Today is the anniversary of the start of the Gregorian Calendar. In 1582, after Pope Gregory XIII declared the switch, Thursday October 4 was followed by Friday, Oct 15. He thought it was important to make the civil calendar of the Papal States and the religious calendar of the Catholic church match up with what actually happens around us in God’s creation (the Julian calendar assumed a year lasted 365.25 days. The Gregorian calendar gets us closer to the reality of about 265.2422 days that it takes the Earth to revolve around the Sun). Gregory was doing in a literal sense what the Psalmist asked God for help doing, and learning to count his days with wisdom.
Not everybody got on board though. Here in the Americas, as well as in England, the calendar didn’t change until 1752. After waiting 170 years, they had to skip another entire day and move 11 days forward in the calendar instead of 10. Change gets harder the longer we resist it. But sometimes there are perks to changing. And to numbering our days. John Wesley, founder of Methodism, lived during the time that England switched calendars, and now we celebrate two birthdays for him. So may you be wise. May you be ready to change when God asks it of you. May you make your days count. And may you celebrate twice as much.
