This month of
October brings us full swing into the fall and towards Halloween. All Hallows Eve is an
ancient holiday to celebrate the spirits of our loved ones who have passed to the other
side.
The word itself, "Halloween," actually has its origins in the
Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve. November 1,
"All Hollows Day" (or "All Saints Day"), is a Catholic day of
observance in honor of saints. But, in the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer
officially ended on October 31. The holiday was called Samhain (sow-en), the Celtic New
year.
The rituals of Celts celebrating a New Year, and out of Medieval prayer
rituals of Europeans provide the foundation of our present day holiday. The custom of
trick-or-treating is thought to have originated not with the Irish Celts, but with a
ninth-century European custom called ‘souling.’ On November 2, All Souls Day,
early Christians would walk from village to village begging for "soul cakes,"
made out of square pieces of bread with currants. The more soul cakes the beggars would
receive, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the
donors. At the time, it was believed that the dead remained in limbo for a time after
death, and that prayer, even by strangers, could expedite a soul's passage to heaven. I
found quite a bit of information about the history of this holiday on the internet. One
site to visit is historychannel.com.
I still believe that prayer for those who are crossing over to the
other side is very important. After all, the process of crossing over is one of the most
important journeys a being can make. There are no plane reservations or itinerary for this
journey, although I do believe there is a tour guide. The Angel of Transition helps to
show the way. And yet, it is up to the person who is crossing to recognize that Angel of
Transition and allow the Angel to assist them on their journey. I pray that God watch over
that loved one to help them on their journey home so that they find their way into the
light of His/Her presence.
Another ritual celebrated at the same time of years in Mexico and
certain parts of the United States is La Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. This
holiday previously fell on the ninth month of the Aztec Solar Calendar, approximately the
beginning of August and was celebrated for the entire month. This ritual has been
practices for at least 3,000 years. The main purpose of the rituals and celebration is to
honor the dead.
So here we have all these different holidays to celebrate and honor
those who have walked on the path before us. And, I would like to invite each of us to
celebrate and honor those people who are still walking on the path before us, alive
and well on the planet. Many of us are blessed with the gift of an elder or wise person in
our lives. Ask yourself a few questions. When they tell me stories, do I listen? Do I
spend time with this person? Do I take the time to take them for a walk or a ride in the
car to look at our beautiful ocean? Have I played their favorite music for them and sat
and listened to it with them? Do I hug them every day or often? Have I read to them from
the newspaper or a good book, because their own eyesight no longer allows them to read?
It’s a great thing to pray for and
honor the dead. I would like to challenge and invite you to make the extra effort and time
in your life to pray for, honor AND SPEND TIME with our elders and those who are dear to
us, while they are still nearby.
May you be blessed with the loving energy of family and friends
and the wisdom of the elders.
Blessings,
Margaret Ann Lembo
P.S. It has been weeks since I wrote this article and here it
is time to publish our monthly newsletter just a week since the Terrorist Attack on the
United States of America. Unfortunately there are many of us who have loved ones who are
missing or have died in this disaster. I’m sure we are all still praying for the
families and friends of the dearly departed and missing and let us continue to do so to
encourage peace in the heart of each and every person on the planet. Remember that in the
weeks and months to come, we must firmly remember to FOCUS ON LOVE, LIGHT AND WELL-BEING!