Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us...
Hebrews 12:1 NRSVue
1 For all the saints, who from their labours rest,
all who by faith before the world confessed,
your name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Hallelujah, hallelujah!
Voices United
When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Paul of McCartney
Yesterday was a soggy Hallowe'en in these parts , sad for the kids, great for the drought-stricken earth and waterways.
Today is the middle day of All Hallows Eve, All Saints, and All Souls, the medieval Christian commemoration which may have been coopted from Celtic Druidic tradition. The notion was to honour the dead and ward off evil spirits at this "thin place" between this life and the next.
Hallowe'en has been almost totally secularized but CBC radio went to the streets of Toronto to ask passers-by if they believed in ghosts. A surprising number did and even described experiences of the supernatural. Others wanted to, although they hadn't any encounters.
What would I have answered? My first reaction is that I don't believe in ghosts yet through man years of my ministry I included honouring the dead during the Sunday service closest to All Saints Day. And scripture does speak of the "cloud of witnesses" which surrounds us, which sound somewhat ghostly. While I don't expect to encounter late Uncle Fester in the basement I am open to being part of the original meaning of "in the cloud." Through the years a number of parishioners sought me out to describe what were almost always comforting encounters with departed loved one, usually at times of great need or grief. I was always struck by their sincerity.
So, no malevolent ectoplasmic entities for me, but I want to trust that what we experience emperically isn't the full story. After all, in the Apostles Creed we declare our belief in the communion of saints.
Here are a few paragraphs from The Guardian by Dr. Michael Carter about yesterday, today, and tomorrow, All Souls:
In the 11th century, monks came to their rescue. They introduced the feast of All Souls on 2 November – a day for the living to pray and do good works for those enduring purgatory. Alms and soul cakes were given in exchange for prayers, and masses were sung to speed souls heavenward.
Ghost stories soon spread, telling of restless spirits returning from purgatory to beg the living for help. It’s no coincidence that most of these supernatural tales were recorded by monks and nuns, the stories invariably underlining the effectiveness of monastic prayer for the salvation of suffering souls...
However distant we may now feel from the medieval Christian Halloween, the festival still speaks to something deep and human. It reminds us that death comes to us all. It’s a preparation for whatever comes next, be that the netherworld or a place in the hearts of the ones we have left. Before we die well, let us first live well. And that includes having a haunting and happy Halloween.
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