Halloween

Well, another Halloween is here. Halloween, of course, is a corrupted version of "All Hallow's Eve," the night before "All Hallow's Day" or, as we know it today, "All Saints Day," the day when (at least in Protestant tradition) the sainthood of all is celebrated. Paul calls us "saints" (1 Corinthians 1:2 and elsewhere), and even though our lives are not perfect, that is who we are. It is how God the Father sees those who have chosen to trust in Jesus the Son. We are saints.

But somehow that has been lost as the ghouls and goblins have taken over. The day has become full of that imagery and centered around those who just leave trash laying in your neighborhood while they "trick-or-treat." (I had trash in my mailbox this morning...)

Our church had its "Trunk or Treat" last night, and I commented to another person working how amazed I was at the number of children—little children, mind you, elementary and preschool age—who came in bloody, gory costumes. And how many others came dressed as characters out of R-rated movies and M-rated video games. There were many, many "cute" costumes: princesses, Pikachus and even a Padme. But it broke my heart how many small children were already being groomed into a violent world.

It reminded me of the time Cathy and I were taken to task by an elementary teacher over the costume we let Christopher wear to school. No, it's not what you think is. This teacher called us out for letting Christopher wear a Disney costume when "most of the other kids" were dressed as vampires, ghouls and witches. I remember replying, "Well, I don't really want to dress my child like that. That's not who he is or who we are." To which the self-professed Christian teacher said, "I agree. But this is how the culture is. He needs to fit in." In other words, the teacher was telling us, "I share your beliefs, but you can't live that way." Really?

Even on this day of ghouls, ghosts and goblins, I much prefer to focus on and live out the words of St. Paul: "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things" (Philippians 4:8).

Let's live like saints, even in the midst of a broken world!