Halloween or All Hallow's Eve

As we approach the end of October and the celebration of Halloween, I felt the need to talk a little about the connection between the church and Halloween. 

In Romans 1:7 Paul addresses the Christians in Rome by saying, “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints.”  In Philippians 1:1 he says, “To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi.”  The Greek word for “saint” can also be defined as “holiness.”  Since Christians have been declared holy or righteous by God, all Christians are saints.

During the eighth century the Church established a special day for the feast of All Saints or All Saints Day.  The evening before became known as All Hallows Eve.  The celebration of All Saints was intended to give honor to those Christians who had preceded the living in death.   Originally All Hallows Eve was solemn and without any merriment.  It was believed that on this night departed souls were liberated from Purgatory and were allowed to return to their earthly homes.  Eventually, in Ireland, Scotland and England the religious celebration was joined with a secular celebration of Ireland and prayer was combined with merriment.  Beggars (today called Trick or Treaters) would go from door to door begging for “soul cakes.”  In return they promised to pray for the dead of the household.  Soul cakes were a shortbread like small cake and could be very fancy.  Legend, or maybe a true story, tells of a cook who decided to make a soul cake that would remind everyone about eternity.  She cut a hole in the middle of the small cake and dropped it in hot fat and we have a doughnut.  Circle that it is, a doughnut can remind us of the never ending time of eternity.

The beggars would sing at every one’s door something like, “a soul cake, a soul cake, have mercy on all Christian souls for a soul cake.”  Eventually the singing gave way to charades and drama.  The message was to warn the living that they needed to listen to Jesus and take the steps needed for salvation before it was too late.  Goblins and witches with cats, which were ancient symbols of the devil, appeared as a symbol for keeping track of spirits that had been released from hell.  The goblins and witches were supposed to make sure that the visitors from hell returned at sunlight.

I have heard many Christians say that Halloween should be outlawed or at least that Christians should stop participating.  I would like to suggest an alternative.  Instead of candy use soul cakes and gather together for prayer and remembrance of those who have lived before us.  Use doughnuts as soul cakes, and perhaps have a doughnut making party and discuss “what eternity means to me.”  Costumes could be of those people that we find in the Bible.  Instead of throwing Halloween out, I believe that it would be much better to return to the reasons for which Halloween (All Hallows Eve) was started followed by the celebration of All Saints Day on November 1.

Christmas Geese

One possible answer as to why God would want to become human.

There was once a man who didn’t believe in God, and he didn’t hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays, like Christmas.  His wife, however, did believe, and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus, despite his disparaging comments.

One snowy Christmas Eve, his wife was taking their children to a Christmas Eve service in the farm community in which they lived.  She asked him to come, but he refused.  “That story is nonsense!” he said.  “Why would God lower Himself to come to Earth as a man?  That’s ridiculous!”  So she and the children left, and he stayed home.

A while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blizzard.  As the man looked out the window, all he saw was a blinding snowstorm.  He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening.  Then he heard a loud thump.  Something had hit the window.  Then another thump.  He looked out, but couldn’t see more than a few feet.  When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window.  In the field near his house he saw a flock of wild geese.  Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and couldn’t go on.  They were lost and stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter.  They just flapped their wings and flew around the field in low circles, blindly and aimlessly.  A couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed.

The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them.  The barn would be a great place for them to stay, he thought.  It’s warm and safe, surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm.  So he walked over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside.  But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and didn’t seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them.  The man tried to get their attention, but that just seemed to scare them and they moved further away.  He went into the house and came with some bread, broke it up, and made a breadcrumb trail leading to the barn.  They still didn’t catch on.

Now he was getting frustrated.  He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction except toward the barn.  Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where they would be warm and safe.  “Why don’t they follow me?!”  he exclaimed.  “Can’t they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?”  He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn’t follow a human.  “If only I were a goose, then I could save them,” he said out loud.

Then he had an idea.  He went into the barn, got one of his own geese, and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild geese.  He then released it.  His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn – and one by one the other geese followed it to safety.

He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind:  “If only I were a goose, then I could save them!”  Then he thought about what he had said to his wife earlier.  “Why would God want to be like us?  That’s ridiculous!”

Suddenly it all made sense.  That is what God had done.  We were like the geese—blind, lost, perishing.  God had His Son become like us so He could show us the way and save us.  That was the meaning of Christmas, he realized.  As the winds and blinding snow died down, his soul became quiet and pondered this wonderful thought.  Suddenly he understood what Christmas was all about, why Christ had come.

Years of doubt and disbelief vanished like the passing storm.  He fell to his knees in the snow, and prayed his first prayer: “Thank You, God, for coming in human form to get me out of the storm!”

What Does Christmas Mean for You?

Matthew 6:19-21

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

When you unexpectedly read or hear the word “Christmas,” what is the first image that jumps into your mind.  Is it family gatherings, decorations, giving and receiving presents, cookies, or even Black Friday deals; or is it, perhaps, the image of a newborn baby lying in a manger?  As Christians we should make sure that to us the most important part of Christmas is the baby in the manger.  All of the traditions that are now a part of our celebrations are important, but should be observed only as they bring glory to God.

It is most important that we join the shepherds, wise men, the angels, and maybe even the animals and get down on our knees and worship our newborn king.  This little baby is the one who will grow up to be a man and as an adult will take on His shoulders all of our sins and carry them to the cross where He will suffer and die so that we have the opportunity to live with Him forever in Heaven.

Everyday Thanksgiving

Thoughts for when you are not sure what to be thankful for.

Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings each morning,

Thank You , Lord, that I can hear.

There are those who are deaf.

Even though I keep my eyes tightly closed against the morning light as long as possible,

Thank You, Lord, that I can see.

There are many who are blind.

Even though I huddle in my bed and put off the physical effort of rising.

Thank You, Lord, that I have the strength to rise.

There are many who are bedfast.

Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burned, tempers are short.

Thank You, Lord, for my family.

There are many who are lonely.

Even though our breakfast table never looks like the pictures in magazines and the menu is at times unbalanced.

Thank You, Lord, for the food we have.

There are so many who are hungry.

Even though the routine of my job is often monotonous.

Thank You, Lord, for the opportunity to work.

There are many who have no job.

Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day, and wish my circumstances were not quite so modest.

Thank You, Lord, for the gift of life.

What Does Thanksgiving Mean for You?

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday I am once again reminded that we are frequently led, especially by retailers, to move from Halloween to Christmas.  This is the exact opposite of what the Bible says we should do.  For many Thanksgiving’s focus has been on food and family.  We forget the reason that Thanksgiving was originally established.  While the holiday was started many years after the original event, it was still meant to give thanks to God for watching over us during the preceding year.  Jesus gave us a perfect example when he instigated The Last Supper after he had been betrayed by Judas.  Matthew 26:26 says. “While they were eating Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples.”  Knowing that he was soon to suffer and die on the cross, Jesus still gave thanks to God.

I know that life is never easy, but just as Jesus was able to give thanks under extremely bad conditions, so too should we give thanks for the good things in our lives.  Paul tells us in

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

It is still very important that we continue our daily prayers of thanksgiving, but given the chance to raise up to God a thanksgiving celebration we should not skip over the opportunity.