Last weekend we had twin holidays with opposite symbols—Halloween, with symbols of fear and death, and All Saints Day, with symbols of faith and promise.
Halloween is the legacy of a Druid festival in which ancient people sought to ward off deathly spirits. The elements of Halloween reflect the fear and despair that people felt when facing the impending reality of death.
The message of the gospel transformed everything. As people took hold of the promise of Christ, they changed their old festival. November 1 became “All Saints Day”—a day of proclaiming the victory that Christ brings us over death. In Old English, they called it All Hallows Day. The night before, October 31, became All Hallows Eve, or Halloween. On Halloween, people would remember the frightening power of evil and death; but on All Saints Day, they would proclaim the far greater power of Christ—that Christ will bring us into life eternal with God.
The gospel can transform not only an old festival, but also our lives today! Like those ancient people, we face frightening powers of evil in our world, and the impending reality of death. But because of Christ, we can live not in fear but in faith. We can know the presence of Christ with us, and we can look to the future in the light of God’s promises. As the apostle Paul said, “So we do not lose heart . . . For we know that if this earthly tent that we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (II Corinthians 4:16, 5:1)
Sunday’s Scripture Readings:
Isaiah 40:6–8, 28–31
II Corinthians 4:16–5:1
