Dear Members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College Community
Have you played the game ‘do you remember when’? Having adult children who are all still at university (although two are about to graduate), it is a game that seems to pop up in our house a fair bit when the family are gathered around the television watching something that would spark a memory. Invariably the comment would be “Hey do you remember when dad did …” and then a grossly exaggerated story about a past incident would follow, usually in an attempt to embarrass. We were playing this game last week when the doorbell rang and I saw that groups of young people were standing at our door beautifully costumed, chanting “trick or treat”.
I was unprepared because this is not a custom that has been prominent in Australia until the last few years, but luckily my wife was prepared and dutifully handed out chocolates to the smiles of the children gathered at our door. ‘Trick or Treating’ I always thought was an American custom, whereby children dress up on Halloween and walk the streets asking for a treat. If none is forthcoming, the idea is that they would return to play some sort of trick on you. The custom however is not limited to America and various forms of it have been a custom in England, Scotland, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Spain although under different names.
The point is that it is a Halloween experience, and Halloween when taken in context, is important in the scheme of things. Halloween also known as All Hallows' Eve, All Halloween, or All Saints' Eve is the celebration as we approach November 1st with All Saints' Day and November 2nd with All Souls' Day. November is our month to remember the dead, which includes Saints (Hallows) Martyrs and all the faithfully departed. But why is this important? Why do we remember Saints and why do we pray for all souls? They are dead. They have passed from this world. They have left us or have they?
Saints are hugely important to us. They are heroes that inspire and teach us. They are examples and role models that help us aspire to a life of service. They teach us how to be better Christians. Saints pray for us and intercede for us with God the Father. Similarly it is extremely important that we remember all those that have passed before us and pray that they too may attain the promise of Baptism and be with God, seeing God face-to-face.
This Sunday the Mount Lilydale Mercy College Old Collegians will host the Memorial Eucharist at which we honour, remember and pray for the many past Sisters and religious staff and students who have served our community and passed from this world. Please feel free to join us at 2.00pm in the Our Lady of Mercy Chapel.
We pray for those families who have recently experienced the passing of loved ones:
Russell Richard James, grandfather to Lachlan, Kelsey and Abbey Sinclair (Year 12) who passed away peacefully in late September. We pray for the repose of Russel’s soul and may he rest in peace.
Tomorrow, too, is Remembrance Day. In 2017 we mark the 99th anniversary of the Armistice which ended the First World War. At the 11th hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month, we pause to observe one minutes silence in memory of the fallen, in memory of all those who have died or suffered in any war, in any conflict, in peace-keeping operation.
The Ode comes from For the Fallen, a poem by the English poet and writer Laurence Binyon and was published in London in the Winnowing Fan, Poems of the Great War in 1914. The verse, which became the League Ode, was already used in association with commemoration services in Australia in 1921.
"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."
Indeed: Do you remember? We will remember them all.
