A Devotion for 31 October 2019 Anno Domini, the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
REFORMATION DAY
Mt 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Matthew 27:51-53 (KJV)
Ro 7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Romans 1:7-8 (KJV)
For every Christian holiday on our calendar, Satan has invented perversions. Unable to deny the reason for our calendar date of 2019 Anno domini (that number of years since an important event – the birth of Christ), he began to invent imposters to represent the event, especially to children. St. Nicholas, who by all accounts, was a good and noble bishop, became the symbol of Christmas to children. He saw all behavior, just as our Lord does, and brought gifts to children who had been good. But St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus, could not erase the underlying reason for the season; so, the Christmas carols were abandoned for light and meaningless jingles. Still the memory of Christ as the central figure of Christmas remained despite all those perversions. A new concept was undertaken to literally remove Christ from Christmas. They would merely substitute His Holy Name with an ‘X’ – Xmas! (no Greek letter to the contrary can replace that Name).
Amazingly, many still clung to the Lord Jesus Christ as the reason for the season. Now, the world turned to a new approach. They would simply rename the season from Christmas to Winter Break, or simply, Happy Holidays. This same effort to pervert Christian holidays has broadly been applied across the spectrum.
Today, October 31st, is an ancient church holiday called All Hallows Eve. It is the day before All Saints Day. It was intended as a time of remembrance and honor for those saints from the mighty soldier and king, to the humble shoemaker, all of whose lives were dedicated to Christ. Saints are not superior to the common race, they are simply men and women who believe in an all-merciful and loving Lord. To honor the followers of Christ would not do. The world perverted the celebration to become a celebration of Satan’s own special delight – DEATH! So the night is filled with goblins and ghost, spider webs of the tomb and grave stones. Horribly deformed creatures dominate the scene and , in some cases, rioters burn down entire city blocks. Some holiday, isn’t it?
More important to the Church is to recall the significance of the 31st of October. It was on All Hallows Eve – the day before All Saints Day – that the great Christian reformer, Martin Luther, nailed his 95 Theses on the door of a certain church in Wittenberg, Saxony. It may be more than coincidence that he chose this particular church since that church was ALL SAINTS CHURCH! That day became celebrated as Reformation Day – a day to remember the restoration of the Holy Bible as the Herald of all truth, and a departure from the dark and bloody past of heresies untold. Martin Luther thusly rekindled the fiery Spirit of Truth and Love to a people whose unbecoming yokes had been lifted by the brilliant sunbursts of Truth and Light.
It is obvious to the thinking soul that the world would not at all be happy with this day of remembrance. Something must be done to take the people’s minds off of those gleaming glories above and re-focused on the dark and ugly mirage of the underworld – death and bloody terror. So, Halloween has persisted for these centuries. Almost no young child can answer correctly to the question, “What is All Hallows Eve,” or, “When is Reformation Day?” Just imagine the blessings and good fortunes that were restored on that October day in 1517 when Luther open the floodgates of truth and light to us and our posterity. Will we allow the world to substitute death and darkness for life and Light?
As the leaves catch fire and adorn the trees with magical colors, and the temperatures plunge below the outdoor comfort zone, it seems a very fitting time to celebrate the deeper spiritual mysteries of life instead of the dark and ugly. Below is a poem I wrote during the cold months a few years back which may warm your heart and inspire your soul:
FIRESIDE SOLITUDE
In the quiet and lonely moments
as I muse before the fire,
And the gales outside are blowing,
And there’s winter in the air.
I am made to go a’wandering
Down the amber mists of old,
And behold the flowers of summer
As my younger days unfold.
In the glimmer of the faces
Of my family, friends, and kin
Who have left for better pasture
And forgotten all that’s been.
I see a light of mystery
Hidden deep behind the scene
Of a greater love and comfort
Than for man has ever been.
The love of God caresses
Their weary heads and hearts
As they smile behind the vapors
At the love His Hand imparts.
In my solitude and wonder
My heart is made to know
That our Father has a purpose
though to us He may not show.
He makes our lives in patterns
Overlaid with points of light,
And all our memories precious
In His Gardens of Delight.
I know that life is fleeting
As the sands of time fall fast,
And yet we know not how much sand
Is in the upper glass.
The comfort that we gather,
Regardless day or clime,
Outlasts the winter’s season –
No longer bound by TIME
©2013 Jerry Ogles
