This Sunday is All Hallows Eve which will later be pronounced as Halloween. This is the evening before All Saints Day on November first. All Saints Day honors all the saints of the church and so could be accounted an extra ordinarily holy day. Perhaps that’s why Halloween seemed to some the last chance for all the spooky things to assert themselves. I don’t take any of that very seriously, although I do take evil seriously. Halloween seems to me to be a chance to dress up in silly costumes, shiver with a little imaginary scary fun and eat lots of candy. Even the Tricks in “trick or treat” seem largely to be gone. I do take seriously All Saints Day. It is a moment to honor all the saints, but especially those that have gone to be with the Lord. The Apostle Paul uses the word “saints” for all the people of God and not just the “saintly” ones. He calls the members of the Corinthian Church saints even when he confronts them about their inappropriate behavior at the Lord’s Supper. All of us who are in relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord, are saints by this definition. If you happen to be around for my funeral service, I hope the congregation will sing For All the Saints who from their labors rest, with music by Ralph Vaugh Williams. This is not because I feel especially saintly, but because I, like you, will be part of that heavenly host who “triumphant rise in bright array…singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost; Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!