Durham Church,
In just a few hours, at 2:00am, we'll "fall back" an hour when daylight savings ends. The sun will set tomorrow in Durham at 5:19pm. I don't know anyone who is looking forward to this. It feels cruel in a year when politicians are talking (responsibly) about a "dark winter" of isolation and sickness, to say nothing of the growing anxiety that might be the only thing "both sides" have in common as we draw closer to November 3.
For centuries, people have marked a turn to darkness at this time of the year. The origins of Halloween go back to an ancient Celtic tradition called Samhain ("sow-win"). Beginning on the last day of October, for three days, Samhain celebrated the fall harvest with huge fires. When the crops came in, home fires would die out. At Samhain neighbors would take a flame from the shared fire to relight their hearth.) This is how they welcomed the beginning of "the dark half of the year."
The Celts believed that at Samhain the barrier between the material and spiritual grew very thin. This could mean a visit from their ancestors, but it could also mean less-friendly Sidhs (fairies) could cross over...so the Celts dressed up as animals and monsters to make them less attractive to any faeries set on kidnapping them!
When Christianity spread across Europe, the church generally decided to work with established traditions like Samhain rather than try to abolish them. From the 5th century, at least, the church sought to reframe Celtic traditions in a way that incorporated Christian beliefs. So, 1,000 years ago, when Pope Gregory declared November 1 to be "All Saints' Day," the fires of Samhain kept burning! In fact, they are still burning...
The first Jack-o-lanterns appeared during Samhain in the middle ages. They were made from carved turnips. In Ireland, on the nights before Samhain, people went door to door in costumes, singing songs of the dead to their neighbors, who rewarded them with little cakes! (People who handed out Mounds/Almond Joys were handed over to the fairies...)
In Ireland, the jack-o-lanterns around the bonfires were made from pumpkins - and when Irish immigrants came to the United States in the 1800s they brought their jack-o-lanterns with them! Then and now, everything kicked off on October 31 with All Hallows Eve - Halloween. (It's a 3-day feast. Tomorrow we will celebrate All Saints' Day. Monday is All Souls' Day, which I had forgotten was a thing. It's the Jan Bradyof the short Hallowmas season.)
So...today we start a three-day Christian feast to remember the (little "s") saints of the church by keeping the pagan death-feast traditions of the ancient Celts!
I think this is wonderful. When the Celts turned to the "dark half of the year" they gathered around a fire to give thanks for the harvest. They shared meals, sang songs, wore costumes, and had fun. The faeries had nothing on them. They were alive to the world of the spirit and the memory of their loved ones who had died. (There was one tradition that said if you didn't participate, you would die!)
I think this is wonderful. When the Celts turned to the "dark half of the year" they gathered around a fire to give thanks for the harvest. They shared meals, sang songs, wore costumes, and had fun. The faeries had nothing on them. They were alive to the world of the spirit and the memory of their loved ones who had died. (There was one tradition that said if you didn't participate, you would die!)
Looking beyond even the anxious, fearful moment we are in - how do we respond to the inevitable darkness of life? Do we rage against the dying of the light? It's tempting, even necessary. I wouldn't dare try to stop anybody. But there's also an ancient option the church was wise to latch onto - make a fire of our own and remember the saints before us who see face-to-face what we only see dimly -
The light shines in the darkness.
The one who is the true light,
who gives light to everyone,
was coming into the world. (John 1)
Those who die in the Lord will live;
their bodies will rise again!
Those who sleep in the earth
will rise up and sing for joy!
their bodies will rise again!
Those who sleep in the earth
will rise up and sing for joy!
For your life-giving light will fall like dew
on your people in the place of the dead! (Isaiah 26:19)
on your people in the place of the dead! (Isaiah 26:19)
The only one who can save us already has.
(Big "S") Saint Paul offered the Philippians (and us) an alternative to anxiety that has probably infuriated as much as comforted: in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
I'm giving thanks for each of you tonight and hope to see you in the morning.
Love,
Franklin
Franklin
No comments:
Post a Comment