Some of us may be uncomfortable with the holiday that is upon us: the dreaded Halloween! What an evil holiday! But, wait! Is Halloween really that evil? The word “Halloween”, as originally indented, was a Christian term. More accurately called, “All Hallows Eve” (hallow meaning “holy”) was a preparation day for All Saints Day, a day that was originally created to remember the Christian martyrs and saints.
Halloween is often associated with the pagan concept of Samhain, the festival where ancient pagans believed that the worlds of the living and dead would been thinly divided. But, we have seen from the other ancient pagan festivals associated with Christmas and Easter, pagan connections do not serve as a reason why we cannot celebrate a Christian holiday. The pre-Christian practices of Samhain have been clearly separated from All Hallows Eve by the historical Church, but many Christians have abandoned this day of remembrance.
However, by understanding Halloween through All Saints Day, rather than evil occult connections, Christians can take comfort in knowing that All Hallows Eve or Halloween be a Christian observance. Here is why:
Halloween does not have to be a holiday filled with Draculas, bloody masks, or witches. There was a time when children dressed up, but their costumes were not sinister. Sue Ellen Thompson’s book Holiday Symbols records that during the Great Depression, “children often disguised themselves as hobos, burglars, pirates… in other words, as economic and social outcasts, symbolic of the troubles from which their parents were struggling to escape.” Those children were trying to make light of their situation. In many cultures, taunting or comically characterizing cultural strife was a way of triumphing over that which could not be over come in their collective psyche. For Christians, meeting the secular with the religious can helps us claim All Hallows Eve and All Saints Day as our own. We should open our churches and invite our communities in for a safe, fun, and faith filled activities.
Christians from all around the world will celebrate a remembrance of the “saints” this Sunday. As protestants, we consider “saints” as those Christians living and dead. On All Saints Day, we specifically remember the saints that have gone before us. Biblically, the word “saint” is used over 60 times as a way to refer to the greater community of Christians.
My first experiences in church will All Hallows Eve/All Saints Day was at a Methodist church where I was an associate pastor. On All Saints Sunday, during worship, we remembered church members who died and we had a time of remembrance for our loved ones who we lost. As I watched people come forward and light a candle, I could see the range of emotions that were on their faces. Some of them smiled because they had happy memories of their loved ones and others were tearful as they came to light a candle. Person after person came forward to honor their loved ones.
In the Gospel reading for Sunday, Lazarus brother of Mary and Martha, was ill and died. Jesus’ response is rather cryptic when he stated that the illness of Lazarus will lead to the glory of God, so that the Son may be glorified. Not a particular comforting statement to those in grief, but its meaning points something greater than a loss of a loved one. Jesus makes his way to the tomb of Lazarus, which is lined with the mourners gathered. Jesus is moved and weeps. God, in the form of flesh and blood, cried at the loss of a loved one. That should give us a clue into the mind of God, which is that when we suffer, God suffers. We are not alone when we grieve.
By celebrating All Saints Day, we can process the loss, grief, and sadness we feel for our loved ones. Jesus felt real pain and real sadness for the loss of his friend Lazarus. We Christians take comfort in knowing that through Christ, death has been defeated. All Saints Day is a day of hope for us as we remember our loved ones because we know that there will be a day where there will be no suffering.
If you are in Ballston Spa this Sunday (remember to change your clocks back one hour Saturday night) come and remember your loved ones with us @ the First Baptist Church, 10:15 a.m. No costumes needed and no tricks… I promise.
If you want to learn more, check out my Times-Union blog on 7 Reasons why Christians should celebrate Halloween.
For other ways you can celebrate Halloween check out these suggestions here, here, and here.
Awesome history and pumpkin carving!