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Ah, and to think that there was actually a time when I questioned the existence of God, when my son would ask to hear "The Halloween Song" (as he referred to it) due to the wonder and shared joy that we would feel in listening to it...
And smile as we sang together...
"What greater love..." June at one time asked herself.
The ancient Church year calendar for more more than a milennia and a half had "All Hallow's Eve," or "Hallowe'en," as representing the last opportunity for devils and wicked men to do their work for the next "day" is "All Saints' Day," when the devil is bound and God rules in all the world through His saints. What is often forgotten is the day following, which is referred to in Loreena McKennitt song: "All Soul's Eve" This last great day is "All Soul's Day," still kept on some Church calanders. It is to celbrate the day when all will flow in the Spirit of God, the Savior of All having finished His transformative work! This is another proof that the Church in the beginning, at least for the first 500 years or more, held to the Salvation of all.
Last edited by JamesMRohde; 10-31-2009 at 09:47 PM..
November 1 is a holy day of obligation in my faith although this year it falls on Sunday. We were taught about how kids once went home to home asking for bits of cake.
Still there is a part of me that does find certain things about how we do Halloween uncomfortable. Some elements of it seem to imply that all the dead are somehow scary and evil, which to me is highly wrong. Also the "trick" element of it has at times encouraged some pretty destructive behavior. As a child my Dad had a swing set for us. I think the neighbors thought it was peculiar we did this, but we didn't know why they thought that. Well it's because the first Halloween in the town vandals came and destroyed it.
If it was just about pageantry, honoring the dead, and candy I think it's fine. I think it is that, mostly, for many families. I loved seeing my infant niece tonight in her little pumpkin outfit. Still the element that's about destruction, arson, and the occult I think is understandably upsetting.
...when all will flow in the Spirit of God, the Savior of All having finished His transformative work!
Then June will conclude that despite her atheism, that those moments, each year, when the little boy June would actually request to hear this song, that in the passion we both shared in that, that somewhere, somehow, the "Spirit of God" that you speak of, did, in fact, flow....
--And in the event you think it did not, spare June the disillusionment that would only depress her...
With all due respect to those who do not acknowledge, or feel that this night somehow impedes their belief, June has a very genuine question:
Can anyone tell her how this song, and the beauty of it, in any way depicts anything less than the wonder of whatever "God" may or could be?
Is your God not present in the wonder and beauty of music, and art?
June thanks you, and wishes you a good weekend.
You're sweet and naive, June. 99 times out of 100 people who write music stumble upon a pleasing melody, develop that into a song and then tack a nice name upon it. Much of it is cultural, or timely, depending what is popular at the moment. This song was simply named something. And it turned out to be "All Souls Night" because Ms. Mckennitt's market will buy songs that deal with that subject matter. If Ms. Mckennett's market had been crusty old sailors, this song might have been named "Making Bubbles in the Bathwater".
It is about the money dear, not about the holiday.
The ancient Church year calendar for more more than a milennia and a half had "All Hallow's Eve," or "Hallowe'en," as representing the last opportunity for devils and wicked men to do their work for the next "day" is "All Saints' Day," when the devil is bound and God rules in all the world through His saints. What is often forgotten is the day following, which is referred to in Loreena McKennitt song: "All Soul's Eve" This last great day is "All Soul's Day," still kept on some Church calanders. It is to celbrate the day when all will flow in the Spirit of God, the Savior of All having finished His transformative work! This is another proof that the Church in the beginning, at least for the first 500 years or more, held to the Salvation of all.
You're sweet and naive, June. 99 times out of 100 people who write music stumble upon a pleasing melody, develop that into a song and then tack a nice name upon it. Much of it is cultural, or timely, depending what is popular at the moment. This song was simply named something. And it turned out to be "All Souls Night" because Ms. Mckennitt's market will buy songs that deal with that subject matter. If Ms. Mckennett's market had been crusty old sailors, this song might have been named "Making Bubbles in the Bathwater".
It is about the money dear, not about the holiday.
Good Samhain to you.
20yrsinBranson
From what I can tell I think she actually does work on her lyrics and they do matter to her. I don't think you go for hurdy-gurdies and other obscure instruments if you're just focused on the market.
Maybe I'm giving her too much credit, but this attention isn't all grand. As much as I like her music there are a few cases where she gets a tad pretentious and silly in what inspired her. (I remember one song she said was influenced by Teresa of Avila's "Jewish understanding of God", but St. Teresa had almost no connection to her Jewish ancestors.) Still in this case I'm fairly convinced that the song is about "All Soul's Night" because she wanted to write a song about All Soul's Night.
From what I can tell I think she actually does work on her lyrics and they do matter to her. I don't think you go for hurdy-gurdies and other obscure instruments if you're just focused on the market.
Maybe I'm giving her too much credit, but this attention isn't all grand. As much as I like her music there are a few cases where she gets a tad pretentious and silly in what inspired her. (I remember one song she said was influenced by Teresa of Avila's "Jewish understanding of God", but St. Teresa had almost no connection to her Jewish ancestors.) Still in this case I'm fairly convinced that the song is about "All Soul's Night" because she wanted to write a song about All Soul's Night.
You're probably right. There certainly are exceptions. The song is nice and you're right she seems to be truly into it. Nice to see an entertainer who isn't just after the money.
On a different note here's one Christian, granted I think she's Catholic, on how she celebrates the day with her kids. (It's interesting in that, while rejecting anything creepy, she does seem to abjure dressing as saints believing the night should maybe involve what you are to be saved from on All Saints Day. So I guess maybe dress up as, non-evil, sinners rather than saints? Like someone who was known as a glutton or miser or something?)
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