No costumes necessary

Homily for November 1, 2015 (All Saints)
Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; Psalm 24; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12a

The National Retail Federation has estimated that consumers in the USA will spend almost $7 billion this year on Halloween, including over $2.5  billion on costumes, over $2 billion on candy, nearly another $2 billion on decorations; and over half a billion dollars on costumes for their pets!  It is also likely that among the most popular costumes this year will be…zombies.

For being undead, zombies sure seem to get around these days.  They’re featured in popular films and TV shows like AMC’s The Walking Dead; cities and towns host mass “zombie walks;” and financial experts talk of “zombie banks” (those with a negative net worth but are kept open thanks to government backing or bailouts).  In Haitian folk religion, the zombi was an unfortunate dead person who had been brought back to life and enslaved by a bokor or sorcerer to carry out his/her evil ends.  The modern version seems more like an undead cannibal with an eating disorder and poor hygiene and social skills.  In any case, zombies are bad news.

Today the Church celebrates what we might call the anti-zombies: the saints.  These are the untold number of men and women in every age who, though never canonized or formally recognized, are among those envisioned by John in our first reading:  “a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people and tongue.” Instead of feeding off of others, they offered themselves in love and service.  Instead of being driven by their appetites, they were driven by a desire to do the will of God.  Instead of embodying death, they embodied life in Christ and so gave life to others, especially the suffering and vulnerable.

We are called to join them, and our scripture readings give us some great direction on how to do that.  In our reading from 1 John 3, we’re exhorted to remember how blessed we already are. God loves us, has made us God’s children and has offered us a destiny that is even greater.  Will we accept those gifts?

If we are ready, we can then embrace and live in the Beatitudes that Jesus shares with the crowds in Matthew 5:

• Poverty in spirit—acknowledging our humanity, our gifts as well as our weaknesses and sins, and our need for God;
• The capacity to mourn over the realities of evil, sin and death in the world;
• Meekness—slowness to anger, judgment and retaliation, along with a spirit of kindness and gentleness;
• Hunger and thirst for righteousness—a desire to be in right relationship with God and with others;
• Mercy—pardoning others, even our enemies, and dealing with everyone in humility;
• Cleanness of heart—faithfulness to our baptismal and other commitments to God;
• Peacemaking—desiring just relationships with and among all; and
• Fortitude, even in the face of misunderstanding and persecution because of our faith.

Zombies wander rather aimlessly; but saints walk with purpose and on a path following Christ.  Halloween may give us the chance to dress up and play a zombie for fun; but the rest of our lives are for something greater—and no costumes are necessary! +