ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
November 1, 2022
On Sunday, we celebrated All Saints’ Sunday. Today is the official All Saints’ Day, the day after All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween). Yes, for those who are unaware, the origins of Halloween are rooted in Christian tradition. It’s a good reminder of the dance between the sacred and the secular, and how often the secular comes to overshadow and redefine the sacred. Of course, where is the line between sacred and secular, between the holy and the profane? This is challenging when you look at Genesis 1, where everything in creation comes with a divine sticker that says: “Good.” It makes me wonder if it has more to do with how things are used, and whether they bring goodness and joy or whether they produce something that is not reflective of God’s ideals. We like simple categories—good and bad; sacred and profane. Yet I find that simple categories rarely communicate reality. Halloween can’t just be tossed into the category of bad or profane. I see a lot of joy, silliness and healthy playfulness around this holiday. I think it has a lot to do with how you approach it and utilize it.
Amazing God, help me not to dismiss something at first glance. Help me not toss something to the bad pile that may contain a lot of unrecognized goodness. Amen.
