A Blessed All Hallow’s Eve


The American tradition of Halloween finds its origins in the Christian tradition of All Saint’s (those people that are considered holy, or hallowed) Day, which is on November 1st.  Since many religious celebrations begin at sundown the night before, on the eve of the day, October 31st became All Hallow’s Eve. During the time when this tradition started (as early as the 4th century), superstition was much more prevalent than science. Many people feared talking about the dead because many thought the dead would come back as ghosts and haunt those who talked of them.  It didn’t take much to prove people’s fears, especially during a time of year when it is dark and cold in the northern hemisphere.

The Irish brought the tradition of carving pumpkins into Jack O'Lantern to America. But, the original Jack O'Lantern was not a pumpkin. Pumpkins did not exist in Ireland. Ancient Celtic cultures in Ireland carved turnips on All Hallow's Eve, and placed an ember in them, to ward off evil spirits.

In the Church, there is a tradition of offering litanies, or intercessory prayers including various petitions that are said or sung by the leader and fixed responses by the congregation.  A litany was used as early as the fifth century in Rome.  One of the more creative ones was written in 1926 and is called The Cornish and West Country Litany. Even with the power of the Internet, I cannot find the Litany in it’s entirety, but these two biddings show why it is apropos for Halloween:

From witches and wizards and long-tailed buzzards,
And creeping things that run in hedge-bottoms.
Good Lord, deliver us!

From goulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties
And things that go bump in the night
Good Lord, deliver us!

The American tradition of Halloween is, as far as I am concerned, all in good fun and a great opportunity to eat too much candy.  It is fun getting dressed up in funny or scary costumes for a day and play pretend.  I do not believe that we are inciting the evil forces of the world but rather combating them with laughter and good will.

And when the new day dawns, we should turn our attention to our blessed saints and give thanks for their faithful lives.  The “Church Triumphant”, or those who have died and are at rest in God’s presence, show us how to live, and die, courageously and without fear.

The most important lesson about Halloween is that we really have nothing to fear, not even death, because Jesus rose victorious from the grave and concurred death.  Yes, our mortal bodies will die, just like Jesus, but we will be raised as well into eternal life, like Jesus and all the saints.

Until that time, we can have some fun and enjoy the candy!

In Christ,
Rev. Valerie+

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