Sunday, October 28, 2007

The Magdalen Community is a connective community seeking conversation and dialogue
with other spiritualities and religious traditions. This Community takes
its inspiration from The Gospel of Mary, where Jesus encourages
the assembled community to find the divine nature within.


Call to Silence and Opening Meditation

What is Halloween?
What does it mean?
Beware gentle readers.
Things are not what they seem.

There was a time
There was no Halloween
There wasn’t a ghost
Or a ghoul to be seen
There wasn’t a howl
Or the hiss of black cats
There wasn’t a pumpkin
A witch or a bat

Not a creak of a door
Not a bump in the night
Not a scream
Not a scare
Not a freak
Not a fright

Then the ghosts and the goblins
Sat up and said “hey”
It’s not fair that the living
have all the holidays
They have Christmas
And Easter
And Thanksgiving too.
Yet we’ve no reason to scare
Nor cause to say “boo”.

And on that fateful day
On the last of October
They vowed that the living
Would wish this day OVER.

So stick around with us
And you’ll get to scream
During this Halloween’s
Spooky spooky dream.

Readings

Celebrating Halloween Around the World

The modern holiday of Halloween has it’s origins as The Festival of Samhain, a celebration of the end of the harvest season, and is regarded as ‘The Celtic New Year’. Traditionally, the festival was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. The Ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped and the deceased would come back to life and cause havoc such as sickness or damaged crops. The festivals would frequently involve bonfires, where the bones of slaughtered livestock were thrown. Costumes and masks were also worn at the festivals in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or placate them.

In Western Christianity, All Souls' Day commemorates the faithful departed. This day is observed especially in the Roman Catholic Church but also in Anglicanism and to some extent also among Protestants. The Western celebration of the feast falls on November 2 and follows All Saints Day, which commemorates the departed who have attained the beatific vision. the souls of the faithful which at death have not been cleansed from venial sin, or have not fully atoned for mortal sins, cannot attain the beatific vision (God) yet, and that they may be helped to do so by prayer and by the sacrifice of the Mass.

In many countries, during these holidays, people take the day off work, go to cemeteries with candles and flowers, and give presents to children, usually sweets and toys.


Ireland

On Halloween night in present-day Ireland, adults and children dress up as creatures from the underworld (e.g., ghosts, ghouls, zombies, witches and goblins), light bonfires, and enjoy spectacular fireworks displays (despite the fact that such displays are usually illegal). Halloween was perceived as the night during which the division between the world of the living and the otherworld was blurred so spirits of the dead and inhabitants from the underworld were able to walk free on the earth. It was necessary to dress as a spirit or otherworldly creature when venturing outdoors to blend in. The children knock on the neighbors’ doors in order to gather fruit, nuts, and sweets for the Halloween festival. Salt was once sprinkled in the hair of the children to protect against evil spirits.

England and Wales

All Saints Day (All Hallows Day) became fixed in 835, and All Souls Day in 998. On All Souls Eve, families stayed up late, and little “soul cakes” were eaten by everyone. At the stroke of midnight, there was solemn silence among households, which had candles burning in every room to guide the souls back to visit their earthly homes, and a glass of wine on the table to refresh them. The tradition continued in areas of northern England as late as the 1930s, with children going from door-to-door “souling” (i.e., singing songs) for cakes or money.

Scotland

Scotland, having a shared Gaelic culture and language with Ireland, has celebrated the festival of Samhain robustly for centuries. Robert Burns portrayed the varied customs in his poem “Hallowe’en” (1785).
In Scotland, a lot of folklore, including that of Halloween, revolves around the belief in fairies. Children dress up in costumes and carry around a “Neepy Candle” a devil face carved into a hollowed out neep (Rutabaga), lit from inside, to frighten away the evil faeries.

United States

Halloween did not become a holiday in the United States until the 19th century, where lingering Puritan tradition restricted even the observance of Christmas prior to the 1800s. Mass-produced Halloween costumes did not appear in stores until the 1930s, and trick-or-treating did not become a fixture of the holiday until the 1950s. In the United States, Halloween has become the sixth most profitable holiday. Halloween is now the United States’ second most popular holiday (after Christmas) for decorating and the sale of candy




Mexico

During the last 40 years, Halloween celebrations have been influenced by American traditions. Halloween in Mexico begins three days of consecutive holidays; it is followed by All Saints’ Day, which also marks the beginning of the two day celebration of the Day of the Dead or the Día de los Muertos.

A Reading from The Gospel of Mary Magdalene (Leloup translation)

“And Craving said: ‘I did not see you descend, but now I see you rising. Why do you lie,
since you belong to me?’ The soul answered: ‘I saw you, though you did not see me, nor recognize me, I was with you as with a garment, and you never felt me.’ Having said this, the soul left, rejoicing greatly. Then it entered into the third climate, known as Ignorance. Ignorance inquired of the soul: ‘Where are you going? You are dominated by wicked inclinations. Indeed, you lack discrimination, and you are enslaved.’ The soul answered: ‘Why do you judge me, since I have made no judgment? I have been dominated, but I myself have not dominated. I have not been recognized, but I myself have recognized that all things which are composed shall be decomposed, on earth and in heaven.’ Freed from this third climate, the soul continued its ascent, and found itself in the fourth climate. This has seven manifestations: the first manifestation is Darkness; the second, Craving; the third, Ignorance; the fourth, Lethal Jealousy; the fifth, Enslavement to the Body; the sixth, Intoxicated Wisdom; the seventh, Guileful Wisdom. These are the seven manifestations of Wrath and they oppressed the soul with questions: ‘Where do you come from, murderer?’ and ‘Where are you going, vagabond?’ The soul answered: ‘That which has oppressed me has been slain; that which encircled me has vanished; my craving has faded, and I am freed from my ignorance. I left the world with the aid of another world; a design was erased, by virtue of a higher design. Henceforth I travel toward Repose, where time rests in the Eternity of Time; I go now into Silence.’”

I get to Soul Walk!

Call to Conversation

Closing Meditation







As an expression of appreciation to The Rothko Chapel for use of this sacred space,your love offering in the box marked “Magdalen Community” will be
gratefully received. Checks may be written to “Brigid’s Place”
with ‘Magdalene Community’ in the memo line.
































For more information about the Magdalen Community, please contact bdickey@rice.edu
or bridgittdickey@sbcglobal.net. Please include “Magdalen Community” in the subject line.
OR:
http://magdalenecommunity.blogspot.com/
http://www.magdalenemystique.com/