Nov. 1, 2005
All Saints Day
Today is All Saints Day. Do we really comprehend the sacrifices of those who were called to carry the message of Christ? Do we grasp how blessed we are to go about our daily lives without care or concern of potential persecution for our Christian beliefs? We are living in the crossfire of a serious potential turn with regard to our religious freedoms here in the U.S.; think about it. You don't have to look very far to read the writing on the wall with regard to the removal of our Lord from all aspects of our "public lives" be it the work place, public schools or other public venues. Just how far will these attempts go?
I was raised in the Southern Baptist church. When I met and married my husband, I was introduced to the Antiochian Orthodox Church. You can only imagine the changes ~ the questions that were in store for me. First, let me state: there is no perfect organized church here on earth (even among the Baptist churches there are differences in individual church doctrines...) - only God's ultimate church is the perfect one. I was catapulted into a hunger for church history that had never before occurred. I am still on that path of study to learn about Christ's early church and also to try and ascertain what it must have been like in the various centuries to be denied of one's faith and for many (thousands if not millions) put to death because of it. Don't be naive, the persecutions still continue worldwide today.
My husband's family immigrated to this country, some just before the turn of the century, 1900, and others just following it. Some came for opportunity and others came because of fellow Orthodox Christians being put to death. (Some were sent to America as young as 12, 13 or 14 and sent without family or with an extended family member in order to protect and save them!) Can we as Americans today grasp the concept of the courage it must have taken to leave your home and most often one's family, cross the ocean on an uncertain voyage to start a new life? I doubt many can; worse, I doubt many care.
Below are some links that have additional information and resources pertaining to today's celebration of All Saints Day.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints_Day
http://users.rcn.com/tlclcms/saintori.htm
http://www.holidayinsights.com/christian/saintsday.htm
http://goeasteurope.about.com/cs/holidayscustoms/a/halloween.htm
http://www.homiliesbyemail.com/Special/Saints/saints.html
The Orthodox Church celebrates All Saints Day the 1st Sunday after Pentecost:
http://www.antiochian.org/1107537403
Blessings to all with humble prayers for those who have made our lives free in Him,
Nov. 1, 2006 - Harriette
Posted by anyachristine
You bring up a great topic for discussion. I was raised southern baptist as well. In recent years I have been rethinking much about church as we know it and have been looking into how the early church functioned.
There's so much to learn as we walk on this path with Christ!
Christy :)
