Here It Comes (10/31/2024)

Today begins the parade of holidays that besets us this time of year: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years. Are you ready? Every year, I spend the day before Halloween sprucing things up, putting away summer officially, deep cleaning my porch for winter, changing my table runner, etc. Yesterday was no exception. I’m all set, just in time, because here it comes!

It’s so easy in this parade of special days, each with its own décor, each with its own traditions, to lose sight of what is most important in each. We can get caught up in the exteriors, the outward displays, and not set aside time for the interior transformation each allows us. As people of faith, we know that our faith isn’t something we take out once a week but rather it informs us daily, it helps us to conform ourselves into loving beings in Christ, and it transforms us and through us our world. Our faith is meant to be lived moment to moment, every moment of every day. And our faith has a part to play in our big celebrations.

Take today for instance. Halloween, as we all know, is “All Hallow’s Eve” – the day before All Saints. As we celebrate by handing out candy to “trick or treaters,” can we also take time to consider our own walk in life. Is it leading us to be saints? Are we “putting on“ that which will help us in this life to live a life of faith, of hope, and of love? The reading for today from Ephesians is perfect, telling us to put on the armor of the LORD.

EPHESIANS 6:10-20 Brothers and sisters: Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the Devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So, stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the Gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the Evil One. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones and also for me, that speech may be given me to open my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains, so that I may have the courage to speak as I must.

And Thanksgiving gives us four full weeks to focus on the myriad of ways the LORD has provided for us, His daughters and sons, and how Christ gave His life for our redemption, and how the Spirit guides us and gifts us daily for our journey. November is also a great time to look about us at those who have accompanied us and whose love has impacted us. Daily we should give thanks in November, not just on Thanksgiving Day.

And then the weekend after Thanksgiving, the Church gives us a new focus, Advent, preparing ourselves for the coming of Christ. That is a noble task; that is an all-encompassing mission. It calls us to do exterior and interior work. As we set up our trees and top them with a star or angel, let us recall that first Christmas and those who went out of their way to welcome the Christ child. As we send and receive Christmas cards, let us pray specifically for the ones sending or receiving. Let us sow the peace of Christmas with faith, buoyed by hope, and fueled by love.

We’ve lot to do over the next 60 days. Here it comes! Let us use it to make us stronger in our faith, to share our hope, and as occasions to love well.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.