Question is this.... If you don't know or understand what you are celebrating does that make it ok? For example...the source of Halloween in Europe before it hit the USA is pagan. Then it seems Rome tried to "Christianize" it. Puritans did not celebrate it, but did have some fall festivals, then as immigrants came over, southern colonies celebrated it and it spread again with many pagan traditions attached to it. I know it's mostly just fun stuff for kids and often fall festival type events for communities, but where are lines drawn....Honestly I'm not sure. I pretty much totally reject the holiday, but we let our kids enjoy it and have fun. They know ghosts are not real and we don't want to enjoy evil things...so we steer them away from that stuff, but Jack-o-lanterns and ghosts and stuff are decorating our home (even though I hate it...haha) So honestly... I think we should reject it more than we should BUT it's ok to have fun and enjoy it in a "fun" and safe manner.
I always remember on this date two things. First is 10/31/1517 On this date Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the castle door in Wittenberg, Germany. As this gifted priest read the book of Romans he was captivated by it's message. He determined to wrestle with Paul until he understood what he taught in this book that so clearly contains such a potent and pure Gospel.
It may be pretty boring reading if you are not up to it, but it's available to check out online... HERE
The biggest thing is that we are justified by grace through faith.... Now days just about every denomination will SAY that, but they have attached their own definition of what it means. So again defer to the letter of Paul to the Romans .
Next thing I think of on Halloween is Hebrews 10:31 because that is today's date....also because of the scary words of the verse. That combination makes it easy to remember. It says "it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God" A verse you don't hear much in American Christianity today. But, it's true....the LORD is not a dear old grandfather figure, but the Holy God of Creation.
Have a great day and read Romans and maybe catch the context of that Hebrews verse if you get the chance today....
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We celebrate Halloween as the eve of Nov 1st which is All Saints Day. I'm not sure where the "scary" stigma of Halloween came from but November first is a Holy Day of Obligation in the Catholic Church and a day that we remember and pray for those who have gone before us and for the Saints. It's a GREAT day to celebrate and PRAY so I don't know why it's tied to spooks and gobblins but I agree, if the "focus" is good and fun then there's nothing wrong with letting kids dress up and eat candy!
Yes,I intentionally avoided this subject. I have been trying to be a "good boy" :)
My question would be this:
What exactly is a day of "obligation"
Next would be why would we need to pray for or to those who have gone before us?
The history of how All Saints Day came about is an interesting study and worth the research....
Here is the definition of the Holy Day of Obligation
In the Catholic Church, Holy Days of Obligation or Holidays of Obligation, less commonly called Feasts of Precept, are the days on which, as canon 1247 of the Code of Canon Law states,
"the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass. Moreover they are to abstain from those works and affairs which hinder the worship to be rendered to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s day, or the suitable relaxation of mind and body."
The canon law of course says Every Sunday mass is the Catholics obligation. Along with the feast days as listed in the canon law (cut and paste link into address bar to read the canon law)
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P4N.HTM
So to miss a weekly mass or a day of obligation is a "mortal" sin...as Thomas Aquinas defined it
"Mortal sins destroy the grace of God in the heart of the sinner. By their very grave nature, a mortal sin cuts our relationship off from God and turns man away from his creator"
Wow...what a tough life...I am glad my relationship with God is not an "on again, off again" relationship. I am sorry, I don't mean to be smug. I am simply saying I am glad salvation is based on Christ's death for my sins, not my attempt to be "holy" enough. Sorry Jason, this week I am ashamed of your dedication to me, so you have again been cut off and grace has been removed...please confess your sins and start over. Do you see how my salvation would then depend on my faithfulness more than my trust in Christ's death alone in my place? This is a great place to read the book of Romans Chapters 4-8.
Again forgive me for my smug tone...I am sorry, but consider the heart of the message. We must always compare the teaching of men against the teaching of scripture, it can not disagree.
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