We’re approaching a very significant date in history. October 31st we wear costumes and enjoy candy, but there’s a lot more to the day’s history than make believe ghosts, goblins, witches and monsters. Halloween, evolved from All Hallows Eve, established in the 700s, began as the eve of the first of three religious holidays: All Hallows Day (hallow meaning holy), All Saints Day and All Souls Day. These were days to commemorate the dead. I, for one, am glad I missed that triduum by a millennium and a couple centuries.
The representation of the day, though, gets better as history marches along. On that day in 1517, Martin Luther, a monk fed up with superstition and the manipulation of the then church’s clergy of ordinary church people, launched a movement that turned the church upside down – in a good way.
Luther clarified in courageous confrontational fashion that we are saved by Jesus alone (not by Mary or any other saints) through faith alone (not by works or giving money to the church) as is established in Scripture alone (not by the Pope or the church). Luther’s movement is called The Reformation, a gross misnomer, since the church didn’t reform, but rejected Luther, resulting in history’s biggest church split. But Luther, under great persecution, even risking his life, held to his claims and became the father of the more aptly named Protestant movement.
More than four hundred years after Luther’s birthing of the new paradigm, a pastor from the U.S. travelled to Germany where he was so impacted by the story of Martin Luther that he changed his name from Michael to Martin Luther. His last name was King and his son, Michael King, Jr. would have his name changed as well.
Billy Graham called MLK Jr. Michael when the two men of God spoke privately.
For the entire decade of the 1990s, my wife and I were part of a church in Dunn, NC, called Gospel Tabernacle. Rose Boyd, the church’s discipleship pastor, wearied of seeing symbols of evil exalted every Halloween, established an event she named Lift Jesus Higher. LJH supplied the city’s children with candy, games, prizes and all kinds of fun. Rose transformed the holiday for that city into a festive evening where Jesus was lifted higher than any other name. I guess Rose could be called the Martin Luther of Dunn. Maybe she could change her name to Martina? Actually, Rose fits her better.
This year I intentionally celebrate the Martin Luthers, MLKs and Rose Boyds of history, those God has used to tweak history’s course.
May you have a wonderfully celebratory October 31st this year, and may you know God’s favor in the sweetest of ways!
