All Hallows Eve

Today is Hallowe’en, the contraction for All Hallows Eve. All Hallows is the “old fashioned” name for All Saints Day, tomorrow. Why is the first day of November All Saints Day? Generally there is a reason behind the name, any name. It is so called because of Pope Gregory IV. Since the fourth century of the Common Era, various Eastern churches have had a commemoration of all the martyrs. Most likely the date of November 1, comes to us from Ireland and/or Britain. There it was celebrated as a “harvest” feast. In 844, the aforementioned Pope established this date for the western Church. It was on this day in that year that the Pantheon, that magnificent circular temple to all the gods in the midst of Rome was made a Christian Church and dedicated as the Church of St. Mary and All Martyrs.

In this day and age the day is remembered for parties for children and adults. I can remember various costumes from the days of my youth and the sacks full of treasures that we brought home to feast upon for the next many days while our teeth rotted from our mouths. I remember how Hallowe’en was a day to be gotten through when I was a teacher. It was the occasion of the first school party of the year. Each PTA room mother was responsible for planning and executing the party. Funny, I don’t remember there ever being a room father. Perhaps that omission has been rectified of late. Anyway, the children were hyped all day in anticipation of the party during the last hour of school. If music, or art, or physical education class were the last class of the day, the party was held previous to that so children were “all sugared up” by the time they came to us. I don’t recall much actual learning taking place in such a class on that day. In my middle school teaching days things were even worse. The students were allowed to wear costumes all day. There was no party as such. The entire day was the party. I was amazed at the number of “cross dressers” that appeared on that day, particularly on the male side of the equation. In my final year the principal announced that there would be no costumes. The students were bummed. The teachers were ecstatic. For most of us the whole celebration of All Saints and All Souls has to do with death and dying. For those of us with terminal illnesses it is a time to pause and think and pray about what our future is. For all persons it should be a time to think about mortality and about how we handle death. Most people of our culture do not handle death well. As a priest I came to the conclusion that people acquired strange notions of death when the churchyard basically ceased to be. When the faithful walked through the cemetery to get to church there was a constant reminder that the departed, though no longer seen, are still very much with us. It is that doctrine of the Church Militant (the church members here), the Church Expectant (those who have died and await the final resurrection which we proclaim every time we say the creed), and the Church Triumphant (the saints and angels in heaven) that is brought home to us. Alexander Solzhenitsyn wrote: “Once people used to go to our cemeteries on Sundays and walk between the graves singing beautiful hymns and spreading sweet-smelling incense. It set your heart at rest; it allayed the painful fears of inevitable death. It was almost as though the dead were smiling from under their grey mounds: ‘It’s all right…Don’t be afraid.’” Now our beloved departed friends and relatives are buried in lovely parks far away from our churches. Instead of each family lovingly tending for the gravesite, the maintenance is left to a crew who never knew the people over whom they are trodding. Perhaps once a year a visit may be made, usually around Memorial Day. Flowers are brought forth, mainly because “everyone else does it.” The spent blooms are removed by the maintenance crew. Death has become such a large part of our life during this pandemic. At present count over 220,000 persons in our country have gone to the Church Expectant since it began. This is an unimaginable number. Yet people of faith still sing songs like William Irons magnificent hymn: “Sing with all the saints in glory, Sing the resurrection song! Death and sorrow, earth’s dark story, To the former days belong. All around the clouds are breaking, Soon the storms of time shall cease; In God’s likeness, we awaken, Knowing everlasting peace.” The week has gone very well with bright sunshine every day. Mother Nature has almost redeemed herself from the previous week of gloom. Our snow has disappeared. I’ve felt very well. Blood work on Monday, followed by the visit with the doctor and then the first infusion of the week are on my schedule. I hope you are well. Enjoy these final days of autumn. Keep praying and thinking about all those you care for and love. Peace.