PARADIGM SHIFT

Trick: Approximately 80% of adults in the U.S. pass out candy each year, while over 90% of American kids go “trick or treating.”

Treat: The practice of “trick or treating” exploded in the U.S. during the post WWII years, but its origins are rooted in Medieval and even ancient traditions.

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Trick: The name “Halloween” comes from “All Hallows’ Eve” which signified the night before the Catholic holiday of All Saints’ Day.

Treat: All Saints’ Day was moved to November 1st in 835 AD. Its original spring-time date is still celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

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Trick: Halloween dates back to 5 BC with the pagan Celtic harvest celebration called Samhain.

Treat: Samhain also served as a festival to the dead, which can be seen today in many different cultural contexts: Halloween (USA, Canada, Europe), All Saints’ Day (Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist), El Dia de los Muertos (Mexico, Latin America), etc.

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Trick: The most popular Halloween costume in 2009 was Michael Jackson.

Treat: The tradition of wearing costumes originated with the ancient Celtics, who were afraid of ghosts and spirits, hence the tradition of hiding their humanity.

Fall: Week Eight
Fear Not:
Halloween

~ coming soon ~

So I was sitting in the “Holy Week Chapel” service here at school a couple days ago and found myself wondering why are the services around Easter so dry and formalized.  The concert band and the choir were up there performing, there were lengthy Scripture readings, and many of the students in the room were asleep.  Now I go to a Christian school, but not everybody on campus is a Christian.  Easter is about the resurrection of Christ and how He defeated sin and death to save us!  This is the whole point of the Gospel; if we can’t get this message across to unbelievers, then what hope do we have?  If there was one church service a year that didn’t put people to sleep it should be Easter Sunday!  Easter is to be the day that the Church comes together to celebrate what Jesus did for us through His death and resurrection, but instead it is all about candy and bonnets.

This blog is not merely a commentary, it is meant to challenge people, and this is your challenge for Easter –> CELEBRATE!!!  Be joyful, be happy, show the love of Christ!  Liturgical calendars list the seven weeks after “Easter Sunday” as “Easter Season,” which is supposed to be a time of celebration.   Enjoy Easter Sunday with family and friends, but do not lose that joy and excitement when you return to work or to school on Monday morning.  Remember the cross, and remember the resurrection!

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

- 1 Peter 1:8-9