Triduum

A Pastoral Reflection for Autumn's Triduum

    The misunderstanding associated with this profound triduum commemorated in Christianity is quite 

unnerving to me. Sadly, for most Christians I have spoken to, the preoccupation with the "pagan" or 

"satanic" origins of Halloween seems to dismiss the truth of this Fall observance.  Rather than joyfully 

celebrate those lives having transitioned to heavenly planes, greater existence and true life, fear takes over 

reason, and any sense at all falls on deaf ears.

    For most, I fear, the devil is far more powerful than they wish to acknowledge.  There is indescribable 

freedom and an intoxicating sense of power in being able to laugh at satan on days like these.  To dress 

like the dead, playfully emulate the dead and have parties where the dead are VIPs is in a very uncanny 

way quite appropriate.  How many have taken the time to consider what is going on?  For those who are in

 Christ, what a privilege to look at the adversary dead square in the eyes and shout, "this is as dead as I'll 

ever be!"  Truly, death has no sting.

    I enjoy this season very much.  Short 

as it is, it is second only to my favorite 

season of the Christian calendar - 

Advent.  After my mother's passing, I 

never saw death in the same way.  Since 

my mother's transition, I have acquired a 

deep sense of human consciousness and 

how the Mind transcends the body, time 

and space.  I've had peculiar experiences where I know the connection between this world and the next are

 inextricably related and not divided as I was taught so long ago.

    The thin places are everywhere, but where they are most powerfully permeable is in Mind.  Our 

consciousness is a resource where the spirit is exalted to where it should be and relegates the body to its 

proper place.  In a world where so much is judged by the sensual and the sexual, it is refreshing and quite 

good to be reminded that what we take is our Self - our spirit and our consciousness - while the body is 

left to decay. Only after the fullness of time is realized and God has His way with His creation will the

body be transformed and not be what it is today.  Although it remains, it is modified to be in harmony 

with the spirit rather than directly contradict it as it is here on earth.

    Perhaps all this is a bit too complicated, but I believe Allhallowtide affords us an opportunity to 

consider these spiritual truths.  It is good to be reminded how quickly all this can end and how fast and 

unexpectedly we can transition to a place where I pray you, my dear readers, are truly prepared to go and 

have made every effort to know ahead of time. Perhaps it will do us rather well, too, to no longer dismiss 

this season as that of witches, but rather of saints - living and dearly departed, but surely not dead.

 

Peace, 

Pastor Daniel