This Month's Blog has been written by Gordon Mackley​

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It’s May already! For many of us it does not seem so long ago that we took down the Christmas decorations.  So, what can we say about May?  With only three letters it has the shortest name of all the months of the year but has a lot going for it!  ‘May’ (the month) derives from the Latin Maius, named after the Roman earth goddess Maia, representing growth, fertility, and spring.  That fits well as we hope to say goodbye to the colder wetter days of April and look forward to the longer daylight hours of what before climate chaos was often referred to as ‘flaming June.’

 

At the start of the month is ‘May Day’ which has deep roots as a pagan festival, primarily known as Beltane, marking the beginning of summer, celebrated as one of four major Celtic fire festivals, focusing on fertility, renewal, and protecting livestock and crops.  Traditions include lighting bonfires, dancing around a maypole, and gathering flowers. May 1st is also associated with workers and known as ‘International Workers' Day’ or ‘Labour Day’.  It is a global public holiday in over 95 countries, celebrating the achievements and rights of workers.  It aligns well with the Optional Memorial of Saint Joseph the Worker in the Roman Catholic Church, highlighting the dignity of labour, presenting Joseph as the model for workers.  He is the patron of workers, craftsmen, and the Universal Church.

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Later on in the month is Pentecost or Whit Sunday. This occurs fifty days after Easter Sunday (the meaning of Pentecost in Greek) and celebrates the giving of the Holy Spirt to the assembled disciples, and effectively the beginning of the Christian Church.  In Judaism the festival Shavuot commemorates the receiving of the Torah (the Commandments) and falls fifty days after Passover and thus also usually in May.  It is also the early harvest festival.

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So, whatever your faith (or none) there is much to celebrate as the year  moves forward into May and a good time to reflect on where we are going personally... and probably a lot better than making New Year resolutions!