It was very windy yesterday, and I was watching the oak trees blowing outside the window at work. We don't have oaks on our street. I was noticing how the leaves just dry and turn brown - no pretty color there.
Anyway, the wind was supposed to pick up overnight and we wondered if the trick-or-treaters would be put off by it. It really picked up sometime after seven fifteen, but we still had more kids than we've ever had since we started keeping track. The last record was 139, back in 2022.
We always give out candy, even though the exorcists all say there is more demonic activity on this day than any other. We enjoyed going around for free candy when we were young, and it seems hypocritical to refuse any participation now. (I don't remember any of my costumes, and I didn't enjoy going out in the cold - it was always about the chocolate for me!) But it's very disturbing to see how many young people have a fascination with darkness; they're drawn to it, but have no awareness of why, or that they need to acquaint themselves with some accurate knowledge of the supernatural world: that is exists, and is not neutral territory.
But today we had the commemoration of All Saints.
"All holiness flows from God's holiness. Jesus Christ, God's Only Begotten Son, is the wealth of his house; the Spirit pouring out upon the world through his Death and Resurrection is the stream of God's delight and the source of life. These gifts of God's love are what make human beings holy."
- Magnificat, November 2025
"Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them: Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy."
- Leviticus, 19:2
"You therefore are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect."
- Matthew, 6:48
"Wherefore, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, ...work out your salvation with fear and trembling."
- Philippians 2:12
Keep trying! Don't give up.
