Halloween: 3-Days of Celebration

You’ve probably seen Halloween decorations in stores since summer. Indoor and outdoor decorations are rivaling Christmas décor. The one-day event of October 31 has sprawled through the whole month of October. By November 1 ghosts and witches will vanish with only a trace of Halloween candy 90% off left. Yet the Church Year observes Halloween as the first day of a three-day observance. We still have All Saints Day on November 1 and The Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day) on November 2. All three fit well together in the Communion of Saints. The connections are interlocked. We on earth admire and try to imitate the saints. The saints in heaven—and that’s everyone in heaven, whether famous or not—intercede for those on earth and those awaiting entrance into the heavenly realm. We on earth pray for the souls who still wait for their eternal reward. How all this happens is part of the mystery of eternal life, a gift living within us since the day of our baptism.