All Hallow’s Eve is a special day that has become secularized over the years in which we have lost the meaning and sacredness of the day. The day before All Saints asks us to contemplate the four last tenets of our eschatological and ontological journey. We will die. We will face judgment. There will be the prospect of heaven (or purgatory – a state of purification before a soul is ready to receive the merits of the beatific vision). Some may receive the possibility of hell or life without God’s love. This of course is a choice in which every human being is offered in how they conduct their affairs. We can respond to God’s continual call of grace and mercy or reject it by the way we live our life.
Our true ontological nature with our baptismal call as part of the Church militant is to be saints. We further reflect upon such a call from being new beings, born into the family of Christ, with our confirmation and choice of a Christian saintly name in which we wish to emulate. How we allow God’s will to become our Northern star is our why. How we respond to the grace and merits of the Holy Spirit on this earthly journey equips us toward becoming part of the church triumphant in heaven.
What then is a Saint? “All Christians are called to be saints. Saints are persons in heaven (officially canonized or not), who lived heroically virtuous lives, offered their life for others, or were martyred for the faith, and who are worthy of imitation” (https://www.usccb.org/offices/public-affairs/saints).
Our life is short and we must use our time wisely (Ps. 90:12). The Church has a phrase for such a reflection…Memento Mori, Tempus Fugit (remember death, time flies from the Latin).
If we are to truly recall this day where we wish to be frightened, ask thyself if you are ready for the next life? Will the Master reply, “well done good and faithful servant? (Mt. 25:23).
Rattenberg (Tyrol). Augustine museum – Memento-mori-painting ( 1694 ) from Kitzbühl – detail with inscription: “All skulls are signed but one; write your name on it, it is yours.”
The Book of Revelation recalls this great vision of what we can become as saintly beings striving for greatness.
(NABRE)
Rev. 7:9-12
After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.” All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed: “Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
Who is your favorite Saint? Feel free to dress the kids up in Halloween costumes & enjoy the festivities. Also, be sure to encourage saintly costumes the next day for the great and hallowed (holy) day where we recall All Saints Day. May we seek to emulate those saintly men & women on our earthly journey!
As Saint Catherine of Siena once remarked, “be who God wants you to be and you will set the world onfire.” Let us go forth and be saintly women & men with the time we are blessed with.
As the song When The Saints Go Marching In reminds us – do we wish to be in that number?
Happy Hallow’s Eve.
God bless.
StreetEvangelist 