Today ends the month of October, and people are excited to gather this evening celebrating Halloween. It is a festival which is a big, big deal in the US, a secular celebration with big time commercialization. Americans spend money for their creepy and scary costumes, making it the largest commercial holiday apart from Christmas. I imagine every American spending over a hundred dollars just to buy Halloween attire. Inside and outside the house is fully decorated with stuff that are inviting to the bad spirits to come. They are not only spending money for themselves, but they buy costumes as well for their pets. Children go from door to door in a neighborhood saying, ‘trick or treat,” then they are given candies by the homeowner. Originally, this festival was also connected to Ireland and Britain to celebrate the Celtic New Year which began on the first of November. The Catholics then, make it a time to celebrate the feast of All Saints which is more spiritually uplifting because we learn how these holy people were able to reach the perfect eternal salvation by offering themselves to God.
In the first reading today taken from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 2:1-4, he invites us to be “united in heart, thinking one thing.” We must be united in faith and love to avoid living in utter selfishness. It is a call to empower us all to change and addresses our weaknesses “by being of the same mind” in order to achieve things for the common good.
The Augustinians have this charism of living out “one mind, one heart intent upon God.” The act of loving God has to be seen by our selfless acts for others. St. Paul has seen a great balance for he wants us to act in the same spirit.
The gospel today emphasizes much on our generosity, not only to our friends, but also, we need to do the same for the poor. We need to become Christ to others by our gratuitous love especially for those who cannot repay our goodness. The same love that we afford to our friends needs to be practiced as well, especially to those in need.
When we think of “Halloween,” we must remember that we are called to holiness and to extend our generous heart of loving, setting no boundaries. Jesus will be visiting us tonight knocking for a “Trick or Treat.” We would be receiving a treat if we are good. I hope and pray that we won’t be getting a “trick” which is an eternal punishment. St. Paul says, “Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves.” We treat others more than what we think of ourselves because this is exactly what Jesus wants us to be, a person for others!
Happy “Holy-win!”
God bless you.
Fr. Arlon, osa
Beautiful homily, Fr. Arlon! Happy Holy-win!