Ever wonder why April 1st is "April Fool's Day"? Well, the story is told that early cultures used to celebrate April 1st as the beginning of the new year. (It was close to the vernal equinox and the Feast of Annunciation. They did what they wanted. Give them a break.) It wasn't until 1582 that a pope declared a new "New Years Day". Well, what he did was replace the Julian calendar with the Gregorian calendar. That calendar put New Year's Day on January 1st rather than April 1st.
Well, of course, people are slow to change, so it took time for this new calendar to become the norm. As it did, however, the increasing minority of those who didn't change were ridiculed for remaining on the Julian calendar. They were considered fools for holding to April 1st as the beginning of the new year. They were April Fools.
Maybe that's the story. Others aren't buying it. Some say it started back in Constantine's day when some jesters said they could run the empire better. Constantine gave them one day a year to try, just for fun. That would be April 1st. As it turns out, that explanation itself was an April Fool's joke. Others suggest it's just "spring fever". Perhaps it's connected to an ancient Roman festival called Hilaria. Maybe it's a misunderstanding of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (1392) where, in the "Nun's Priest's Tale", a fox tricks a vain rooster on what was thought to be "March 32". In other words, we don't know. Simple as that.
Here's what we do know. We know, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" (Psa 14:1; 53:1). We know that the fool cannot grasp that wickedness perishes but God is forever (Psa 92:6-8). We know that "The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin" (Prov 10:8). We are told quite clearly that "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice" (Prov 12:15) and that "A fool despises his father's instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent" (Prov 15:5). We know that being a fool is funny on April 1st, perhaps, but being a genuine fool is not a good thing.
Biblically, wisdom is knowing what is good and foolishness is not. While the tricks on April 1st may be fun, we ought to always seek wisdom from God. And remember, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him" (James 1:5). Something to think about besides the jokes on April Fool's Day.
1 comment:
Well, it has been told to me that in the O.T. after the Israelites were led out of Egypt that the month of Passover was to be celebrated as the first month of their year, which happens to correspond pretty much to our current month of April. Which is how centuries later April became the accepted first month of the year for even pagans (who, after all, also celebrated a 7-day week which originated with the knowledge of the God of Israel and the 7-day creation week).
So April was the first month of the year until the Gregorian calendar, and the fools were those who didn't want to change.
Of course I can't figure out how that fits with December being the 10th month, November being 9th, October being 8th and September being 7th. That would make March the first month, which could also be corresponding to the month of Passover (that floating period between mid-March and Mid-April).
All I know for sure is that I'm thankful for April 1st because that is the day my wife was born (and she was born on Easter!)
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