Disciples, Apostles, and Saints!
As the leaves turn orange and our mornings turn cold, we approach Terre Haute’s favorite holiday: Halloween.
For those who haven’t lived elsewhere, you might not realize just how much this city Halloweens. Two days of trick-or-treating, plus a downtown trick-or-treat if those other days don’t land on a Friday. Not to mention all of the offerings of trunk-or-treat by churches and schools. Kids can collect candy all week!
The name Halloween is a shortening of its original name: All Hallow’s Eve. And just like Christmas Eve, most people have moved the festivities from the day to the night before.
For Christians, this represents a potential three day festival. On Halloween, we mock death by playing dress-up as ghouls and ghosts in macabre demonstration of death’s weakness to control us. Then, November 1, we celebrate All Saints’ Day, when the saints, martyrs, and patriarchs are hallowed by the faithful for what they offered the world in life and continue to offer it in heaven. Lastly, on November 2, we celebrate All Souls’ Day. Here, we honor all those who have died. As a reminder that few of us get to be named saints. In fact, most of us are sinners. Yet, these too are hallowed. For even death cannot still the power of God.
Hallowing God, the saints, and all of the dead is our privilege, our honor, and our willful celebration. A notable part of our Way of Love.
With love,
Drew