2 Corinthians 13:13 “All the saints send their greetings.”
I always knew that Halloween and the Church were related, at least tangentially. Not being raised in the Catholic Church, I never made the connection between Halloween and All Saints Day, which follows it. I knew vaguely about the wearing of “masks” to scare the demons away but not much more than that. In reality, Halloween is considered the vigil for the celebration that occurs on All Saints Day, which started just as a feast to celebrate saints and martyrs of the Christian faith. The feast used to be observed shortly after Easter, and in the Eastern Orthodox Church it is still celebrated during Pentecost. In the Western Churches it has been celebrated on November 1st for over a millennium.
Who are our saints? What is our relationship with them? How does our faith differ from those who have come before us? Do we celebrate those in the Church who have made sacrifices the way we used to? This year the Church is celebrating the 500th birthday of John Calvin.
“We mention those who have fallen asleep: first the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, that through their prayers and supplications God would receive our petition…”(Catechetical Lecture 23:9)
It seems that “Communicating Dreams” is my thing. Whether this happens to be my night-time dreams, the “dreams of where-I-want-to-go” (or be) or dealing with the dreams of others. I just never expected that the actual dream that led to developing EcuMiniNet Online! would lead to doing this as a professional service for others…helping people find and communicate their dreams, including that of the community.
It is no wonder that I am so pulled into the stories of Jacob, Joseph, Jeremiah, Daniel and Mary and all those who are named in the Holy Bible as either receiving or interpreting dreams and visions. And Mary’s visit from the Angel Gabriel gave her the assurance that she needed to cope with the coming of Jesus.
Communicating dreams is important. Communicating faith is important. But the person whom to whom it is the MOST important, is ourselves. Once we are convinced and believe in ourselves, and learn to trust in God then following-our-dreams becomes a whole lot easier. Even if the dream is as simple as sharing time.
Sustainability…As I move from day to day I wonder about this. How much of my life is “sustainability” and how much is pure routine? Or worse yet, habit, or fear of trying new things? Where do I receive encouragement?
In order to answer this question I turn to some Bible stories. I remember when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness and kept complaining to God about the lack of, well, everything. They had only a leader to follow but no sense of vision. The vision belonged to the leader. They were continually given hope through God’s intervention and through leadership. But sustainability for them was indeed a real struggle. Belief was a struggle.
But when I least expect it, after I have given up all hope, then “manna” appears. It is enough to sustain me for yet another day, another week, another month, another year. And there are “heart moments” and “faith moments” and “gifts” that have been worth the wait. I have discovered the greater part of wisdom is hanging in there long enough to begin to see the fruits of one’s labors, which opens new doors for faith and fears.
I always think of “Ruby Tuesday’s” when I think of “Tuesday Morning.” OR…I think of the store, “Tuesday Morning” or then when I think of “Ruby Tuesdays” I think of “Ruby Slippers” and Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Then I think next of “Ruby Falls,” “See Rock City,” then I think of Chattanooga, Tennessee, then I remember my trips home. My cares melt away when I head into the hills of Tennessee where my parents live.
It occurred to me that this is the way it is with scripture or with returning to worship in a beloved faith community, or rediscovering Christ. There is this sense of home-coming and belonging and rightness. And, as with the “association game” one thought leads to another. There is a connectedness. Which is to say why it is so important that our memories be good ones, especially at home and in faith. And if our memories are not good ones, then we need to pray for healing so that once again we can “go home” to God in our hearts. Then we can release our cares and simply “enjoy the trip.”
This reflection is what I remember the most from Christmas:
I am outside the Cub grocery exit freezing in a wind chill of -24 while bell ringing around a Salvation Army kettle. For 2 hours that seemed like 2 eternities, I greet each person with “God bless you.” Nearly all rush by silently without eye contact eager to get to their car with their cart of groceries. In 2 hours,I collect maybe $40 thanks to a man who put in $1. But when I said “Thank you the food shelves are nearly empty,” he replied “yes, I have groceries but many are hungry.”
The man gave me the rest of his money, a $20 bill. He is followed by a scruffy
But one black man in a ragged coat with white beard looking like Santa gives me even more. He stops, looks me in the eye, smiles, and in a loud voice proclaims, “God ALWAYS blesses me!”
I stop ringing my bell to awaken people because he caught me asleep. Yes, ALWAYS God is blessing me – not just when I have groceries or my warm boots, jacket and health that I was thanking God for.
The problem isn’t getting God to bless me or another with a “God bless you.” My problem is stopping to receive the constant blessing given with each breath of life. The Jewish people knew God “always blesses” and so didn’t pronounce “Yahweh” because God could not be confined to a momentary word. Rather “Yahweh” was the sound of inhaling (yah) and exhaling (weh) that constantly renews us with each recurring breath as God rushes in to bless us and out to bless the world.
I am like the 90% rushing out of Cub (store) without a word or even eye contact – because I am running toward a better moment without taking in the present blessing. How rare it is for me to live in the “now” when I can always dream of a better “tomorrow” inside a warm car.
Matthew Linn, SJ