Without a doubt, we have reached that time of year when creation puts on her costume of autumnal vibrancy. And what a treat it is to watch trees and bushes and plants change from the greens and browns of summer into saturated hues that belong in spring’s delicate blossoms rather than the mighty oak.
And yet there remains the trick, for these springtime colors herald not of a warming into new life and light, but rather the cooling into winter’s dark slumber. But we are not really fooled when the linden tree dresses up as a lily, or sumac as tulips — just as we know the child at our door tomorrow is not really Spiderman. Perhaps in the same way we play along with the season, as we do trick-or-treating children, knowing somehow that there is a treat in it for us as well.
There was a time in European and American Christianity where the celebration of Halloween was significant. In simple terms, what eroded that in history was a more scientific worldview, which saw Halloween to be less rational, more spiritual, and therefore more pagan. I find it ironic now that those American Christians today who fight against Halloween are the same ones who also fight against science, which was the whole reason Halloween began to be resisted in the first place.
The whole fight lacks roots. It doesn’t understand itself and where it came from. And I find that to be the case of so many of the “culture war” causes that have been taken up by many Christians in the last decades. The sad truth is that the origin of many of these issues lies with political strategists who are looking to control or manipulate voters — abortion is the classic and well-documented example. But we are in this moment now where so many have no real idea why the issues they care so much about are now the issues they care so much about — and they are going into the polls on Tuesday to vote based on what they care about.
I don’t think nature is all that is costumed right now, but like the leaves that grab our attention today, those costumes will fall away sooner or later. Jesus tells us that “For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light” (Luke 8:17 NRSVue). We’ve been seeing cracks forming — small and large — as the truth of things is brought to light. Has it been enough? We will know soon enough.
There’s a story in 2Chronicles 20. Jehoshaphat is king of Judah, and there is a coalition of armies coming from the east against them. According to the story, Jehoshaphat mobilized the entire nation in religious devotion and petition to God to come to their aid. There is a prayer by Jehoshaphat recorded in the text, that concludes: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2Chronicles 20:12 NRSVue).
I’ll be voting. And I’ll be praying like Jehoshaphat.
Remember, we’re all in this together,
Pastor Michael