Halloween Hope

All Saints’ Eve (“Halloween”),

when we try to scare ourselves

(and others)

with fantasy and fake blood,

is followed by All Saints Day

when faith dares to hope,

even in the face of

our world’s blood and gore.

Why do we immerse ourselves

in imagined fright

while side-glancing (at best)

all too-real frights:

war, devastation, injustice;

hatred, indifference, racism;

poverty, sickness, homelessness;

despair, suicide, death…

…all that blood shed?

Come All Saints’ Day,

those who, going before us,

held on to hope

will rise in glory;

while we who still walk this earth

can yet rise to the occasion of our times,

and dare to speak words and do deeds

inspired by crazy, reckless hope…

…and perhaps stop the bleeding.