On Thursday,
the last day of October, Halloween was on our calendar again, followed the next
day by All Saints’ Day, and followed today by the Commemoration of All the
Faithful Departed (formerly called All Souls’ Day). Tomorrow Episcopal
Churches have the choice of observing this year’s Sunday after Pentecost
or transferring the All Saints’ weekday observance to an alternative All
Saints’ Sunday, when more people are apt to be on hand. We have the
possibility of a long weekend which focuses on Christian saints, those known
and unknown, living in the next life and, for many of us, this life as well.
Some
information about these days is in order. Then we’ll give some thought to
whether these observances are significant for those of us gathered here.
The first of
these days, Halloween, originated among ancient Celtic tribes of Ireland and
the British Isles who celebrated their New Year and the coming of winter on
November 1st. On the night before, they observed a festival of their Lord of
the Dead who allowed spirits to return to their former homes. Such ghosts and
goblins could be frightened away by people wearing masks and costumes and by
lighting bonfires. Eventually the night became somewhat Christianized as All
Hallows’ Eve or “Holy Evening,” shortened to Halloween. It was
supposed to be a period of preparation for the next day - All Saints’. All
Hallows’ Eve is not on the official Episcopal Church calendar. However, in
the Church’s Book of Occasional Offices there is a form for an All
Hallows’ Eve service complete with recreational possibilities.
The second
day - All Saints’ - had its roots in the 4th century and by the
9th century was commemorated on November 1st. The day
originated as a commemoration of Christian martyrs, known and unknown, and
evolved to give thanks to God for the lives of all Christians who have
passed to the next life. Among many today it is evolving further to encompass
“saints” in its New Testament usage: as including all
believers living in this life and the next. In this interpretation All
Saints’ Day is a celebration of the fellowship of the entire Church, those
who went before and those present, Christians no longer remembered,
contemporary Christians famous and unknown, and each one of us here tonight
– a saint in the New Testament sense.
The third
day, today - the feast of All Souls’ - was in place by the early 900s to
help worshippers purify the souls of the dead through magic-like prayer;
thankfully it is not on the Episcopal Church’s calendar. It was permeated
with superstition and soundly rejected by the Reformers. However, as a matured
extension of All Saints’ Day, the inclusion of today as a
“Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed” provides an optional,
extra focus on our own deceased, if one wants to observe such a day without the
superstitions connected to its All Souls’ origins!
A reading
appointed for All Saints’ Day is the eloquent segment we heard from
Ecclesiasticus (44:1-10, 13-14). The passage is a praise of the succession of
worthy individuals who had participated in Israel’s history as well as
praise to God who “apportioned to them great glory.” That is,
God’s gift of wisdom enabled them to accomplish their ministries. Some are
famous, remembered by many, and others are not but are honored by the
continuity of their descendants; each was a genuine, faithful participant in
the covenant community. The familiar Gospel reading of the Beatitudes describes
the ideal Christian way of living, which is rarely achieved in this present
life.
Since my mild
heart attack of last February, I’ve perceived my own mortality in a new
way. Some see 65 as relatively young, but I am ever so aware that my father
died at 69. Mom lived in very diminished circumstances until 90 and in a sense
had died years earlier. Although not morbidly preoccupied with my eventual
demise, I have been reducing my collection of books, cleaning out my files and
pictures, giving a few things to my godchild, finishing academic tasks, and
cherishing each day. The one constant on the calendar outside of our home -
amidst doctors’ appointments - is being here for Saturday evening worship.
When I
recently disposed of most of my parents’ personal records, and looked at
the remaining dozen, thin manila folders of residual items, I thought “Is
that all that’s left of Mom and Dad?” And, of course, in time those
items will vanish, too. I realize that the same applies to me. In time, my
books, files, pictures, achievements, and other “stuff” will have
disappeared.
The writer of
Ecclesiasticus, however eloquent, isn’t very supportive of my life.
The passage is incomplete, for I have no descendants who will remember me. And,
there will be neither an historian interested in my life nor a museum
interested in my possessions. With regard to the Gospel reading, I know very
well that the Beatitudes, though pointing to a godly way of life, are more of a
distant goal for me than a present reality. One might conclude that the
teachings of these days would be irrelevant for me and many others.
I’m glad
to say, though, that this “weekend for saints” need not be
irrelevant. I readily admit that my home observes Halloween only in a minimal,
secular way – with a few nostalgic decorations here and there. However, I
choose to regard All Saints’ Day as encompassing people in both this
and the next life - known and unknown saints, extraordinary and
ordinary folks that include all sorts and conditions of Christians - most of
whom in this life are “works in progress” growing toward the
life symbolized by the Beatitudes. What's more, I have confidence that I will
always be remembered – by God, by my beloved, and by those who have
touched my life and I theirs. At some point I hope to be welcomed into the next
life, where – in tonight’s Prayer Book language – I shall
continue to grow in God’s love and service among those I love. On this
“weekend for saints” you and I may celebrate the entire community of
Christ, including ourselves gathered in St. Andrew’s Church at this hour.
Tonight we praise God and give thanks for strength for our journey on the
Lord’s path of everlasting life, the path of all saints.
FROM AN
EPISCOPAL DICTIONARY OF THE CHURCH (Armentrout and Slocum; 1999)
All Faithful Departed,
Commemoration of. This optional observance is an extension of All
Saints' Day. While All Saints' is to remember all the saints, popular piety
felt the need to distinguish between outstanding saints and those who are
unknown in the wider fellowship of the church, especially family members and
friends. Commemoration of All Faithful Departed did not appear in an American
Prayer Book until 1979, and it is celebrated on Nov. 2. It is also known as All
Souls' Day. Many churches now commemorate all the faithful departed in the
context of the All Saints' Day celebration.
All Hallows' Eve.The
evening of Oct. 31, which precedes the church's celebration of All Saints' Day
on Nov. 1. The BOS provides a form for a service on All Hallows' Eve.
This service begins with the Prayer for
Light, and it includes two or more readings from scripture. The options for the
readings include the Witch of Endor (1 Sm 28:3-25), the Vision of Eliphaz the
Temanite (Jb 4:12-21), the Valley of Dry Bones (Ez 37:1-14), and the War in
Heaven (Rv 12:[16]7-12). The readings are followed by a psalm, canticle, or
hymn, and a prayer. The BOS notes that "suitable festivities and
entertainments" may precede or follow the service, and there may be a visit to
a cemetery or burial place.
The popular name for this festival is
Halloween. It was the eve of Samhain, a pagan Celtic celebration of the
beginning of winter and the first day of the new year. This time of the
ingathering of the harvest and the approach of winter apparently provided a
reminder of human mortality. It was a time when the souls of the dead were said
to return to their homes. Bonfires were set on hilltops to frighten away evil
spirits. Samhain was a popular festival at the time when the British Isles were
converted to Christianity. The church "adopted" this time of celebration for
Christian use by observing All Saints' Day on Nov. 1, and All Hallows' Eve on
the evening of Oct. 31.
All Saints' Day.
Commemorates all saints, known and unknown, on Nov. 1. All Saints' Day is one
of the seven principal feasts of the church year, and one of the four days
recommended for the administration of baptism. All Saints' Day may also be
celebrated on the Sunday following Nov. 1.
from A DICTIONARY OF
LITURGICAL TERMS (Pfatteicher; Trinity Press International, 1991)
All Saints' Day. November 1. Also called All
Hallows. Originally a feast in honor of all the martyrs, dating from the fifth
century in the East, the celebration was expanded during the eighth century to
include all the saints, even those who were not martyrs. At the time of the
Reformation, the New Testament understanding of "saint" as including all
believers was recovered, and the feast became a celebration of the unbroken
unity of the whole church, living and dead. The collect for the feast in the
Book of Common Prayer and borrowed by the Lutheran rite declares,
"Almighty God, whose people are knit together in one holy Church, the body of
Christ our Lord, grant us grace to follow your blessed saints...." We living
saints follow those saints now in the blessedness of heaven.
All Souls' Day. November 2. A solemn memorial
day for the departed Christians who were not exemplary saints or martyrs or
confessors, first kept in 998. In the present Roman calendar, the day is called
the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. In view of their expanded
understanding of ALL SAINTS' DAY, the Anglican and Lutheran churches
have generally found this day an unnecessary duplication.