birthday this year? Which do you celebrate, the day you were born or the day you were born again? The one you make much noise about reflects what’s most important to you in life. I wonder how long a man ought to thank God for forgiving him his sins and saving him from going down to hell? Is life long enough? Is time long enough? Is eternity too long?
May your 2022 calendar be altered and amended by a deed of divine grace. Saved men and women date their years, months, weeks and days from the dawn of their true life wherein they entered into the knowledge and enjoyment of spiritual things; not from their first birthday nor from January to December. “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” – Proverbs 19:21.
Therefore, whether in a season of plenty or nothing to hope for, here is our watchword song for the year 2022— “Hallelujah, praise ye the Lord!” This is your year of new and unlimited season! Behold, God is making something new!!
May your week not be weak but with Him. I send you my prayerful wishes for the week. (By Fr. Ray®acc.GH)
