Those of us in low church traditions are rarely taught about the three days of celebration that takes us from October 31st until November 2nd. We don’t learn about saints or our place in that number. Far too often we are taught to disregard anyone the high church traditions (Roman Catholic, Orthodox, etc) revere, calling it a form of idolatry, or at the very least a reminder that we don’t “worship people”.

As a result we miss out on three days to spend time looking at the women and men who have gone before us in the church, their struggles and successes, their failures and wonderful accomplishments. We miss an opportunity to see how our lives might be similar to someone else who lived long ago, and learn from their experiences.

In fact that instinct to have something more meaningful at this time of year often turns into some kind of anti-Halloween party or festival, which ironically mirrors the intent of the earlier church in the first place: That desire to connect, be seen and find meaning in our lives and the lives of other Christians.

As with all festivals and holy days of the Christian year, Allhallowtide, the name for these three days of All Hallow’s Eve, All Saints and All Souls, is a time of reflection that offers us a chance to refocus our Christian journey. Perhaps we could pick up a book about the saints, or read the writings of one saint in particular. Another idea is to see the church as an international experience as we look for those considered ‘saintly’ around the globe.

And just maybe, it offers us a time for personal reflection as we remember that we too are considered ‘saints’. In the writings of Paul (Philippians 4:21-22), we are assured of that inclusion. By definition a saint is someone who is set apart to do God’s work… which we are all called to do.