Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
Halloween, Costumes and Purpose
Today, we take a closer look at our purpose and the history of Halloween.
All Hallows’ Evening
Halloween is a shortened version of All Hallows’ Evening and is observed the night before All Saints’ Day. Some believe it incorporates traditions from pagan harvest festivals, while others do not. Whatever you believe, it is a great time for festive activities, such as trick-or-treating and costume parties. Carving jack-o-lanterns can be quite challenging and rewarding. Children all over are particularly thrilled by Halloween.
The word Halloween can be traced back to the q6th century. Its origins most likely are linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain and was used to signify the summer’s end. But it is also heavily influenced by the Christian holy day of All Saints’ Day. It was traditionally believed that the souls of the departed wandered the earth until All Saints’ Day, and All Hallows’ Eve provided one last chance for the dead to gain vengeance on their enemies before moving onto the next world. To avoid being recognized by wandering souls, Christians would wear masks and costumes to disguise themselves as they followed lighted candles set by others to guide their travel for worship the next day. Today, this practice has been perpetuated through children as they trick or treat for candy and other goodies.
How it Relates
Darrell Stetler in his sermon Right Priorities = Life Fulfillment asks:
What foundation can you build upon to ensure that your life is significant? What’s the foundation for finding a fulfilling life that makes a difference?
Dr. Marcia Reynolds in her post at WanderWoman.com asked readers to think back on the last time you felt fully alive and excited by what you were doing, then answer these four questions:
- Were you creating something that would affect many people’s lives or had you completed something that made you feel the incredible depth of your knowledge, skill or art?
- Were you able to glimpse and share something important about the future giving people hope or direction or were you able to fix something or improve something now that wasn’t working?
- Did you get your sense of joy from helping someone else or were you most proud of your own achievement?
- Did you give people hope or laughter or were you letting nature or life nourish your soul?
About Our Quotester: Bible
Affectionately referred to as “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth” this marvelous work varies as its contents and order of chapters vary among denominations.
The Bible is the best-selling book in history with sales estimated by some at six billion copies. Annual sales are estimated at 25 million copies.
Our Featured Image
Photo courtesy of www.flickr.com/photos/leesean/
