Halloween at Work
It's Halloween today. Rather, it's "All Hallow's Eve" - the original observance of which was a Catholic thing, not the horror-show-nightmare-production we now observe all around us.
Over the years, our neighborhood front yards and store-fronts have filled up with too many horror-filled scenes taken straight from movies about murders, zombies, vampires, etc. If you walked to the station in my neighborhood this morning, you'd be confronted by far too many of these scenes. Not a very uplifting way to start the day to be sure.
Okay, so we recognize what the prevailing secular-pagan culture hath wrought and now what?
Well, first of all, don't be part of it, OK? Really. No fudging because your kids maybe want to be like everyone else. But you knew that already, right?
Next, prepare yourself. If you spend time in the morning preparing for the day properly, all the stuff that assaults your eyes on the way to work may still be disturbing to see, but probably it won't be quite so unsettling to the peace in your soul - that state of peace that should always prevail in your soul when you're properly grounded in the Faith.
Next, get ready for your co-workers who may think this sort of ugly, horror-show stuff is what Halloween's all about. If you come across this view, you could try - under the right circumstances - countering the pagan influence by simply talking about what Halloween really is. I'm not an "in-your-face" types, and, frankly, I'm shy about "evangelizing" in any sort of direct way, but I have from time to time talked about this with co-workers when the opportunity presented itself. Certainly you don't want to point a finger at anyone, especially if they're talking about their kids' perhaps offensive or stupid costumes, of which they are probably proud in a secular-humanist-pagan sort of way. But you can talk about whether some of the stuff out there is "excessive." The term would probably be accepted by most people if you found a really gory, disgusting example of awful Halloween decorations or costumes. You might get them thinking about this. And don't be shy if they respond favorably to telling them what Halloween really is, contrasting it with what it's become.
At the very least, you could use this day as a great opportunity to pray for all the poor ignoramuses who put this garbage in front of their homes, or let their kids dress up in these degenerate costumes or even do so themselves. (I still can't get used to adults who dress up for Halloween. Sorry.) You could even offer up some sacrifice or two on their behalf - you know ask God's forgiveness for the offensive decorations and costumes.
Just don't pass by the secular-culture-garbage out there as if it doesn't matter. Remember that it's the Eve of All Hallows. Being so busy during a typical work day, there's a danger that we'll become numbed by or, heaven forbid, absorbed into the abyss of the nightmare-horror atmosphere simply by our lack of attention to what this day and All Saints Day are all about. The fact is, if we don't make the effort to be Catholic, to live our lives in the light of our Holy Faith, most of the people that surround us in our neighborhoods or at our places of work will tend to drag not only themselves, but us as well into the secular culture. Of course, most of them don't actually mean any harm to us, but the effect of losing our sensus Catholicus in favor of the secular pagan culture will still be just as destructive to our souls as if they did mean us harm.
So let's stride out the door together, remembering that we're soldiers in Christ's army. And if you like the idea of putting on a costume for Halloween, how about a white shirt with a big red Cross on your chest - you know, a crusader. Of course you know that if you dressed up like a crusader, all those folks dressed up as chain-saw murderers, vampiers, zombies and the like would take great offense.
What a world, eh? You see why we need to pray in a special way today?
Over the years, our neighborhood front yards and store-fronts have filled up with too many horror-filled scenes taken straight from movies about murders, zombies, vampires, etc. If you walked to the station in my neighborhood this morning, you'd be confronted by far too many of these scenes. Not a very uplifting way to start the day to be sure.
Okay, so we recognize what the prevailing secular-pagan culture hath wrought and now what?
Well, first of all, don't be part of it, OK? Really. No fudging because your kids maybe want to be like everyone else. But you knew that already, right?
Next, prepare yourself. If you spend time in the morning preparing for the day properly, all the stuff that assaults your eyes on the way to work may still be disturbing to see, but probably it won't be quite so unsettling to the peace in your soul - that state of peace that should always prevail in your soul when you're properly grounded in the Faith.
Next, get ready for your co-workers who may think this sort of ugly, horror-show stuff is what Halloween's all about. If you come across this view, you could try - under the right circumstances - countering the pagan influence by simply talking about what Halloween really is. I'm not an "in-your-face" types, and, frankly, I'm shy about "evangelizing" in any sort of direct way, but I have from time to time talked about this with co-workers when the opportunity presented itself. Certainly you don't want to point a finger at anyone, especially if they're talking about their kids' perhaps offensive or stupid costumes, of which they are probably proud in a secular-humanist-pagan sort of way. But you can talk about whether some of the stuff out there is "excessive." The term would probably be accepted by most people if you found a really gory, disgusting example of awful Halloween decorations or costumes. You might get them thinking about this. And don't be shy if they respond favorably to telling them what Halloween really is, contrasting it with what it's become.
At the very least, you could use this day as a great opportunity to pray for all the poor ignoramuses who put this garbage in front of their homes, or let their kids dress up in these degenerate costumes or even do so themselves. (I still can't get used to adults who dress up for Halloween. Sorry.) You could even offer up some sacrifice or two on their behalf - you know ask God's forgiveness for the offensive decorations and costumes.
Just don't pass by the secular-culture-garbage out there as if it doesn't matter. Remember that it's the Eve of All Hallows. Being so busy during a typical work day, there's a danger that we'll become numbed by or, heaven forbid, absorbed into the abyss of the nightmare-horror atmosphere simply by our lack of attention to what this day and All Saints Day are all about. The fact is, if we don't make the effort to be Catholic, to live our lives in the light of our Holy Faith, most of the people that surround us in our neighborhoods or at our places of work will tend to drag not only themselves, but us as well into the secular culture. Of course, most of them don't actually mean any harm to us, but the effect of losing our sensus Catholicus in favor of the secular pagan culture will still be just as destructive to our souls as if they did mean us harm.
So let's stride out the door together, remembering that we're soldiers in Christ's army. And if you like the idea of putting on a costume for Halloween, how about a white shirt with a big red Cross on your chest - you know, a crusader. Of course you know that if you dressed up like a crusader, all those folks dressed up as chain-saw murderers, vampiers, zombies and the like would take great offense.
What a world, eh? You see why we need to pray in a special way today?
Comments