Words to Ponder … Halloween … Morrow Mirror, October 13, 2013
“Halloween is
the highest holy day for various religions and satanic cults. Its roots lie
with the ancient Druids, who worshiped Samhain, god of the dead, whom they
believed called the souls of evil men out of the grave to play tricks on
people. Villagers wearing masks to disguise themselves from the evil spirits
collected food for the celebration. If you gave, you were promised food. If
not, a trick.
Early Christian missionaries sought to
replace this celebration of death with a day to honor the lives of Christians –
All Saints Day. The previous evening
was All Hallowed-Ones' Eve or Hallow'een.”[1]
In rural
America, I remember Halloween as an exciting time for both children and
parents. As children we dressed up in costumes then we piled in the car with
our broom sticks, ray guns, and plastic masks for the ride to town where we walked
the neighborhoods hoping to fill our paper grocery bags with chocolate,
hardtack, and other sweet goodies.
Going door-to-door
on Halloween has become a footnote in our American history books. Parents today, for good reasons, would never dream of letting their children walk alone after dark to
solicit candy from strangers.
Halloween
was a big event in my hometown. It was
the one school day a year children loved because the grade schools put away the books and took out the games. Children and
many of the teachers dressed in costume, played games, and won prizes. As children we did not know why we celebrated Halloween, nor did we care, we just liked dressing up and
getting candy.
In the late sixties things began to change. It was then that razor blades
were found in candy apples. After that my mother inspected all our candy before
we could eat it and if it was unwrapped it went in the trash. That was when the innocence of Halloween was
lost and neighbor began to distrust neighbor.
Today churches
and communities offer alternative events like trunk-or-treat and fall festivals
as a way to continue the tradition of Halloween and to celebrate community.
Halloween began
as a day to glorify death, but as Christians we honor, not death, but
life. Life eternal, because Jesus has
defeated death, as He does all evil that tries to destroy our innocence, to God
be the glory.
Words to Ponder...In Christian Love, your pastor and friend in
Christ Dr. Ed Judy
Mark your calendars, and don't forget to
sign-up to volunteer. October 26 is Morrow First UMC's Fall Festival and Annual
Barbeque. There are positions for everyone young and old. If you can only work
for an hour then work an hour, but if you can do more that too is great. Work as long as you can then enjoy a
wonderful barbeque meal followed by a homemade dessert.
"It
is an all day affair" when Morrow 1st UMC comes together as community in
Jesus' name.
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