On the Minister’s Mind

by Rev. Laine Morgan

As the month of October closes and we step into November, there are two special days on the calendar – Halloween and All Saints Day – October 31st and November 1st. Halloween is a shortened version of the phrase “All Hallows Eve”, meaning the day before All Saints Day, the Christian celebration from the 4th century to honor the saints. We all know how to enjoy Halloween, but perhaps we could be more mindful the following day.

What does it mean for someone to be granted sainthood, or something to be considered hallow? The word hallow is an old English word that means “to make holy”, and ordinary people are named as saints when the work they do is recognized as making a significant contribution to the world in a spiritual way. Saints are considered holy people and November 1st is the day set aside to remember those who walked before us allowing the light of God to work through them.

The light of God is not a long-ago, distant thing. It shines through you, and it shines through me. It also shines through everyone we meet. The reason we don’t see it in ourselves, or in others, is because we train our eyes to see the human, physical level of life, the level we can easily see evident in choices, actions and words. It is on that level that we judge ourselves and everyone else.

But, what if we took November 1st to focus on the holy light in our own eyes and the eyes of others? Can we perceive the sacred through all we see on the human level? There is an inner radiance that we can awaken with our attention as we notice the eternal shimmering in all things. Let us take a day to unite ourselves with that holiness of the world and all its occupants and remember that we are one with all of it.

Let us look to actual saints for wisdom on how to be the light of God in the world. Second century saint, St. Irenaeus said, “The glory of God is humanity fully alive” and one of the most recently named saints, Mother Teresa, said “Spread love wherever you go.” That pretty much sums it up – be fully alive and spread love wherever you go.

So, take a moment on Saturday, as you enjoy the leftover trick-or-treat candy, to remember All Saints Day. Commit to being fully alive and aware of your own inner light, and give thanks for those who have shared their light with you, spreading love to those you meet. Wherever you stand is hallowed ground, the perfect place for you in the moment to express the holiness within you.