All Saints Day
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. – 1 Peter 2:2-3
Yes, All Saints Day – the day celebrated as the day of the candy hangover – the preceding evening spent doling out sugared treats to various ghouls, ghosts, goblins, princesses and cartoon characters. The children have counted and sorted their loot – making piles according to taste – good candy always separated first – Snickers, Almond Joys and various chocolate bars leading the list of the good candy. Next to be counted was the “I can wait until later” treats – suckers, gum and various jawbreakers could wait until later. Then there was the “Why did you give me this for Halloween” candy that would be traded just as soon as younger siblings could be talked into the logic of one apple for a Hershey’s chocolate bar.
All Saints Day – the day after the “Let Dad check your candy bag for needles, razor blades, and chocolate bars” night of feasting. Mom would stay at home and pass out treats while Dad had to chaperone costumed offspring for a night of stay on the sidewalk, say thank you, watch for cars exercise. Dad would walk, trying to convince his young heirs that it would be warmer and more comfortable watching the game on TV. His charges would plead, “Just one more block – one more neighborhood – just one more house.” Dad would give in, with visions of payback from the “good” candy pile. After all, a man has to keep up his strength.
All Saints Day – the day the children fall asleep in school – their night of exercise, fresh air and sugar gorging taking a toll after lunch. Teachers who chaperoned their own offspring around the night air praying for warm weather and long recesses.
All Saints Day – the unofficial start of the Christmas sale season.
On Halloween we send children out into the night dressed as someone they are not, to gather food that is not. For the vast majority of the younger children, this night of pretend will bring happy memories of walking with Dad or Mom. For the vast majority of the middle school aged children, this night will be a time for bonding with friends, developing confidence – all filled with giggles and shared memories. For the vast majority of children the candy received is monitored and measured in order not to harm health and body.
All Saints Day and its related sugar rush reminds one of the empty promises of the world. Society would have us believe that all food is equal – candy bars are energy bars – TV ads proclaim that the best way to get through the morning is have a candy bar.
All Saints Day - feast of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, and day on which churches glorify God for all God's saints, known and unknown. It is celebrated on Nov. 1 in the West, since Pope Gregory IV ordered its church-wide observance in 837. Its origin lies earlier in the common commemorations of martyrs who died in groups or whose names were unknown, which were held on various days in different parts of the Church; over time these celebrations came to include not only the martyrs but all saints. During the Reformation the Protestant churches understood “saints” in its New Testament usage as including all believers and reinterpreted the feast of All Saints as a celebration of the unity of the entire Church. In medieval England the festival was known as All Hallows, hence the name Halloween [=All Hallows' eve] for the preceding evening.
It is when we receive the pure Spiritual milk of God’s Word that we can indeed see the Saints in All Saints Day. It is an old message – one first given to Adam and Eve. It is a fulfilled message – from the cross to the open tomb. It is a new message – given to each – every day. It is the message that gives life. It is the real food we need.
All Saints Day – a time to remember those who have died in the cause of Christ, a time to remember those that fight for the cause of Christ, a time to rededicate ourselves to the preaching, teaching and sharing of the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ – the Way – the Truth and the Light.
Let us pray we may continue to be strengthened to fight against the Spiritual candied messages of a world that says it doesn’t matter what you believe, who you pray to, or how you live. Let us pray to fight for the pure Spiritual milk of salvation.
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. – 1 Peter 2:2-3
Yes, All Saints Day – the day celebrated as the day of the candy hangover – the preceding evening spent doling out sugared treats to various ghouls, ghosts, goblins, princesses and cartoon characters. The children have counted and sorted their loot – making piles according to taste – good candy always separated first – Snickers, Almond Joys and various chocolate bars leading the list of the good candy. Next to be counted was the “I can wait until later” treats – suckers, gum and various jawbreakers could wait until later. Then there was the “Why did you give me this for Halloween” candy that would be traded just as soon as younger siblings could be talked into the logic of one apple for a Hershey’s chocolate bar.
All Saints Day – the day after the “Let Dad check your candy bag for needles, razor blades, and chocolate bars” night of feasting. Mom would stay at home and pass out treats while Dad had to chaperone costumed offspring for a night of stay on the sidewalk, say thank you, watch for cars exercise. Dad would walk, trying to convince his young heirs that it would be warmer and more comfortable watching the game on TV. His charges would plead, “Just one more block – one more neighborhood – just one more house.” Dad would give in, with visions of payback from the “good” candy pile. After all, a man has to keep up his strength.
All Saints Day – the day the children fall asleep in school – their night of exercise, fresh air and sugar gorging taking a toll after lunch. Teachers who chaperoned their own offspring around the night air praying for warm weather and long recesses.
All Saints Day – the unofficial start of the Christmas sale season.
On Halloween we send children out into the night dressed as someone they are not, to gather food that is not. For the vast majority of the younger children, this night of pretend will bring happy memories of walking with Dad or Mom. For the vast majority of the middle school aged children, this night will be a time for bonding with friends, developing confidence – all filled with giggles and shared memories. For the vast majority of children the candy received is monitored and measured in order not to harm health and body.
All Saints Day and its related sugar rush reminds one of the empty promises of the world. Society would have us believe that all food is equal – candy bars are energy bars – TV ads proclaim that the best way to get through the morning is have a candy bar.
All Saints Day - feast of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, and day on which churches glorify God for all God's saints, known and unknown. It is celebrated on Nov. 1 in the West, since Pope Gregory IV ordered its church-wide observance in 837. Its origin lies earlier in the common commemorations of martyrs who died in groups or whose names were unknown, which were held on various days in different parts of the Church; over time these celebrations came to include not only the martyrs but all saints. During the Reformation the Protestant churches understood “saints” in its New Testament usage as including all believers and reinterpreted the feast of All Saints as a celebration of the unity of the entire Church. In medieval England the festival was known as All Hallows, hence the name Halloween [=All Hallows' eve] for the preceding evening.
It is when we receive the pure Spiritual milk of God’s Word that we can indeed see the Saints in All Saints Day. It is an old message – one first given to Adam and Eve. It is a fulfilled message – from the cross to the open tomb. It is a new message – given to each – every day. It is the message that gives life. It is the real food we need.
All Saints Day – a time to remember those who have died in the cause of Christ, a time to remember those that fight for the cause of Christ, a time to rededicate ourselves to the preaching, teaching and sharing of the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ – the Way – the Truth and the Light.
Let us pray we may continue to be strengthened to fight against the Spiritual candied messages of a world that says it doesn’t matter what you believe, who you pray to, or how you live. Let us pray to fight for the pure Spiritual milk of salvation.