Hallowe’en is for Catholics.
It is. There may be many other feasts and seasons marking this time of year as we drift, as the mist did this morning, into colder, darker days. But Hallowe’en itself is an acknowledgement of how important the Solemnity of All Saints is. Big events need preparation, so great feast days have vigils, giving us time to think about why they matter and how we should celebrate them.
From childhood, the saints have always felt like family. They gathered around the kitchen table whenever there was a problem and their particular gifts were called upon for whatever was needed: Christopher for journeys, Brigid for blessings, Monica for trouble with the children and, of course, Anthony for every set of lost keys or missing piece of homework. And always remembering to go back and say thank you with a candle or a prayer.
Time has only deepened those relationships. As has prayer. There are saints who have moved from being distant examples to trusted companions. They have shared experiences and life changes. I have visited their homes, walked where they walked, and sat with their memories and teachings.
Perhaps that is why the Beatitudes speak so powerfully on this feast. As we hear Jesus proclaim blessing upon the poor in spirit, the merciful, the peacemakers and those who hunger for righteousness, faces come to mind. Not perfect people. Not spiritual superheroes. Men and women who struggled, doubted and persevered. Saints whose lives reflected these blessings in ways both ordinary and extraordinary.
The Beatitudes remind us that holiness is not perfection. It is faithfulness. And as those familiar faces pass through my mind this All Saints Day, I am reminded that some friendships survive death itself. Gone before…not forgotten.
