WHERE DID HALLOWEEN COME FROM?

 

Friday of this week is Halloween. Where did this come from?

 

We have to go back at least one thousand years to the movement of Christianity into what is now northern France, Belgium and England. The people who lived there were the Celtes. They lived in what was the Northwestern part of the Roman empire. Now in their religious beliefs and practice, November 01, was New Year’s Day. Their calendar was structured to begin in what we call the month of November. 

 

But on the night before New Year’s Day (October 31) they would go out into the forests and countryside, make a huge bonfires and pray to drive away all evil spirits.   They lived in a world that could be tormented and damaged by the evil spirits that moved on the face of the earth.  Their experience of the world was  attacked and supported by the forces of good and evil. The bonfires and prayers in the night were to drive away any evil spirits that might do them harm.

 

Now, Christianity was not too successful in trying to suppress these pagan practices. The Celtes got baptized but they still practiced many of their pagan practices. Now, this is the genius of Christianity. If you cannot suppress something you turn around and baptize it and make it fit into the Christiaan framework of life.

 

So, they made November 01, the Celtes New Year, into the feast of All Saints. Gather all the holly people together on this ‘catch all ‘ feast day. And the night before became All Hallows Eve. They made this former pagan night a ‘Christian holy night.’ 

 

Our Christian ancestors,  one thousand years ago, were very creative.

 

Enjoy handing out treats to the kids who come trick or treating.

 

This points us to seeing that everything on this earth does and can reveal the goodness and the love of God. Nothing is profane or to be rejected by God. Begin with creation; everything from the first rays of sunshine in the morning are an expression of God’s goodness. Live in joy and song that you have been born into such a wonderful world. Everything can relate to the very heart and creative force of God.

 

Enjoy every one of the trick or treaters that come to your door. Sing a song pf praise that you can share in this happy event with the children at your door.

 

 

HE OUTSIDER IS IN? HOW SO?

 t is hard to get people born in the church to understand that Jesus will often upset our way of thinking.  They want a comfortable religion where they have control over everything. No surprises. When we hear the parable (teaching story) of the Pharisee (a religious observant Jew) and the tax collector (a despised turn-coat to the oppressed Jewish people)  we have our system of good and bad turned upside down (Lk. 18, 9-14).

 

The Pharisee (he was a good guy) came forward and informed God of all the good things he was doing. He fasted twice a week and gave a tenth of his income to others. Thank goodness he was not like the despised tax collector at the back of this prayer hall!

 

What a contrast! The despised one (he was complicit with the Roman enemies who oppressed and taxed the people very heavily) could only stand at the back and pray, “Be merciful to me, a sinner.”

 

Jesus uses the despised one to show the honesty and humility that we all must have as we stand before God.

 

No one can earn their salvation and say to God “you owe me because of my good and dutiful life!” Our goodness with God always comes as a gift from God. We are made holy first and foremost because the Holy Spirit is working in us. Salvation does not depend on how good we are but on the work and gift of God. 

 

This tax collector stands as a model for all believers. We come before God with all our failings, with all our sinfulness and our hard-heartedness. We do not use our goodness to downgrade the weakness and failings of others.

 

If we all knew ourselves (the personality that others have to live with and get along wtith) we would all be humble!

 

Today, gather together your sinfulness, your self-centeredness and your indifference toward the sufferings and woundedness of others. Hold your sins and our weaknesses in your hand and begin your prayer. You will feel very humble.

 

But as Jesus will teach us: your littleness and your humility will bring you to understand what Jesus is all about and deepen your life of faith. Hold on to your weaknesses and it will bring you freedom!

THE WIDOW IN A NEW IMAGE

There are several creative ways that we can use the Scriptures to enrich and deepen our faith lives. What I will suggest today may be new to your prayer life but there may be insights that you have never had before.

 

The Gospel reading for this Sunday ( Luke 18, 1-8) focuses on our need to pray with perseverance and conviction. Jesus shares the parable of the unjust judge ( are real scoundrel who wanted to be paid off with a bribe most likely) and the defenceless widow who could not get a just settlement from this judge.

 

Feel the tension and the passion in this story.

 

In the culture of Jesus a widow was without power. Unless she had sons or other concerned person who could speak up for her and defend her, she would often be neglected, abused and cheated of her rightful property.

 

Now this widow uses the only weapon she has. She is persistent and demands that her case be heard. The corrupt judge finally relents. If he does not meet her rightful demands, she will drive him nuts! He gives in to her persistence.

 

Now, here is where we can flip the characters around. Make God the persistent widow and ourselves the unjust judge. 

 

As the persistent widow God comes to us, challenges us on the evils and the great suffering that all wars bring. What does God have to say to the unjust aggressor when one country invades and takes over the territory of another country? What does God say about all the innocent people who suffer as war is being waged? 

 

What is God saying about the scammers who cheat and steal from the poor and unsuspecting people?  What does God say to all thieves who break in and steal from the working poor, the elderly and defenceless refugees? 

 

And then in our brokenness. How does God move in the lives and hearts of wounded people? What is God igiving to broken and hurtful people? Does God walk by and just leave them to deteriorate by the roadside?

 

You can add so many other situations where the concerns of God could be voiced in this persistent widow. She may be poor and seemingly helpless but she does not give up. Is this not a fitting image of our God who does not give up on us: no matter how evil we may have become? No matter how broken and lost we appear to be? No matter how aimless our levies might be adrift?

 

Fllip the image of the widow to be the persistent God. What is God teaching you?

 

 

 

 

GRATITUDE, GRATITUDE, GRATITUDE

Many people pooh, pooh the story of Adam and Eve as a polite fairy tale that is rather entertaining. In reality,  this is a story about ourselves. The great fault of the first woman and man was that they wanted to be their own god. They wanted to be all-powerful and do their own thing – and answer to no one but themselves.

 

This is the most serious form of idolatry; that is, making false gods. Giv\ing our service to the false deity. 

 

The truth of the matter is that all creation comes from the very hand of God. Every part of the cosmos, every bacteria and every human being is an extension of the love and compassion of the Creator God. And this makes everything a gift.

 

If all of life is a gift, there is only one correct response to the Creator God. It is gratitude. Nothing is owed to us. All is gift. Every breath that we are taking at this very moment is a gift. All moments of our life call for gratitude, thanksgiving and joy. Take one deep breath at this very moment. What a gift! What power to enjoy and appreciate the gift of our life – no matter how short or long it may be.?

 

This is why everyone needs a correction to the life of prayer. Everyone needs to once again study the spirituality they claim to be living.

 

All our prayer must begin with gratitude for all the blessings that we have received. The very fact that we were conceived in the womb of our mother, that we were raised, educated into adulthood is truly a gift. This was never owed to us. Every friend that we have is blessing. 

 

And then our God, poured out the love and mercy of God in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The outstretched hands on the cross are a sign of the love of God embracing everyone: the good, the miserable and all the sinful. There is no limit to the goodness of God towards humanity.

 

This is why this Sunday’s gospel reading ( Luke 17, 11-19) is such a gift to us. The ten lepers (outcasts to that society) experience a healing at the hands of Jesus. Only the stranger , i.e., the Samarian, comes back to thank Jesus. He realized how his life has been gifted. There is only one response: joy and thankful praise.

 

This is how we must pray. Take all and every blessing of your life; this is first and foremost the gift of God. Burst into song and joy. How wonderful the first morning light is.  How joyful the hug of your grandchildren. How strong the presence of God when you turn toward prayer.

 

Begin every prayer in gratitude – and continue in gratitude singing for joy