This special day is what I used to call “the day after Halloween”. It wasn’t until I decided to explore the Church calendar that I came to call it All Saints’ Day.
In my Evangelical Fundie past I had questioned All Saints’ Eve (Halloween) with all of its demonic imagery, horror movies on TV, and of course another great opportunity for Willy Wonka and his ilk to cash in. I had many reservations about participating in the rather strange holiday. This view is quite common among many in Protestant circles.
Of course, this wasn’t always my attitude. I grew up in a family where only my grandmother took me to church every Sunday, and my parents’ only appearances were for weddings, funerals, and some special occasions (baptisms, etc.). My mother was big on holidays (all of them). She made sure we made the most of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s, Easter, the Fourth, and so on. My Halloween memories are among the fondest. The cool air and autumnal scenery enhanced the chilling effect of this Americanized Feast of the Dead, and O how we loved dressing up in the scariest of the scary costumes and going around amassing sugary sweets and insuring future visits to the dentist office.
Well, fast forward and now I’m the father taking my son out for the same. Why?
These special days from the 31st of October to the 2nd of November have become the traditional days to consider the afterlife. As early as the 300′s the Church commemorated all fallen martyrs on one special day. This was originally in May (as it still is in the East) but was transferred to November 1st in 844 when Pope Gregory III consecrated a chapel in St. Peter’s Basilica to All Saints. Some argue that this coincides with the old Celtic feast of Samhain, a feast of the dead which heralds the end of harvest and the time before the days get longer at Winter Solstice. Though many of the traditions may have pagan origins, the date of November 1st seems to have been ecclesiastical.
The Eve of All Saints (All Hallows’ Even) came chiefly from Ireland as the night to remember the souls who are damned, and All Souls’ Day, November 2, was decreed by the Bishop of Cluny to be a day for Clunian Benedictines to pray for souls in Purgatory and became universal by the 14th century.
So now we have a threefold feast that calls us to consider our souls’ destinations. In light of this, it seems to me that Halloween ought to be a frightening occasion. Jesus said:
Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
- Matthew 10:28
The “melting pot” of American culture adopted the Irish Jack-o-lanterns, the French dressing up in scary costumes, and the English going door-to-door for treats to create a fun yet creepy American holiday.
Halloween can be utilized as a lesson on the reality of hell and teaching the avoidance of it. As the night of the dead has ceased we celebrate, honor, and pray to those blessed souls in Heaven because of their great dignity and union with God.
Collect:
Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
It’s of great significance that the Chuch has chosen for this Holy Day a reading from the Gospel according to St. Matthew where Jesus taught:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
- Matthew 5:3-12
While we remember and venerate those in Heaven, should we not apply those sanctifying principles in our lives “on earth as it is in Heaven”?
