Halloween is the eve of All Hallows Day, or as we now know it—All Saints Day. All Saints Day celebrates the faithful of every age, culture and walk of life who are now with God. It is a day of glorious rejoicing.
Saints are people who, by their service and love, have extended the love of God to others. The Roman martyrology—the list of the saints officially recognized as such by the church—contains over ten thousand names. And those aren’t only the saints whose names we remember! All Saints’ Day also remembers those holy people whom only God knows.
The American tradition of Halloween ghost and goblin madness comes from Celtic lands, where the spirits of the dead were thought to roam the earth for one night before winter began. To ward off their fear of the supernatural, people sat around huge bonfires, telling stories and sharing the fruits of the harvest. Children were sent round to beg for fuel for the fire. Although the practice of “trick or treating” has its roots in pre Christian Celtic tradition, it could be a mistake to write off the practice as devil worship. In Christ, all things have been made new. And so we dress as ghosts and goblins, or our favorite Saint, to laugh at the devil, who has lost ultimate power over God’s beloved children.
Halloween and the celebrations of All Saints and All Souls, remind us that those who have gone before us, marked with the sign of faith, are still members of the family. Let's celebrate our communion and connections that death cannot unravel!
So, how will you celebrate Halloween and All Saints Day? Who will you remember and celebrate?
I have a considerably long list in my communion of saints, all of whom I remember today, tomorrow, and throughout the month. It is in loving anticipation and loyal trust in the immortal soul that I celebrate the lives of this "cloud" of friends, advisors, ancestors, and ministers I call my communion of saints!
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