Death and Joy

Pastor’s Epistle—October, A.D. 2017 A

Death and joy. These are what October hails.

Leaves erupt in one last riot of color before they wither and fall. The evening air grows steadily sharper, heralding a harshness just over the horizon. The wind begins to bite. The sweet scents of decay and woodsmoke linger on the breeze. We know that winter is coming, but not yet. First comes the feast before the fast; first comes the magic of autumn.

The eerie promise of death and joy is the inheritance of every Christian. We are urged to “remember, mortal, that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return,” to make the most of our short time upon this earth. But we are also given assurance that because Jesus has preceded us into the grave, conquering sin and death and hell, we have nothing more to fear. The baptized have already died the death that matters, for whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. Our spirits shall continue on while our bones rest, body and soul awaiting reunion when the world is renewed at the last.

The dead, after all, live. They are all alive to God in Christ. Because of this, the Church on earth celebrates “the Communion of the Saints,” who join us invisibly at the heavenly feast whenever we share together in the Lord’s Supper. Death is no barrier at all to the promises of Christ. Halloween, remember, is a Christian holiday, no matter what the History Channel might say.

On the evening of Wednesday, November 1st, St Peter’s will be celebrating vespers for the Day of the Dead. We shall gather in the graveyard, weather permitting (and in the sanctuary if it does not), to sing and pray and light candles in remembrance of all those who have gone before us through the valley of the shadow of death. Most importantly, we will remember the promise that these bones shall rise again, at the trumpet, on the Last Day. “I am the Resurrection, and the Life,” Jesus said. “Whosoever believeth in Me, even though he die, shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.”

We will also be celebrating the Hallowmas—All Saints Sunday—on November 5th. It is traditional for us to remember at the Altar those dearly departed in the preceding year, whose souls we entrust to God and whose bodies we have returned to the earth. Any funerals held at St Peter’s (or presided over by St Peter’s pastor) will be automatically included in the Prayers of the Church. Additional remembrances are welcome; simply leave a note with our parish office.

Death and joy are not exclusive. We can celebrate even as we mourn; we can trust in the promise of Christ even as we grieve. This notion has seeped into the secular culture around us, which is why Halloween has been so enthusiastically embraced in the last century. But that to which we truly look forward is the promise of new life in the midst of winter’s sterile severity: the Christchild born in the darkest time of the year. It is to the birth of our Savior that we begin to journey now, even as we celebrate angels and saints and feasts of thanksgiving along the way.

In the Name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.