All Hallows' Eve

As morning dawns and evening fades / You inspire songs of praise / That rise from earth to touch Your heart / And glorify Your name … Paul Baloche

As we approach Halloween on Monday, it seems to be a good time to stop and think about the saints in our lives.

I know … the focus of Halloween seems to be on the tricks and treats, stories of witches and goblins, ghosties, beasties, and things that go bump in the night; that’s a shame.

It IS an opportunity for those who need a reason to party a night to party; it DOES give vandals a night to vandalize; it CAN give people of all persuasions a night to dress funny and find ways to act silly.

It is also, quite often, a delightful night for people who take time to approach it with a bit of care and kindliness. It’s a bonding time for parents as they walk the streets hand-in-hand with their children, getting acquainted with and greeting neighbors they may or may not even really know.

Halloween, as such, can be a bit magical.

Certainly, it brings back fond memories of my childhood; of Mom’s creative and handcrafted costumes for my brother, sisters, and me.

It brings back memories of our daughter always wanting to dress up as a pumpkin on Halloween, or our son as a mean biker – and the cries of neighborhood angels and demons alike screaming, “Trick or Treat” followed by the less exuberant “Thank yous” parents made them say.

Yes, I do have fond memories of Halloweens past – that is true. But I find myself drawn more to the forgotten day; the day that follows: the Feast of All Saints.

There was a day and a time when folks would close up shop and flock to church on the Feast of All Hallows – or All Hallows’ Eve – and offer thanks to God for the lives of those who had “gone before.”

They would celebrate the lives of the major saints, of course: “I sing a song of the saints of God, patient and brave and true, who toiled and fought and lived and died for the Lord they loved and knew.”

They would remember the martyrs – those put to death – for speaking out and daring to confront evil powers they saw corrupting and destroying the creatures of God; they would celebrate the lives of those who had founded churches for worship, hospitals for healing, and schools for learning.

But as glorious as those saints are – those Capital “S” saints (like Sts. Mary and Joseph, Sts. Peter and Paul, Sts. Dorothy and Toto) – more important are the little “s” saints who have impacted our lives. Those are the ones I think about on All Hallows Eve and on All Hallows Day.

Parenthetically, there is a St. Dorothy, but I don’t think Toto ever made the grade (although word has it he was quite good as a dogmatist).

Anyway, if Halloween has any power, I think it is the capacity to poke fun at the devil. It doesn’t underscore the strength of Satan, but warns against the foolishness of those who would dare try to steal or abuse the souls of those who belong to God.

Halloween is a day pointing to those who helped us become more like the people God wants us to be; those who helped us make wise decisions, or who brought us comfort when we were ill, or who stood beside us, even when we behaved stupidly. Those are the saints I think about.

The good news is that saints don’t have to be dead to be remembered. On the contrary, the beauty of living saints is that one can take a moment to call, write, or visit and let them know how they’ve touched his or her life.

The irony of this Age is that most saints don’t know they’re saints. They’re just schlubs like us, doing what they can to do what’s right, making their corner of the world just a little brighter, and praying that Jesus will remember them when he comes into his kingdom.

I want you all to know: the Lord does!

All we’ve got to do is dress up, show up, and BE the saints we are. We’re God’s treats for this, our valley; that’s God’s best trick yet!