All Saints Day
When the Byzantine Emperor Leo V (866-911) wanted to dedicate a church to his recently deceased and godly wife, the Patriarch denied this requested. Consequently, he dedicated it to “all saints” which, he assumed, would include his wife. Thus was born the Eastern festival celebration of “all saints” on the first Sunday after Pentecost.
In the West the origin of “All Saints” day is Pope Boniface V’s dedication of the Roman Pantheon (“all gods”) as a church dedicated to the Mary and the martyrs on May 13, 610 (which was the date of a pagan festival regarding the dead). The date was moved to November 1 by Pope Gregory III (731-741) and expanded to include “all saints.”
I am no expert on the history of “All Saints Day.” In fact, my acquaintance is fairly superficial.
I am not particularly enamoured with asking dead saints to pray or intercede for me, though I do not rule that out and God knows I can certainly use all the intercessors I can get. But here is what I particularly enjoy about “All Saints Day.”
The day is rooted theologically in the communion of the saints, all the saints, everywhere–“in heaven and on earth.” The festival reminds us that when we assemble as the body of Christ on earth, we assemble with the saints “in heaven.” We join their heavenly praise of God and the Lamb as depicted in Revelation 5 and we participate in the glorious joy of the saints that surround the throne of God.
We are not alone. We cannot see behind the veil, but John did in Revelation 7:9ff–which is one of the lectionary texts for All Saints Day. We are surrounded by witnesses according to Hebrews 12–another one of the lectionary texts for All Saints Day.
I find great joy, comfort and peace in this reality–and it is real to me. It is a moment when I share again the praise of God with my father, my first wife, my son, and many others I could name whose presence I miss.
All Saints Day is a day to focus on this eternal communion between the saints through their communion with the Triune God. Called by the Father, redeemed by the Son and empowered by the Spirit we too stand in the presence of glory with the saints who have gone before.
All Saints Day is a day to rejoice, a day to remember (much like “Memorial Day” for our veterans), and a day to participate in the doxology of the heavenly throne room. Instead of debunking it or ignoring it, let us embrace the theological reality upon which it is based.
Let us join together this Sunday with saints all over the world and with all the saints in the heavenly throne room to praise the God who has loved us, redeemed us and is transforming us that we might fully become the image of the Son and his Father.
October 30th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
“Let us join together this Sunday with saints all over the world and with all the saints in the heavenly throne room to praise the God who has loved us, redeemed us and is transforming us that we might fully become the image of the Son and his Father.”
Amen and amen! All praise and thanks and glory belong to him.
Some of us go so far as to be particularly mindful on the night before All Saints Day, that is on all Hallows eve, to remember one of those saints, namely Martin Luther, who on that date nailed his 95 theses to the church door and thereby coming to be remembered as the father of the Protestant reformation and having that day remembered as the birthday of the reformation. Please excuse the run on sentence.
I had to add that as it has been something of a tradition among us and some friends to have a Reformation Party on Halloween rather than the more traditional type of festivities.
Peace,
Randall
October 31st, 2009 at 11:41 am
I have a picture in my head of Christians…some dressed in their “Sunday best”, some dressed in their African robes, some dressed as they did in Rome during the 2nd century, some dressed…well, you get the picture. They are the multitude praising God in different tongues but all are joined by the blood of the Lamb. This is one picture for which I wish I was an artist.
And yes…I am also thankful for Martin Luther act of faith when he nailed his 95 theses to the wall.
Grace and peace,
Rex
October 31st, 2009 at 11:44 am
I was carving a pumpkin with my wife and daughter, and I began to think about my family, dead and living. We do tend to ignore or try to delete from our thinking that which we don’t understand. Christ enters the picture and reminds me the love I have with the living, but then I thought the family I no longer “have” still loves me, and I love them, and that love never dies. You’re a gentleman and a scholar, and might I add you are a hero of faith for me.