(We recently received a question from a reader who asked the friars’ views on celebrating Halloween; so, we are reprinting this reflection from last year’s archives.)
October 26, 2006
One evening, I was walking past a house which was all aglow with orange lights. Evidently the residents were “really into” Halloween. Almost every window, front and side, was decorated—and we’re not talking about cardboard cutouts of pumpkins or bunches of dried colored corn. One window displayed a witch leaning over a steaming cauldron and another was swathed in cobwebs with a stuffed spider dangling down. Then I noticed something in the shadows below one of the windows—a shrine to Saint Jude. Thank God it wasn’t illuminated and hopefully went unnoticed.
I am sorry if my reflection today might offend a few of our readers; in fact, I apologize if even one of you becomes angry or upset. The friars post these daily spiritual reflections to help people, not to hurt them. However, if you feel a bit of a sting, it is because I hope to apply alcohol to a wound, and not acid.
I realize for many people Halloween is something of a “fun” day—especially for kids. I have fond memories of getting dressed up in costume and going out to “trick or treat”. Even when I was too old to be excited about getting a sickening amount of M&M’s, Chunkies, and Milky Ways, it was a special night when I could stay out late. I don’t recall doing anything too naughty, but I do remember beaning another kid on his head with an egg. I didn’t sleep well that night because I was afraid the Secret Service or FBI would track me down and drag me out of bed.
When I saw the house illuminated by strings of orange lights, I was honestly slightly annoyed and thought to myself, “this person must have too much time on their hands”. But really it was the statue stuck in the corner that escorted me to the edge of anger. I thought, “Why would a person, a Christian, and Catholic no less, spend so much money, energy, and interest on Halloween?” I am well aware that some very good people may have some very good reasons, but considering the devastating decline in religion in the public forum, is this helping or hurting the cause?
I suspect that too many faithful Catholics are simply unaware of the “cultural free fall” which has occurred over the past forty or more years. We allowed the world to hijack and market our holydays and re-sculpt what was once spiritual into something secular. The motivation? Money. Baby Jesus and adoring Joseph aren’t marketable, but Winnie the Pooh and Alice in Wonderland certainly are. If a person from another faith, or a person with no faith wants to share in the “spirit of the season” by putting up cartoon characters on their lawn—fine; but for a Christian to do this is somewhat sinful. I said somewhat sinful.
When I was a child forty years ago, seeing Santa sipping Coke on a billboard meant nothing, because I knew the real meaning of Christmas—it was in my school, my home—it was deep in my heart. Years ago, spooky stories of ghosts and witches were, well, spooky stories, but not today with so much occult and religious confusion. We had chocolate Easter bunnies and candy as a kid, but we enjoyed them after Sunday Mass! We cannot act like it’s 1950 when it’s 2006. Am I really on target or really off?
We have no one to blame but ourselves for casually caving in. So where do we begin to turn the tide? Well, right in our own front yard! If we don’t do it now, perhaps we won’t be permitted to do it a few years from now! We must begin to reclaim the holidays by highlighting their original Christian roots; “holidays” means holy days. If you agree the heart of Christmas and Easter is Jesus Christ, ask yourself if your decorations and celebrations reflect what you believe. Halloween is the eve of All Saints Day. Do your children know this and how can you teach them? Do you need some creative ideas? How about including a holy card with the candy or an All Saint’s costume party? Do you have any creative ideas?
So, if you’re the person whose house I saw all aglow with orange lights, it’s not too late to turn things around and take things down. “Impossible!” you say? Saint Jude, please pray for us!
Fr. Glenn Sudano, CFR
____________________________________________
send us your questions/comments(you must re-type or copy and paste this address into your email):
franciscanscfr@yahoo.com