Not So Hallowed
By
Rev Dave Pressey
Halloween is not my favorite day of celebration. In my opinion, it is a celebration that has become out of all control with emphasis on the wrong spiritual ideas. The emphasis has been commercialized by unwholesome interests capitalizing on the darker side of human nature.
It is well known that Halloween was a pagan holiday in its origin. Like so many of the Christian holidays, the church supplanted pagan rituals and celebrations with Christian festivals and feasts.
The Druidic practice of building huge bonfires was to drive off evil spirits. The modern commercialized practices involve promotion of simple costumes and "trick or treating" by young children as a night of fun and many treats of candy. But for many people, Halloween has taken a more sinister form embracing a cult of magic, sorcery and death. The modern experiences have been intensified by horror movies and increasing vandalism by older youth and young adults.
It is strange that the secular world rejects the goodness in Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter, but is so quick to encourage the Paganism of Halloween.
Halloween is the eve of All Saints Day when we remember the good examples of the saints of the church. Within our understanding, all practicing and believing Christians are saints: the word, "saint" meaning "set aside in holiness before God." That is different from the Roman concept of a saint who is declared through the process of canonization.
Anglicans do not pray through the saints as intercessors but give thanks for their power of love and service to God and the Holy Church. We acknowledge what Hebrews 12:1 calls " the Cloud of Witness, Prophets and Saints".