Hard to believe, but there was a time when we humans did not have calendars. The earliest calendars date back to the second millennium BCE and were based on the lunar cycle, which makes sense if you think about it. Caesar, Julius, that is, with the assistance of mathematicians of his time, in 46 BCE developed the 365 day Julian calendar, which remained in effect until 1582.
We now run our lives on the Gregorian calendar introduced by Pope Gregory XIII to stop the drift of days in the equinoxes. The old calendar was based on 365.25 days to the year while the new one was based on 365.2425, shortening the year by .0075 days.
The winter solstice this year is December 21 at 10:58 AM. Why is the shift in calendars important? It explains why Nordic festivals of light, such as St. Lucia’s day, is today and not December 21. So even as our northern world gets darker for nine more days, it will become lighter as we approach the day of the Nativity. In that there is joy.
Prayer for the Day
Fill our doubting hearts with faith that transforms lives,
Bringing us into your presence through loving each other.
Free us from old fears that dampen our spirits
Expanding our vision of who you call us to be
So we walk in your ways loving our neighbors as ourselves,
Bringing them into the community of love.
In the name of the One who shares that community with all,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen
Thoughts for the Day
What good is it to me that Mary gave birth to the son of God fourteen hundred years ago, and I do not also give birth to the Son of God in my time and in my culture? We are all meant to be mothers of God. What good is it to me if this eternal birth of the Divine Son takes place unceasingly but does not take place within myself? And what good is it to me if Mary is full of grace if I am not also full of grace?
Meister Eckhart, medieval mystic (ca. 1260-13270
Rivers of living waters are to be poured out over the whole world to ensure that people, like fishes caught in a net, can be restored to wholeness.
Hildegard of Bingen, abbess, poet, composer (1098-1179)
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; worship the Lord with gladness,
And come into God’s presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God, and God has made us, and we belong to God.
We are God’s people, and the sheep of God’s pasture. – Psalm 100: 1-3