In usual fashion we attended mass this morning and it was beautiful to ask the saints this day, of all days, to pray for us. As a mother, I was also comforted to hear some my own kids name sakes mentioned, and in a beautiful way, we remembered how we strive to live as they lived: with simple faith. How their little eyes lit up to hear their own name!
Our Pastor began his homily, and just as I thought Halloween was behind us, past and over for another year....he began to teach his congregation a reality that I just hadn't thought of, in regards to this holiday. Yikes - another blog post on this dreary holiday!
He began to discuss a misconception about Halloween. He stated that many people think that Halloween is in fact a Christian holiday, when the truth is that this holiday is actually the antithesis of Christianity. He went on to state that the ghoulish decorating and dressing up as the vampire, the monster, the slasher etc, was meant to scare people. In essence to spread a fear of death.
Though I already knew Halloween to not be a Christian holiday, I realized something else this morning. I learned that sometimes the holidays, we as a society celebrate, CAN and DO instill a feeling, an emotion when approaching a reality of life, in this case the instillation of fear.
On the flip side, today's feast and tomorrow's feast of All Souls Day was meant to celebrate those who had died. Our Church gives us these two Feasts in order to teach us something, to not fear death, to not be afraid of it, as it is the method by which we are re-united with God in eternal life. It is not something to be afraid of, rather is something to accept and be ready for, as we never know the hour, like that thief in the night.
Certainly when I think of teaching my children about death, I am not about to show them a grim, dark reality of a slasher film. I want to show them the true reality of death, how it is part of our life, it's not up to us to decide the when or where, and to always to ready when our time comes. I would never want my children to fear death, just be ready for it. I would never want my children to be afraid of meeting God, rather to be satisfied they did their best in this life, and to rely on His mercy and forgiveness.
When I think of this day, Feast of All Saints, I like to think I am preparing them to live as a Saint, die as a Saint, and live forever with God as a Saint. Tall order, I recognize. But I do believe, God gives us, mothers, the grace of state - that grace by which a mother has inspirations from Him to mold these little ones. And only by the grace of God, will we succeed.
Our Pastor began his homily, and just as I thought Halloween was behind us, past and over for another year....he began to teach his congregation a reality that I just hadn't thought of, in regards to this holiday. Yikes - another blog post on this dreary holiday!
He began to discuss a misconception about Halloween. He stated that many people think that Halloween is in fact a Christian holiday, when the truth is that this holiday is actually the antithesis of Christianity. He went on to state that the ghoulish decorating and dressing up as the vampire, the monster, the slasher etc, was meant to scare people. In essence to spread a fear of death.
Though I already knew Halloween to not be a Christian holiday, I realized something else this morning. I learned that sometimes the holidays, we as a society celebrate, CAN and DO instill a feeling, an emotion when approaching a reality of life, in this case the instillation of fear.
On the flip side, today's feast and tomorrow's feast of All Souls Day was meant to celebrate those who had died. Our Church gives us these two Feasts in order to teach us something, to not fear death, to not be afraid of it, as it is the method by which we are re-united with God in eternal life. It is not something to be afraid of, rather is something to accept and be ready for, as we never know the hour, like that thief in the night.
Certainly when I think of teaching my children about death, I am not about to show them a grim, dark reality of a slasher film. I want to show them the true reality of death, how it is part of our life, it's not up to us to decide the when or where, and to always to ready when our time comes. I would never want my children to fear death, just be ready for it. I would never want my children to be afraid of meeting God, rather to be satisfied they did their best in this life, and to rely on His mercy and forgiveness.
When I think of this day, Feast of All Saints, I like to think I am preparing them to live as a Saint, die as a Saint, and live forever with God as a Saint. Tall order, I recognize. But I do believe, God gives us, mothers, the grace of state - that grace by which a mother has inspirations from Him to mold these little ones. And only by the grace of God, will we succeed.
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