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Halloween is just around the corner, and it remains one of the most misunderstood days on the Christian calendar. This year, I would love to help you see it in a different light before it arrives. Of course, the coming of Halloween is not news to any of us. The stores have been filled with animatronic zombies and ghouls for weeks, and nowhere is Halloween on fuller display than in neighborhood yards. Driving through my mom’s neighborhood recently, I passed werewolf dogs, ghosts hanging from trees, and two life-sized skeletons dressed for the Roaring Twenties with alcoholic beverages raised in a toast. It was nuts! Looking at all of that, it is easy to understand why many Christians assume that Halloween must be an embrace of the pagan, the occult, or the demonic. But beneath the commercial decorations and our culture’s fascination with horror is a name and a place on the calendar that belong unmistakably to the Church. Halloween is All Hallows’ Eve, the evening before All Hallows’ Day, which we now usually call All Saints’ Day. The word hallow means holy, and the “hallows” are the holy ones, the saints. We still use the same word every time we pray, “Hallowed be thy name.” Halloween, then, is the beginning of a Christian observance centered not upon the power of death, but upon Christ’s victory over it. Allhallowtide All Hallows’ Eve is the first day of a three-day Christian observance traditionally known as Allhallowtide: October 31st: All Hallows’ EveThe evening of preparation before the Feast of All Saints. November 1st: All Saints’ DayOne of the principal feasts of the Christian year, when we remember and give thanks for all the saints of God. November 2nd: All Souls’ DayAlso known as the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed, when we remember those we have personally known and loved who have died in the faith of Christ. These three days allow Christians to face death honestly and hopefully. On All Hallows’ Eve, we prepare. On All Saints’ Day, we rejoice in the grace of God revealed in His saints. On All Souls’ Day, we remember the faithful departed and entrust them to the mercy of God. Together, the days make room for preparation, celebration, grief, gratitude, and the sure hope of resurrection. Who Are the Saints? On All Saints’ Day, we remember the saints whose names and stories have been preserved by the Church: martyrs, apostles, theologians, missionaries, pastors, mothers, fathers, teachers, servants, and countless others whose lives bore faithful witness to Christ. We also remember the saints whose names are unknown to us. These are the countless Christians who lived lives of quiet faithfulness without ever becoming widely known or publicly commemorated. Their love, sacrifice, prayers, and good works may have gone unnoticed by the world, but they are fully known to God. All Saints’ Day reminds us that sainthood is not reserved for a small group of extraordinary Christians. In Scripture, the word saints refers to the holy people of God, those who have been set apart in Christ. The great saints remembered by name show us what the grace of God can accomplish in a human life, but they also remind us of the holiness to which every Christian is called. We do not worship the saints; worship belongs to God alone. We honor them because their lives reveal His faithfulness, and their examples encourage us to persevere in our own. The History of All Saints’ Day The origins of All Saints’ Day reach back to the earliest centuries of the Church. Early Christians commemorated martyrs on the anniversaries of their deaths, often gathering near the places where they had been killed or buried. Because Christians understood a martyr’s death as an entrance into eternal life with Christ, these anniversaries were remembered as heavenly birthdays. As the number of martyrs increased, particularly during periods of Roman persecution, it became difficult to assign a separate celebration to every person. Christian communities in different places began setting aside a common day to honor all the martyrs together. By the fourth century, collective celebrations of the martyrs were being observed in parts of the Eastern Church, although not everywhere on the same date. In AD 609 or 610, Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon in Rome to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the martyrs. An annual Roman commemoration was established on May 13th. During the eighth century, Pope Gregory III dedicated a chapel in St. Peter’s Basilica to all the saints. By around AD 800, November 1st was also being observed as a feast of all saints in parts of Ireland and Anglo-Saxon England. In 835, Emperor Louis the Pious, with the support of Pope Gregory IV and the bishops, established the November 1st feast throughout the Frankish Empire. From there, the date became firmly established across the Western Church. The celebration gradually widened from a commemoration of the martyrs to a feast of all the saints, known and unknown. The Vigil of All Hallows Like other important feasts of the Church, All Saints’ Day was traditionally preceded by an evening of preparation. This was the Vigil of All Hallows, or All Hallows’ Eve. Christians gathered for prayer and prepared their hearts to celebrate the saints who had gone before them. Customs varied across time and place, but eventually included church bells, candles, processions, fasting, shared food, visits to graves, and acts of charity. One medieval custom associated with Allhallowtide was called “souling.” Poor people, and later children, went from house to house receiving food—often small spiced cakes called soul cakes—in exchange for songs or promises to pray for the dead. Souling was not the sole origin of modern trick-or-treating. Other customs, including guising and mumming, also involved dressing in disguise and visiting homes. Together, these European traditions may have contributed to the much later development of trick-or-treating, particularly after they were carried to North America and transformed over time. A related custom continues in Portugal, where children go from door to door around All Saints’ Day asking for Pão-por-Deus, or “Bread for God.” All Saints and All Souls All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are closely connected, but they are not exactly the same. On All Saints’ Day, we celebrate the whole communion of saints and give thanks for the grace of God revealed in holy lives. We remember those whose faithfulness has encouraged the wider Church, along with the innumerable saints known only to God. All Souls’ Day brings that remembrance closer to home. On November 2nd, we remember our own faithful departed: parents, grandparents, spouses, children, friends, pastors, teachers, and others whose lives have shaped ours. This is why visiting cemeteries, cleaning graves, leaving flowers, lighting candles, and sharing memories are particularly fitting on All Souls’ Day, although these customs often take place throughout Allhallowtide. The distinction is helpful. All Saints lifts our eyes toward the great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language standing before the throne of God. All Souls gives us space to speak the names of the particular people we still miss. The Communion of Saints At the heart of Allhallowtide is the communion of saints, the spiritual union of all who belong to Christ. Death does not divide the Body of Christ. The Church on earth and the Church in heaven remain one Church because we are all united to the same Lord. In Hebrews 11, the writer places before us a long procession of faithful men and women: Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Rahab, and many others who trusted God even when they could not yet see the fulfillment of His promises. Then, at the beginning of Hebrews 12, we are told: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that lies before us.” Their lives bear witness to the faithfulness of God, and their examples encourage us to keep running. This communion is expressed every time we gather for Holy Eucharist. We do not worship alone. As the liturgy reminds us, we join our voices “with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven.” The communion of saints is so central to the Christian faith that we confess it in the Apostles’ Creed. Why All the Skeletons? Skulls, bones, graves, ghosts, and other images of death can make Halloween deeply uncomfortable for Christians, especially when they are presented in ways that glorify evil, cruelty, or the demonic. But images of death have not always been used to celebrate darkness. Christian art has a long tradition of the memento mori, a visual reminder that we will die. Skulls, bones, extinguished candles, clocks, and fading flowers reminded Christians of the brevity of earthly life and called them to repentance, wisdom, and faithful living. Allhallowtide does not require us to pretend that death is unreal. It teaches us to face death in the light of Christ’s Resurrection. That does not mean that every modern Halloween decoration or activity is good, harmless, or appropriate. Christians should exercise discernment. There is a difference between acknowledging death and delighting in evil, between playful costumes and celebrating cruelty, and between remembering that Christ has defeated darkness and becoming fascinated with darkness itself. But Christians do not have to fear every skeleton or grave. We can look directly at death because we know it has been defeated. What About Samhain? A common modern claim is that Halloween is simply the Christianized form of the pagan Celtic festival of Samhain. According to this version of the story, the Church took a Celtic festival of the dead, moved All Saints’ Day to the same time, and renamed the celebration. The historical relationship is not nearly that simple. Samhain was an important seasonal observance in medieval Ireland connected with the end of summer and the beginning of winter. Later Irish stories associated this time of year with supernatural events and encounters with the otherworld. Historians continue to debate, however, whether Samhain was originally a Celtic New Year, a formal festival of the dead, or the direct ancestor of Halloween. There is not enough evidence to draw a simple, unbroken line from ancient Samhain to the Halloween we know today. What we can say with certainty is that the name Halloween comes from All Hallows’ Eve and that October 31st received its place on the Western Christian calendar because it preceded the Feast of All Saints. Over the centuries, Christian worship, regional folk customs, beliefs about death, immigration, and modern commercial culture all contributed to the observance we now call Halloween. Christians do not need to prove that every pumpkin, costume, bonfire, or door-to-door custom began inside the Church. But neither should we accept the equally simplistic claim that Halloween is merely a pagan festival disguised with a Christian name. Its history is complicated, but its name and its place on the calendar remain Christian. Ways to Celebrate Allhallowtide at Home On All Hallows’ Eve: October 31st Begin the evening by explaining what the word Halloween means and why the Church is preparing to celebrate the saints. Read Hebrews 11:1–12:2 or Revelation 7:9–12 together, attend an All Hallows’ Eve vigil if one is available, or pray the evening office at home. You can still go trick-or-treating, welcome neighbors, attend a church celebration, or enjoy costumes and candy. All Hallows’ Eve does not have to be grim or fearful. It can be joyful, hospitable, and fun while remaining rooted in the larger Christian celebration. This is also a fitting day to make soul cakes. Share them with family, friends, or neighbors and talk about the medieval practice of giving food as an act of charity and remembrance. On All Saints’ Day: November 1st Attend Holy Eucharist if your church offers a service and give thanks for the saints who have shown the Church what faithful Christian living can look like. Choose a saint to learn about as a family. Read the story of his or her life and notice not only the extraordinary events, but the ordinary habits of prayer, courage, generosity, and obedience that shaped that life. Celebrate with a special meal. All Saints’ Day is a feast, and feasting reminds us that the story ends not in the grave but at the marriage supper of the Lamb. On All Souls’ Day: November 2nd Visit the grave of someone you love. Bring flowers, clean the space, share memories, and thank God for that person’s life. If you cannot visit a grave, place a photograph on the table or light a candle in remembrance. Allow each person to share something he or she remembers and offer a prayer of thanksgiving. Many churches hold an All Souls service near November 2nd, often reading the names of the departed and providing an opportunity to light candles. If your church offers one, consider attending together. Flowers are an important part of these traditions in many countries. Chrysanthemums are commonly associated with remembrance in France and Belgium, while marigolds fill homes, churches, and cemeteries during Mexico’s observances of the dead. Traditional Foods for Allhallowtide Across the Christian world, families have made special breads, cakes, and sweets during Allhallowtide. In England, small spiced soul cakes were given to the poor and to those who went from house to house during souling. In Portugal, children receive Pão-por-Deus, or “Bread for God.” In Spain, families enjoy Huesos de Santo, or “Saints’ Bones,” small sweets traditionally filled with marzipan. In Austria, Allerheiligenstriezel, a braided sweet bread, is associated with All Saints’ Day. In Italy, regional traditions include Ossa dei Morti, or “Bones of the Dead,” crisp, bone-shaped cookies often flavored with almonds or spices. In Mexico, pan de muerto is prepared for Día de los Muertos, a distinct cultural observance that overlaps with All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days. Although these customs are not identical, they each show how food can help families remember the dead, practice hospitality, and mark sacred time together. You certainly do not need to make all of them. Choose one tradition, learn where it comes from, and allow it to help your family enter more deeply into the meaning of the days. Death Does Not Have the Final Word All Hallows’ Eve does not ask Christians to pretend that evil, suffering, and death are unreal. It teaches us to look directly at them in the light of Christ’s victory. Death is real, and grief is real. We still mourn those we love, and we still live in a world marked by darkness. But death does not have the final word. The saints have finished their race. The faithful departed are held in the mercy of God. The Church on earth continues to run with endurance. And together, we wait for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. That is the Christian story at the heart of Halloween, and it is far more hopeful than anything our culture has put in the front yard. the recipe - Ossa dei Morti or Bones of the Dead 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 egg 2 1/2 ounces ground almonds 1/2 cup (4 ounces) all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking powder Pinch of salt Powdered sugar Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Then line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together the sugar, extract, and egg in a medium-sized bowl until blended. Stir in the almonds, baking powder, flour, and salt, and stir just until combined. Dump the mixture onto a lightly floured hard surface and gently knead for a minute or two with your hands until smooth. (Dough will be sticky) Divide the dough into three pieces, and roll each into a 1-inch log. Cut the log into 1 1/2-inch to 2-inch pieces, then use your fingers to roll each piece into ropes about 4 inches long. Place the cookies 2 to 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cookies begin to brown and the tops feel set when touched with your fingertips. Cool completely, dust with powdered sugar, and enjoy!

On October 23rd, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. James of Jerusalem, also known as James the Just or James, the Brother of the Lord. St. James was one of the most important leaders of the early Church, a man remembered for his deep prayer, wisdom, righteousness, and steadfast devotion to Christ. As the first bishop of Jerusalem, James guided the Church through persecution, famine, theological disagreement, and the difficult work of bringing Jewish and Gentile Christians together as one people. The Church has also traditionally received him as the author of the Epistle of James, a letter filled with practical wisdom about what it means to live a holy and embodied Christian faith. The Man Behind the Name The New Testament tells us that Jesus’ brothers did not initially believe in Him. But after the Resurrection, something changed. St. Paul records that the risen Christ appeared personally to James: “Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.”—1 Corinthians 15:7 Scripture does not tell us what happened during that encounter, but many Christians have understood it as a decisive moment in James’s journey of faith. After the Ascension, Acts tells us that the brothers of Jesus gathered in prayer with Mary and the apostles as they waited for the promised Holy Spirit. James is not named individually in this passage, but he was almost certainly among them. When the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost, the small group of believers was transformed into the missionary Church, and James would soon emerge as one of its principal leaders. In Galatians, Paul tells us that three years after his conversion, he traveled to Jerusalem and met with Peter. He writes that he saw “none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother” (Galatians 1:19). By this time, James had already become an important figure in the Jerusalem Church. A Pillar of the Church When Paul later returned to Jerusalem, he met again with the leaders of the Church. In Galatians 2:9, he calls James, Peter, and John “pillars.” They recognized the grace God had given Paul and Barnabas and extended to them “the right hand of fellowship,” affirming their ministry among the Gentiles. This brief moment tells us something important about James. He was not simply a local administrator or a respected relative of Jesus. He possessed genuine apostolic authority and carried enormous responsibility during a period when the Church was learning how Jews and Gentiles could live together as one Body in Christ. The early Church was growing quickly, crossing cultural boundaries, and facing questions that had never needed to be answered before. James helped guide the Church through those questions without abandoning either the truth of the Gospel or the call to unity. The Council of Jerusalem One of the defining moments of James’s ministry came during the Council of Jerusalem, recorded in Acts 15. The Church was facing a question that threatened to divide it: Did Gentile converts need to be circumcised and observe the full Mosaic law in order to be saved? The apostles and elders gathered to listen, debate, pray, and discern together. Peter testified that God had given the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles and declared that both Jews and Gentiles were saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus. Paul and Barnabas then described the signs and wonders God had performed among the Gentiles through their ministry. After listening to them, James spoke. Drawing from the words of the prophets, he recognized that the inclusion of the Gentiles was not an abandonment of God’s plan but its fulfillment. He gave his judgment that the Church should not make it difficult for Gentiles who were turning to God by requiring them to become Jews. At the same time, he gave them several instructions intended to preserve holiness and fellowship within a Church made up of people from very different backgrounds. Through the Council’s discernment and James’s pastoral leadership, the Church affirmed that Gentiles did not have to become Jews in order to belong to Christ. They were received through the grace of Jesus and called into a new way of life within His Body. This decision helped shape the future of Christianity. James helped the young Church remain united while crossing one of the greatest cultural and religious boundaries it had yet encountered. The First Bishop of Jerusalem Early Christian tradition remembers James as the first bishop of Jerusalem. He shepherded the Church in the very city where Jesus had been crucified and raised from the dead, serving amid persecution, political unrest, poverty, and famine. He became known as James the Just because of his righteousness and devotion to prayer. Early accounts remember him as a deeply holy man whose faithfulness was recognized even beyond the Christian community. His authority did not appear to rest upon ambition or force of personality. He led through wisdom, holiness, prayer, and steady faithfulness to the people entrusted to his care. A Martyr’s Death James’s faithfulness eventually cost him his life. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, the Roman governor Festus had died and his replacement, Albinus, had not yet arrived. The high priest Ananus used this temporary gap in Roman governance to convene the Jewish council. James and several others were accused of breaking the law, condemned, and stoned to death around AD 62. A later Christian account preserved by Eusebius adds other details. According to this tradition, James was taken to the Temple, thrown down, stoned, and finally struck with a fuller’s club. The accounts differ in their details, but both remember James as a martyr who remained faithful to Christ unto death. The bishop who had spent his life guiding the Church through opposition and division ultimately sealed his witness with his blood. “The Brother of the Lord” The New Testament repeatedly identifies James as “the Lord’s brother,” but Christians have understood the precise nature of that relationship in different ways. Many Roman Catholics understand James to have been a close relative or cousin of Jesus. Eastern Orthodox tradition generally remembers him as a son of Joseph from an earlier marriage and therefore the stepbrother of Jesus. Many Protestants understand him as a younger son of Mary and Joseph and therefore the biological half-brother of Jesus. Although these traditions differ, they agree on what James eventually came to believe. The man he had known as a member of his family was also his risen Lord. James does not introduce himself in his epistle by appealing to his family relationship with Jesus. Instead, he calls himself simply “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Whatever honor might have come from being known as the Lord’s brother, James understood that his truest identity was found in belonging to Christ. The Epistle of James The Church has traditionally received St. James of Jerusalem as the author of the Epistle of James. It is a short letter of only five chapters, but its words are direct, searching, and remarkably practical. James is concerned with what happens when faith takes root in an actual human life. How do Christians respond to suffering? How do we speak to and about one another? How do we treat the rich and the poor? What do we do with anger, temptation, envy, wealth, and unanswered plans? What does it mean to ask God for wisdom and then live according to what He gives us? James refuses to separate what we believe from the way we live: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.”—James 1:22 He also writes: “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”—James 2:17 James is not teaching that we can earn our salvation through good deeds. He is teaching that living faith bears visible fruit. If our faith never changes the way we speak, spend, forgive, endure, serve, or respond to those in need, we should ask whether that faith is truly alive. This is one of the enduring gifts of James. He does not allow Christianity to remain abstract. He calls us toward a holiness that becomes visible in ordinary life. Care for the Poor and the Power of Speech James speaks with particular force about favoritism toward the wealthy and neglect of the poor. He warns Christians not to honor the person in fine clothing while humiliating the one who has little. To dishonor the poor is to contradict the mercy of God and the royal law that commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves. He is equally direct about the way we use our words. James compares the tongue to a small fire capable of setting an entire forest ablaze. With the same mouth, he says, we bless God and curse people made in God’s likeness. “My brothers and sisters,” he writes, “this ought not to be so.” James understood that holiness is revealed in places we might prefer to overlook: in our conversations, our treatment of inconvenient people, our response to suffering, and our willingness to act when someone is in need. Anointing and Prayer for the Sick James also gives us one of the New Testament’s clearest pictures of the Church’s ministry to the sick: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”—James 5:14 These words have helped shape the Church’s sacramental ministry of healing and anointing. James reminds us that sickness is not meant to be carried alone. The suffering person is called to turn toward the Church, and the Church is called to gather, pray, anoint, and entrust that person to the mercy of God. He continues by calling Christians to confess their sins to one another and pray for one another so that they may be healed. For James, faith is never merely private. We belong to a Body in which we bear one another’s burdens and bring one another before God. Symbols and Legacy In Christian art, St. James of Jerusalem is often shown holding a book or scroll, representing the Epistle of James and his ministry as a teacher of the Church. He may also be depicted in episcopal vestments as the first bishop of Jerusalem or with a fuller’s club, the traditional instrument of his martyrdom. The Cathedral of St. James in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City is dedicated to two saints named James: St. James the son of Zebedee and St. James the Brother of the Lord. The present cathedral was largely built during the twelfth century on the remains of an earlier church, and Armenian tradition holds that the body of James of Jerusalem rests beneath its central apse. The cathedral continues to serve as the principal church of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, preserving the memory of St. James in the city where he led the earliest Christian community. Ways to Celebrate the Feast of St. James Read the Epistle of James The entire letter is only five chapters long and can be read in one sitting. As you read, notice how often James moves from belief to action. Choose one instruction to carry into the coming week rather than trying to remember everything at once. Put Your Faith into Practice James insists that faith should become visible in works of mercy. Give generously, prepare a meal for someone, serve a person in need, or attend to a responsibility you have been avoiding. Choose one concrete act through which your faith can take form. Guard Your Words James has a great deal to say about the power of the tongue. In his honor, make a particular effort to refrain from gossip, complaining, unnecessary criticism, and uncharitable speech. Ask God to make your words truthful, gentle, and life-giving. Pray for the Sick Pray for doctors, nurses, caregivers, and those who are ill. If someone you know is suffering, call or write to let that person know you are praying. You might also learn more about the Church’s ministry of anointing and healing, which is rooted in James’s instruction to the elders of the Church. Write a Letter Because St. James gave the Church one of the New Testament’s letters, write one of your own. Send a note of encouragement, gratitude, or reconciliation to someone who has helped shape your faith or who may need to be reminded that he or she is not alone. Bake Lavash Pay homage to the ancient Armenian Christian community in Jerusalem and the Cathedral of St. James by making Lavash, an Armenian flatbread. As you make it, pray for the Christians who continue to worship and preserve the faith in the city where James served as bishop. the recipe - Lavash (Armenian Flat Bread) First dough: 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup plus a scant 1 Tablespoon lukewarm water ¼ teaspoon instant yeast Second dough: 1 cup lukewarm water 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 2 teaspoon kosher salt 3 cups plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting Instructions First dough: Mix the flour, water, and yeast in a bowl using a rubber spatula until it forms a thick paste. Scrape the paste into a small, lightly oiled container, cover it, and let it sit out for 1½ to 2 hours. First, the dough should have doubled in volume. Second dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the first dough, water, oil, and salt. Squish the first dough with your hands to break it up in the water. Add 1 cup of the flour and using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until the dough looks like pancake batter. Next, add the remaining flour and mix on low speed until fully incorporated. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough sit for 20 minutes. Remove the towel, attach the dough hook to the stand mixer, and mix the dough on medium speed until the dough releases from the sides of the bowl without sticking and feels smooth to the touch, about 4 minutes. Lightly grease an 8-cup bowl and place the dough inside. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 3 hours or until doubled in volume. Dust a clean surface lightly with flour and place the dough on top. Cut the dough into 8 pieces. Cup the palm of your hand over one portion at a time and move your hand in a circle. The friction from the counter will help form the dough into a ball. Lightly oil a rimmed tray and place the dough on the tray, don’t let dough balls touch. Cover with plastic wrap lightly coated with cooking spray or oil. Let rest for 1 hour. Dust a clean surface lightly with flour. Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll each ball of dough into a thin rectangle about 8×12 inches. Work in batches and keep the dough covered in between. Place a large cast-iron pan (or griddle over two burners) over medium-high heat for a few minutes or until a sprinkle of water instantly evaporates. Place the dough in the pan or over the griddle. Cook for 1 minute or until puffed slightly and blistered. Turn over using tongs to cook the other side, no more than 30 seconds. For extra browning, flip it over for 30 more seconds. Transfer the lavash to a baking sheet and cover with a dry kitchen towel while you cook the rest of the dough. Recipe courtesy of Silk Road Recipies.

On October 18th, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, the physician, faithful companion of St. Paul, and writer traditionally credited with giving the Church both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Together, these two books make up more than a quarter of the New Testament. Through them, Luke tells one continuous story: the story of Jesus Christ and then the story of His Church, filled with the Holy Spirit and carrying the Gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Who Was St. Luke? We know only a few things about Luke with certainty. St. Paul calls him “the beloved physician” and names him among his fellow workers. Luke traveled with Paul during at least some of his missionary journeys, and near the end of Paul’s life, when many others had gone, Paul wrote with great tenderness, “Luke alone is with me” (2 Timothy 4:11). Early Church tradition tells us that Luke came from Antioch in Syria and was a Gentile convert. He was not one of the original Twelve Apostles, and he does not claim to have been an eyewitness to every event in the life of Jesus. Instead, he begins his Gospel by explaining that he carefully investigated what had been handed down by eyewitnesses so that he could write an orderly account. Luke was not simply collecting interesting stories. He was faithfully preserving the testimony of the Church so that his readers could know the certainty of the things they had been taught. The Gospel According to Luke Luke’s Gospel contains some of the most beloved passages in all of Scripture. It gives us the Annunciation, the Visitation, the birth of John the Baptist, the journey to Bethlehem, the shepherds in the fields, the presentation of Jesus in the Temple, and the account of twelve-year-old Jesus sitting among the teachers. It is also in Luke that we receive the songs that have become part of the daily prayer of the Church: Mary’s Magnificat, Zechariah’s Benedictus, and Simeon’s Nunc dimittis. The Benedictus is especially associated with Morning Prayer, while the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis have been prayed for centuries at Evening Prayer. Luke also preserves several of Jesus’ best-known parables, including the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, the Rich Man and Lazarus, the Persistent Widow, and the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Again and again, his Gospel draws our attention toward the poor, the sick, women, foreigners, sinners, and those who had been pushed to the edges of society. This does not mean that Luke presents a different Gospel from the other evangelists. Rather, he helps us see with particular clarity the wideness of God’s mercy and Christ’s determination to seek and save the lost. Luke also pays close attention to prayer, joy, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the meals Jesus shares with others. His Gospel is filled with people praising God, receiving the unexpected grace of God, and discovering that the Kingdom has drawn near to those who thought themselves forgotten. Much of Luke’s Gospel is shaped around Jesus’ long journey toward Jerusalem. He knows what awaits Him there, yet He continues steadily toward the cross. The compassion we encounter in Luke is never sentimental. It is the costly mercy of Christ, who gives Himself for the life of the world. Acts of the Apostles Luke’s account does not end with the Resurrection and Ascension. The story continues in the Acts of the Apostles, where he tells us about the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the life of the earliest Christian community, the witness of the apostles, and the missionary journeys of St. Paul. The two books belong together. In the Gospel, the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus and leads Him in His ministry. In Acts, that same Spirit is poured out upon the Church and empowers Christ’s followers to carry the Gospel into the world. Acts begins in Jerusalem and ends with Paul proclaiming Christ in Rome, the center of the empire. The Gospel is moving outward, crossing boundaries of language, geography, ethnicity, and social standing. Luke shows us that the Church does not carry out her mission by human strength alone. She lives and grows through the power of the Holy Spirit. Was St. Luke the First Iconographer? A beloved tradition of the Church remembers St. Luke as the first Christian iconographer. He is said to have painted images of the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, as well as images of St. Peter and St. Paul. We cannot historically verify that any surviving icon was painted by Luke himself, but the tradition has had a lasting influence upon Christian art. Medieval painters’ guilds across Europe were often named the Guild of St. Luke, and he continues to be regarded as a patron of artists and iconographers. The tradition is especially fitting because no other Gospel writer gives us such an intimate account of the events surrounding Christ’s birth or preserves so many of the words of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Whether Luke painted her image with a brush or not, he certainly gave the Church a beautiful portrait of her in words. Why Is St. Luke Represented by an Ox? In Christian art, each of the four evangelists is traditionally associated with one of the four living creatures described in Ezekiel and Revelation. St. Luke is represented by the winged ox. The ox was an animal of sacrifice, and Luke’s Gospel begins in the Temple with the priest Zechariah. The symbol also points toward one of the great themes of Luke’s Gospel: Christ offering Himself for the salvation of the world. You may see Luke depicted holding a book or paintbrush with a winged ox beside him. These symbols identify him as an evangelist, the traditional painter of sacred images, and the writer who shows us Christ’s sacrificial mercy. St. Luke, the Beloved Physician Because Paul identifies Luke as a physician, he has long been regarded as a patron of doctors, surgeons, nurses, and others who care for the sick. This makes St. Luke’s Day a fitting time to pray for medical professionals and for those who are ill. It also gives us an opportunity to remember that Christ cares for the whole person. Luke records acts of bodily healing alongside forgiveness, restoration, and welcome into the community. The sick are not interruptions to Christ’s work. Caring for them is part of His work. Ways to Celebrate the Feast of St. Luke Read Scripture One of the simplest ways to celebrate St. Luke’s Day is to read from the two books associated with him. You could also read the opening chapters of his Gospel, choose one of the parables found only in Luke, or begin reading Luke and Acts together. The Bible Project’s videos on Luke and Acts also provide a helpful overview for families. Because Luke preserved the great biblical canticles of the Incarnation, you might pray the Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55), Benedictus (Luke 1:68–79), or Nunc dimittis (Luke 2:29–32). These words have been prayed by the Church for centuries, and St. Luke’s Day is a lovely occasion to notice where they came from and allow them to shape the prayer of your home. Paint or Create You could also make art in honor of the tradition that remembers Luke as an iconographer. Children might paint or color an image of Mary and Jesus, illustrate a favorite story from Luke’s Gospel, or look closely at an icon and talk about how sacred art teaches us through color, posture, gesture, and symbol. Eat Something With Pumpkin Pumpkins have also become connected to St. Luke’s Day through an old seasonal saying that pumpkins would begin to spoil after October 18th. What a great excuse to make my pumpkin muffins (Recipe below) or drink that pumpkin spice latte! Serve Beef for Dinner Because Luke is symbolized by an ox, some families serve beef for dinner. We always make a pot roast, a family favorite and a simple way to connect our table with the symbols of the feast. This is the recipe I use and it is the best pot roast we have ever eaten! Learn About the Fiera di San Luca In Impruneta, Italy, St. Luke is honored with the Fiera di San Luca, one of Europe’s oldest livestock fairs. Its origins are traditionally traced back many centuries to the seasonal movement of shepherds and their animals from the mountains toward winter pastures. The fair is still held during the week of St. Luke’s feast and brings together the religious observance of the day with the rhythms of work, harvest, animals, and changing seasons. Enjoy St. Luke’s Little Summer According to tradition, St. Luke is said to have gifted us a few final golden days before winter - a short stretch of warm weather in mid-October known as “St. Luke’s Little Summer.” If the day is beautiful, spend some time outside and receive it as one of the last warm gifts of the season before winter draws near. the recipe - Pumpkin Muffins for the Feast of St. Luke 1 cup canned pumpkin puree 2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup light brown sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 4 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease the muffin pans. Whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil in a large bowl until well combined. Add the canned pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla extract, and mix until fully incorporated. In a separate medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient mixture. Mix gently until just combined, avoiding over-mixing. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

On October 4th, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi - one of the most beloved and recognizable saints in all of Christian history. Known as the founder of the Franciscan Order, Francis embraced a radical way of life shaped by the poverty, humility, and self-giving love of Christ. His devotion to God overflowed into love for the poor, care for those whom society rejected, and delight in the goodness of creation. St. Francis is often remembered today primarily as a gentle lover of animals and nature. While that is certainly part of his story, it can obscure the costly faithfulness at the center of his life. Francis did not simply admire creation or choose a simpler lifestyle. He gave up wealth, status, comfort, and his family’s approval because he wanted his entire life to be conformed to Christ. This year’s feast is especially significant because 2026 marks eight hundred years since the death of St. Francis in 1226, a fitting occasion to look again at the life of a man who took the words of Jesus seriously and allowed them to reshape everything. The Early Life of St. Francis Francis was born in Assisi around 1181 or 1182 into a wealthy merchant family. His father, Pietro di Bernardone, was a prosperous cloth merchant, while his mother, Pica, is traditionally believed to have been of French origin. As a young man, Francis enjoyed all the privileges his family’s wealth could provide. He was charming, generous, fond of fine clothing, and captivated by the songs of the troubadours and the chivalric ideals of knighthood. He spent his youth pursuing pleasure, popularity, and adventure, dreaming of earning glory as a soldier. Even during these years, however, there were signs of the compassion that would later define his life. Francis once encountered a beggar while working among his father’s goods. After initially allowing the man to leave empty-handed, he was overcome with remorse, ran after him, and gave him generously from his own money. His companions mocked him, and his father was furious, but the encounter began to reveal the growing conflict between the life Francis was living and the life to which God was calling him. In 1202, Francis joined Assisi’s war against the nearby city of Perugia, was captured, and spent about a year as a prisoner. During his captivity, he became seriously ill and began to question the ambitions that had once seemed so important to him. After his release, he attempted to return to his former life, but he remained restless and spiritually unsatisfied. Around 1205, after experiencing a dream or vision at Spoleto, he abandoned plans for another military campaign and returned to Assisi. His conversion did not happen all at once. It unfolded gradually through illness, prayer, disappointment, and a series of encounters that loosened his attachment to the life he had once wanted. The Leper Who Changed Everything One of the most important moments in Francis’s conversion came through an encounter with a leper. Francis had always been deeply repulsed by leprosy. Those suffering from the disease were feared, isolated, and forced to live outside the ordinary life of the community. One day, while riding near Assisi, Francis encountered a leper on the road. Rather than turning away, he dismounted, gave the man money, and kissed him. Francis later wrote that what had once seemed bitter to him was changed into sweetness. His encounter with the leper helped him understand that following Christ would require more than generosity from a safe distance. It would mean drawing near to those he feared, touching those society considered untouchable, and discovering Christ among them. Francis began spending time in the leper colonies outside Assisi, caring for the sick, washing their wounds, and sharing meals with them. This was not an additional charitable interest alongside his spiritual life. It became one of the places where his life with Christ took its most concrete form. “Francis, Repair My Church” Another decisive moment came when Francis entered the neglected chapel of San Damiano, just outside Assisi. While praying before an ancient crucifix, he heard Christ speak to him: “Francis, go and repair My house, which, as you can see, is falling into ruin.” Francis initially understood the command literally. He sold cloth and other goods belonging to his father and offered the money to the priest at San Damiano so the chapel could be repaired. The priest, aware of Francis’s father and the questionable source of the money, refused to accept it. The incident intensified the conflict between Francis and his father, who expected his son to continue the family business. The dispute eventually came before the bishop of Assisi. In a dramatic public act, Francis returned not only his father’s money but also the fine clothing he had received from him. The bishop covered Francis with his own cloak as Francis renounced his inheritance and placed himself completely under the care of God. Francis then began living as a beggar, praying, serving lepers, and rebuilding ruined chapels around Assisi with his own hands. Over time, he came to understand that Christ’s command to repair His Church meant something larger than restoring stone buildings. Francis’s entire life would become part of God’s work of renewing a Church that had grown wealthy, divided, and too often distant from the poor. Francis’s Call to Holy Poverty Francis embraced poverty not because he believed material things were evil, but because he wanted nothing to stand between him and complete dependence upon God. He was especially moved by Christ’s instructions to His disciples to take nothing for their journey and to go out preaching the Kingdom of God. Francis adopted a rough tunic, tied it with a simple cord, and began traveling through the countryside to preach repentance, peace, and the love of God. He called poverty “Lady Poverty” because he saw it as a path to freedom - by possessing nothing, he hoped to become free to receive everything as a gift from God and to give himself without reservation in return. His poverty was not simply an exercise in self-denial. It was an attempt to imitate Jesus, who was born in poverty, lived without earthly power, associated with the rejected, and gave Himself completely for the life of the world. Founding the Franciscan Order and the Poor Clares As Francis’s reputation for holiness spread, other men began asking to join him. In 1209, Francis and his small group of companions traveled to Rome to seek the approval of Pope Innocent III for their form of life, drawing their rule primarily from the words of Jesus in the Gospels. The pope eventually gave them verbal approval, and they became the Order of Friars Minor - commonly known as the Franciscans. The name, meaning “lesser brothers,” expressed Francis’s desire that they take the lowest place rather than seek status or authority. The brothers traveled from town to town, preaching the Gospel, serving the poor, caring for lepers, and depending upon the generosity of others for their daily needs. In 1212, a young noblewoman named Clare of Assisi left her wealthy family to follow the same Gospel way of life. With Francis’s guidance, she established a community of women devoted to prayer, poverty, and service - originally called the Poor Ladies and later known as the Poor Clares. Francis and the Sultan In 1219, during the Fifth Crusade, Francis traveled to Egypt and crossed the battle lines to meet Sultan al-Kamil, the Muslim ruler of Egypt. Francis went with the desire to preach the Gospel, knowing that the journey might cost him his life. The Sultan received him, listened to him, and allowed him to remain for a period of time before Francis returned safely to the Christian camp. Francis’s Love for Creation Francis’s willingness to cross enemy lines to speak with the Sultan was of a piece with his broader vision - that every human being, and indeed every creature, bears the mark of its Creator and deserves to be met with reverence and love. This vision found its most beautiful expression in the Canticle of the Sun, also known as the Canticle of the Creatures, which Francis composed near the end of his life while suffering from illness and failing eyesight. Written in the Umbrian language rather than scholarly Latin, the hymn praises God through Brother Sun, Sister Moon, the stars, wind, water, fire, and Mother Earth. Francis addresses the elements of creation as brothers and sisters because they share with us the same Creator and depend upon His goodness for their existence. The Canticle is not ultimately addressed to nature. It is a song of praise to God: “Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,Yours are the praises, the glory, the honor, and all blessing.” Francis’s love for creation flowed from his love for the Creator. He understood that the world belongs to God and that human beings are not its absolute owners but fellow creatures called to receive it gratefully and care for it faithfully. The Anglican priest William Henry Draper later adapted the Canticle into the beloved hymn “All Creatures of Our God and King.” Francis’s love for animals also inspired many legends. One tradition tells of a wolf that was terrorizing the town of Gubbio - Francis confronted the wolf, made peace between the animal and the townspeople, and persuaded the people to feed it. Another describes Francis preaching to a flock of birds, urging them to praise God for the feathers, wings, food, and freedom their Creator had given them. Whether speaking to people or animals, his message remained the same: the goodness of God and the praise owed to Him by everything He had made. The Christmas Celebration at Greccio Another enduring part of St. Francis’s legacy is the tradition of the nativity scene. In 1223, Francis wanted the people near Greccio, Italy, to experience the humility and poverty of Christ’s birth more tangibly. He arranged for a manger filled with hay to be placed in a cave, with a living ox and donkey nearby. There were no statues or costumed figures. Instead, the people gathered on Christmas Eve carrying candles and torches, and Mass was celebrated over the manger. Francis, who was a deacon, proclaimed the Gospel and preached about the birth of Christ. The celebration allowed the people to see with their own eyes something of the poverty into which the Son of God had entered, and it connected the mystery of the Incarnation with the Eucharist - the Christ who was laid in the manger at Bethlehem continues to give Himself to His people as the Bread of Life. The Christmas celebration at Greccio inspired the nativity scenes that now appear in Christian homes and churches throughout the world, making it one of Francis’s most quietly enduring gifts to the Church. The Death of St. Francis By 1226, Francis’s health had deteriorated severely. He was nearly blind and suffered from several painful illnesses, yet he continued to praise God and called even death “Sister Death” in the final verses of the Canticle of the Creatures. As Francis approached death, his friend Lady Jacoba came to visit him, bringing a burial cloth, candles, incense, and Francis’s favorite almond cookies. Francis asked to be laid on the bare earth, and the account of Christ washing His disciples’ feet was read aloud. Surrounded by his brothers, he died on the evening of October 3, 1226, at the Portiuncula - the small chapel that had become the heart of the Franciscan movement. Franciscans continue to commemorate his passing on October 3 with a service called the Transitus, meaning “passage,” before celebrating his feast on the following day. Francis was canonized in 1228, less than two years after his death. Ways to Celebrate the Feast of St. Francis at Home Attend a Blessing of the Animals. Many churches invite people to bring their pets to receive a blessing in remembrance of Francis’s love for God’s creatures. It is also a beautiful opportunity to thank God for the animals entrusted to our care. Read the Canticle of the Creatures. Read Francis’s great hymn of praise together, noticing that every part of creation directs our attention toward its Creator. You might also sing “All Creatures of Our God and King,” which was drawn directly from the Canticle. Here’s a sweet digital download I created for you to print out and read - Serve Someone in Need. Francis’s life was shaped most deeply not by his affection for animals but by his sharing of Christ among the poor, sick, and rejected. Volunteer at a local shelter or food pantry, make a donation, visit someone lonely, or find another simple way to serve a person in need. Care for Creation. Spend time outdoors, take a nature walk, work in the garden, pick up litter, refill a bird feeder, or care for an animal. Use the time to thank God for what He has made and consider how your family can exercise better stewardship of His creation. Read books about St. Francis. There are so many great children’s books about St. Francis. HERE are my favorites. Set Up or Plan Your Nativity Scene. Francis’s Christmas celebration at Greccio gives us a wonderful reason to begin thinking about the family nativity before Advent arrives. You might choose a new figure, repair an old set, or tell your children the story of how this beloved tradition began. Eat Almond Cookies. According to Franciscan tradition, Lady Jacoba brought Francis his favorite almond cookies as he lay dying. the recipe - St. Francis’ Almond Cookies 1 3/4 cups whole almonds 1 cup sugar 2 Tablespoons flour 1/8 teaspoon salt 4 large egg whites 1 teaspoon almond extract 1/4 cup sliced almonds Toast whole almonds in a 300° oven for five minutes. Cool. Place in a food processor with sugar, flour, and salt. Process until finely ground. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites to loosen them up. Add everything except the sliced almonds, and stir thoroughly until it forms a dough. Use a teaspoon to scoop the dough onto the baking sheet, leaving at least an inch between the cookies. Drop by teaspoonfuls on parchment-covered baking sheet 1″ apart. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake at 300° for 20 to 25 minutes.

The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi is coming up on October 4th. St. Francis of Assisi holds a special place in Christian history. St. Francis of Assisi is known for his radical love for God, giving away everything that he had to live in poverty and to serve those in need. He is also known for his love for all God's creations. His unwavering faith and love for Jesus have made him an enduring symbol of devotion. One of my favorite ways to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi is with children's books on St. Francis. Reading books about the saints is such an easy and fun way to help our children learn about our faith's heroes. They are a powerful teaching tool to help children understand who the saints were and why they are important. Today, I am sharing some of my favorite books about St. Francis. I hope they are a blessing! 1. Brother Francis of Assisi by Tomie dePaola Tomie dePaola, a master storyteller and illustrator, weaves the enchanting tale of St. Francis in a way that is accessible and captivating for young readers. Through vibrant illustrations and simple yet engaging storytelling, children will journey with Francis from his days as a carefree young man to his transformation into a humble and devoted servant of God. This book brilliantly captures the spirit of Francis and his message of love and compassion. 2. Brother Sun, Sister Moon by Katherine Paterson Katherine Paterson, renowned for her storytelling, brings St. Francis's profound connection with nature to life in "Brother Sun, Sister Moon." This beautifully illustrated book introduces children to the saint's unwavering belief in the interconnectedness of all living things. As they follow the poetic narrative, young readers will discover the wonders of creation and the importance of stewardship, making it a perfect choice for nurturing a love and care for nature. 3. Saint Francis and the Animals by Phil Gallery In "Saint Francis and the Animals," Phil Gallery offers a heartwarming exploration of St. Francis's extraordinary affinity for animals. This delightful book invites children to join Francis in his encounters with creatures great and small, emphasizing the message of kindness and respect for all living beings. Through engaging text and vivid illustrations, young readers will learn valuable lessons about empathy and the beauty of coexisting harmoniously with the animal kingdom. 4. The Prayer of St. Francis illustrated by Giuliano Ferri "The Prayer of St. Francis" is a timeless classic that introduces children to the profound prayer attributed to the saint. Illustrated by Giuliano Ferri, this book beautifully illustrates the words of St. Francis's prayer, encouraging young hearts to embrace its wisdom and embody its values of peace, love, and selflessness. Through the serene and evocative illustrations, children will gain a deeper understanding of the prayer's significance in the saint's life and its enduring relevance today.

In my previous post, I shared the history, meaning, and biblical background of the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, along with delicious recipes for Blackberry Hand Pies and Roast Chicken to mark the day. If you missed it, be sure to go back and read that one first, it’s packed with theology, Scripture, and practical ways to understand who the angels are and why we celebrate them. Now, let’s keep the celebration going with a few more fun and meaningful traditions, perfect for gathering your family, engaging your kids, and connecting your table with the life of the Church. Read about angels in the Bible Read about the different angels in the Bible: Revelation 12, Ezekiel 10, Revelation 8, Luke 2:13-15, Genesis 19:1, Psalm 91:11, Matthew 24:31. Light sparklers or fireworks In San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Michaelmas is joyfully celebrated with La Alborada, a pre-dawn festival (4 a.m.!) filled with fireworks, music, and processions honoring St. Michael as defender of the light. Bring the tradition home: Surprise your kids with a sparkler walk at dawn (or dusk!) Light candles and sing a hymn to start the day Enjoy a sunrise breakfast together as a celebration of light overcoming darkness Bake an Angel Food Cake Angel food cake is a perfect dessert for the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels. Top it with seasonal blackberries in honor of an old Michaelmas legend, which says that blackberries turn bitter after the feast because Lucifer cursed them when he fell from heaven and landed in a blackberry bush. Bake Traditional Scottish Bannocks In Scotland, bannocks - simple, round barley or oat cakes - were baked for Michaelmas. They symbolized sustenance, blessing, and the turning of the seasons. Make your own: Bannocks are quick to whip up and perfect for kids to help with. Serve warm with butter, jam, or honey for an easy, rustic breakfast or snack. Here’s a great recipe. Slay the Dragon! One of the most iconic images in Scripture comes from Revelation 12: St. Michael battling the dragon, a symbol of Satan and the forces of evil. This moment captures the spiritual warfare that continues even now, and the victory we have through Christ. Make it fun for kids: Create or buy a dragon piñata. Let children “slay the dragon” in the backyard with a baseball bat or stick. Talk about what it means for Michael to fight for us still today. Sing “Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones” This hymn is a powerful chorus of praise, joining our voices with the angels and saints: “Alleluia, angel choirs above are raising,Cherubim and seraphim, in unceasing chorus praising…” Perfect for family prayer time, morning devotions, or even while baking together. Tip: If your family enjoys singing, try teaching one verse each year and build your hymn knowledge slowly over time. Let’s Get Ready Together Celebrating Michaelmas in our homes gives us an opportunity to recover a feast that Christians once knew and observed well. The blackberries, bannocks, hymns, and other traditions are so fun, but they also help us remember what the feast teaches: that God created far more than what we can see, that the angels continually worship and serve Him, and that every power opposed to God remains under His authority. However you choose to celebrate, I hope Michaelmas helps your family see the world a little more as Scripture describes it and gives you another occasion to praise God for the whole of His creation, both seen and unseen. the recipe - Heavenly Angel Food Cake 1 1/2 cups plus 1 Tablespoon sugar 1 cup cake flour (no cake flour? See note at end of the recipe for a substitution) 12 egg whites, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar Preheat oven to 325ºF. Do NOT grease the angel food cake pan.Put sugar in a food processor and pulse about 15 times until the sugar granules are finer. Sift flour with 3/4 cup of the sugar. Set aside. In a large bowl, use the whisk attachment to whip egg whites, extracts, and salt until it becomes a bit frothy. Add cream of tartar and whip until the mixture forms soft peaks.Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, while the mixer is running. Continue beating until the mixture is glossy, smooth, and holds a stiff peak. In three additions, sift the flour/sugar mixture over the top of the beaten egg whites and carefully fold. Once incorporated, spoon batter into the pan. Run a knife or a thin spatula through the batter to break up any air pockets. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and cracked, and the cake bounces bake when lightly touched.Cool the cake upside-down in the pan, using a bottle in the center, the attached feet that are part of some pans, or handles balanced on something sturdy. Let cake cool completely, about 2 hours.Run a knife along the edge and center tube of the cake. Invert onto a cake plate and give the cake a few good shakes. If the cake does not release, repeat the steps. Cut with a serrated knife and serve with whipped topping. Cake Flour Substitution For 1 cup of cake flour, sift together 14 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour with 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift one more time.

St. Michael by The Master of Belmonte On September 29, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, traditionally known as Michaelmas (pronounced MIK-uhl-mus), a shortened form of “Michael’s Mass.” This is the day the Church sets aside to honor St. Michael the Archangel, captain of the heavenly armies, and to celebrate the ministry of all the angels, those powerful and awe-inspiring creatures who worship God and carry out His purposes in heaven and on earth. For many Christians, this feast can feel unfamiliar or even a little uncomfortable. Angels have been so distorted by popular culture, and the biblical teaching about the unseen world so often ignored or sensationalized, that we may not know what to make of a day devoted to them. Some worry that honoring angels distracts from the worship of God, while others associate them with sentimental decorations or strange spiritual speculation. But Michaelmas is not about worshiping angels or becoming preoccupied with them. It is about praising God for His whole creation, seen and unseen, and recovering a biblical understanding of the mysterious beings who worship and serve Him. Although Michaelmas is unfamiliar to many Christians today, it was once one of the great landmarks of the year. During the Middle Ages, it was observed as a holy day when Christians attended Mass, and because it fell near the end of harvest, it also became an important marker in the agricultural and civic calendar. Rents were paid, accounts were settled, workers were hired, university and legal terms began, and families gathered for a traditional meal. Even the autumn term at universities such as Oxford and Cambridge is still called Michaelmas Term. As the days shortened and winter approached, the Church celebrated St. Michael’s victory over the dragon and remembered that, however real the powers of darkness may be, they remain subject to the power of God. Why Do We Call Him “Saint” Michael? The title saint might sound strange when it is applied to an angel, but the word simply means “holy one,” someone set apart for the purposes of God. We most often associate the word with holy men and women, particularly those formally recognized by the Church. However, the Church has long used the title for Michael because he is one of God’s holy angels, entirely devoted to His worship and service. Why Celebrate Angels? When we celebrate the angels, we are not worshiping them. We are joining the Church in thanking and praising God for everything He has created, including these mysterious and mighty beings who faithfully serve Him. Throughout Scripture, angels bring messages from God, guide and protect His people, war against evil, carry out His judgments, and continually worship before His throne. What the Bible Really Says About Angels Much of what popular culture has taught us about angels bears little resemblance to what we encounter in Scripture. The angels of Scripture do not resemble the chubby, winged babies floating sweetly on clouds that we often see in art and decorations. Biblical angels are startling, mysterious, mighty, and frequently fear-inducing. Some appear in the form of men, while others are described in ways that are almost impossible to imagine. The heavenly beings in Ezekiel’s visions are covered in eyes. Some angels appear with blazing swords, while others move invisibly through the world. Human beings who encounter angels in Scripture are often terrified, which is why an angel’s first words are so frequently, “Do not be afraid.” These are not harmless decorative figures. They are powerful servants of the living God who exist to worship Him and carry out His will. Types of Angels in Scripture Scripture gives us glimpses of several different kinds of angels and heavenly beings. Archangels The word arch means “chief” or “principal.” Michael is the only angel explicitly called an archangel in Scripture, in Jude 1:9. An archangel is also mentioned, although not named, in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. Gabriel is never specifically given the title of archangel in the Bible, but he is often understood to be one because of his prominent role in delivering some of God’s most important messages. He appears to the prophet Daniel, to Zechariah before the birth of John the Baptist, and to the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation. Cherubim Cherubim appear throughout Scripture in connection with the holiness and presence of God. They are stationed at the entrance to Eden after the Fall, guarding the way to the tree of life in Genesis 3:24. Images of cherubim overshadowed the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant, and they also appear prominently in Ezekiel’s extraordinary visions. Far from the sweet, chubby “cherubs” of popular art, biblical cherubim are strange and formidable heavenly beings associated with the throne, presence, and glory of God. Seraphim The seraphim appear in Isaiah 6, standing before the throne of God. They have six wings and continually proclaim: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” Their unceasing worship is echoed in the Church’s Eucharistic prayers whenever we join “angels and archangels and all the company of heaven” in singing the Sanctus: “Holy, holy, holy.” The Angel of the Lord The Angel of the Lord is a unique and mysterious figure in the Old Testament. At times, He appears not only to speak for God but to speak as God Himself. Because of this, Christians and biblical scholars have long debated His identity. Some understand the Angel of the Lord as a theophany, a visible manifestation of God, or even as a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. Others understand Him as a distinct angelic messenger who speaks with the full authority of God. Unnamed Angels Many of the angels who appear in Scripture are not given names. They are sent as messengers, guides, protectors, and agents of God’s purposes. We encounter them throughout the biblical story. Angels visit Abraham, rescue Lot’s family from Sodom, announce the birth of Christ to the shepherds, minister to Jesus, open prison doors, and carry out countless other works on God’s behalf. Although their names are unknown to us, their anonymity tells us something important about the nature of angelic ministry. The faithful angels do not draw attention to themselves. Their messages, power, and work always direct us beyond them to the God they serve. Fallen Angels Scripture also speaks of angels who rebelled against God. Satan and the fallen angels rejected God’s authority and became enemies of God and His people. Although they are spiritual powers opposed to God’s purposes, they remain created beings whose power is limited. What Do the Angels Teach Us? The faithful angels show us something about the life every creature was made to live. They worship God, obey His commands, carry His messages, and direct all glory toward Him. Although they possess astonishing power, they never claim that power as their own. Everything they are and everything they do points beyond themselves to the God who created them. Their presence also teaches us to see the world more truthfully. In the Nicene Creed, we confess our belief in God as the maker “of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.” Yet we live in a time that encourages us to believe that only what we can see, measure, and explain is real. Scripture gives us a much larger vision. Around our ordinary earthly lives is an unseen creation in which angels worship, serve, protect, carry messages, and participate in the mysterious providence of God. This is particularly important when we gather for worship. Every Sunday, when we sing “Holy, holy, holy,” we join the song of the seraphim. Our worship is united with that of angels, archangels, saints, martyrs, and all the company of heaven. We are not beginning a song of praise that did not exist before we arrived but joining the worship already taking place before the throne of God. Michaelmas reminds us that Christian worship is never merely earthly and that the congregation we can see is only one part of the great company gathered in God’s presence. The angels also remind us that spiritual conflict is real. Scripture does not present evil as merely an idea, a metaphor, or the unfortunate result of human ignorance. Yet Michaelmas does not encourage us to become fascinated with evil or frightened by it. Instead, it directs our attention toward the sovereignty of God. We celebrate the angels, then, not because they turn our attention away from God, but because their worship and ministry direct our attention more fully toward Him. Why Do We Celebrate St. Michael in Particular? Of all the angels, Michael holds a special place in Scripture and in the tradition of the Church. His name means “Who is like God?” It is a question whose answer is clear: no one is like God. No creature, however glorious or powerful, can compare with the Creator. Michael’s name expresses the very heart of faithful angelic service. Satan’s rebellion is rooted in pride and self-exaltation, but Michael’s name rejects the possibility that any creature could rival God. His power lies not in independence from God but in his complete faithfulness to Him. The Book of Daniel describes Michael as “one of the chief princes” and as the great prince who protects God’s people. In Jude 1:9, he contends with the devil over the body of Moses. In Revelation 12:7–9, Michael and his angels fight against the dragon, who is identified as Satan, and cast him down. Christian tradition has also associated Michael with other moments of angelic protection and intervention, including the angel who stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. Although Scripture does not name that angel as Michael, the association reflects the Church’s long understanding of Michael as a guardian and defender. Michael is also traditionally remembered as the captain of the heavenly armies who led the faithful angels against Lucifer and the angels who joined his rebellion. He is honored as a defender of heaven, of God’s people, and of truth, faithfully carrying out the will of God. Michaelmas takes the reality of evil seriously without ever suggesting that evil is equal to God. The dragon is terrible, but he remains a creature. Michael and the faithful angels overcome him through the power and authority of God. The spiritual battle is real, but its final outcome is not uncertain. Ways to Celebrate the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels As always, there are many simple and meaningful ways to mark this feast in your home. Michaelmas has accumulated some especially charming traditions over the centuries, many of them tied to the arrival of autumn and the foods that were traditionally harvested at this time of year. Seasonal Foods: Carrots and Blackberries In the British Isles, carrots and blackberries were traditionally in season around Michaelmas, making them natural additions to the feast-day table. There is also a wonderfully colorful Irish legend surrounding Michaelmas and blackberries. According to the story, when Lucifer was cast out of heaven, he landed in a blackberry bush. Angry at his thorny landing, he cursed, or in some versions spat upon, the berries, making them sour after September 29. Because of this legend, Michaelmas was traditionally considered the final day of the year to gather and enjoy blackberries. Whether or not you take the story too seriously, it gives us a wonderful excuse to enjoy them while we can, so try making my Blackberry Hand Pies during Michaelmas week! Roast Chicken—or Goose! In medieval Europe, roast goose was the traditional centerpiece of the Michaelmas meal. The custom may have been connected to the agricultural calendar and the payment of rents around Michaelmas, when tenants sometimes presented their landlords with a goose. Over time, eating goose on Michaelmas became associated with prosperity and good fortune in the coming year. If goose is difficult to find, or simply more ambitious than you want your Michaelmas celebration to be, a roast chicken makes a delicious and fitting substitute. My Perfect Roast Chicken is an easy way to bring this old tradition to your family table. Want more ways to bring Michaelmas to life in your home? In the next post, I’ll share more fun and festive ways and recipes perfect for this heavenly feast! the recipe - Blackberry Hand Pies Dough 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar Pinch of salt 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and cold 3/4 cup sour cream Egg wash (1 egg and 1 teaspoon water) Granulated sugar Filling 3 cups of blackberries 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon zest 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch To prepare the dough Blend the flour, granulated sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add sour cream and pulse until the dough starts to form a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and press into a rectangle. Divide the dough in half, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour. To prepare the filling Combine the blackberries, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until they start to break down slightly. Cook until the blackberries are tender and have released their juices, about 5 minutes. Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl, then add to the blackberries. To assemble the hand pies Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. When you are ready to prepare the hand pies, roll one of the chilled doughs out on a floured surface. As you are rolling, you can straighten out the edges with your hands to create a 10 x 15-inch rectangle. Using a pastry wheel, cut the dough into 12 equal squares by cutting 4 strips along the length and 3 strips along the short side. Put about 2 tablespoons filling in each center of half the squares. Lightly brush the edges of the filled squares with egg wash. Cover with the remaining squares. Press the dough together then use a fork to gently adhere the hand pies around the edges. Cut a cross on each top. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. If baking both baking sheets at once, rotate top to bottom after 15 minutes.

On September 21st, Christians around the world celebrate the Feast of St. Matthew, remembering the remarkable story of one of the Twelve Apostles - a man who was once a despised tax collector and became a beloved disciple and witness to the resurrection. Christian tradition also remembers him as the Evangelist whose name is attached to the first Gospel in our New Testament. Matthew’s life is one of the great stories of transformation in the New Testament. When Jesus called him, Matthew left behind a career associated with greed and social exclusion and stepped into the heart of God’s redemptive story. His feast gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect on mercy, vocation, and the extraordinary things that can happen when an ordinary person hears the words “Follow me” and says yes. Matthew or Levi? In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we meet this apostle at his calling, but you may notice something interesting: Matthew’s Gospel calls him Matthew, while Mark and Luke call the tax collector Levi. Having more than one name was not unusual in the ancient world, and traditionally these accounts have been understood as referring to the same man. But Scripture does not actually tell us why the names differ, and scholars have offered various explanations over the centuries. The name Matthew comes from a Hebrew name meaning “gift of God,” a beautiful meaning when we consider the life that followed his encounter with Jesus. Throughout Church tradition, he has been remembered as Matthew, the apostle and Evangelist. The Call of St. Matthew Before his encounter with Christ, Matthew was a tax collector, or publican. His calling takes place in the region of Capernaum near the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus conducted so much of His early ministry. In first-century Judea, tax collectors were deeply despised. They worked within the Roman system of taxation, were viewed as collaborators with an occupying power, and had a reputation for enriching themselves through dishonest practices and extortion. Their regular dealings with Gentiles also contributed to their social and religious exclusion. It is not surprising, then, that throughout the New Testament we so often find tax collectors grouped together with “sinners.” One small detail I especially love - when Matthew’s Gospel later names the Twelve Apostles, it calls him “Matthew the tax collector” (Matthew 10:3). The other apostolic lists simply call him Matthew. The part of his story that might have brought him shame is not erased. Instead, it becomes part of the testimony of what the call of Christ can do with our lives. Jesus’ Radical Mercy Against this backdrop, the moment Jesus calls Matthew becomes even more remarkable. Jesus sees him sitting at the tax booth and gives him a simple invitation: “Follow me.” Matthew rises and follows Him. That same day, Jesus shared a meal surrounded by other tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees are scandalized and demand to know why Jesus would eat with people like these. His response goes directly to the heart of Matthew’s story: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick… I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”(Matthew 9:12–13) This is at the heart of Matthew’s story and of the Gospel that bears his name: Christ came for the outsider, the broken, and the unlikely. The man others saw as unclean and unworthy was the very man Jesus called to become one of His closest disciples. The Ministry and Legacy of St. Matthew After the resurrection and Pentecost, Matthew is named among the apostles gathered together in Jerusalem. From there, the details of his life become much less certain, and several different traditions developed about where he traveled and preached. Early Christian tradition associates Matthew with missionary work beyond Judea, and some accounts place him as far away as Ethiopia. Traditions surrounding his death also vary, although he has long been honored in much of the Church as a martyr. One later tradition tells of Matthew’s confrontation with King Hirtacus, who attempted to force a consecrated virgin named Ephigenia into marriage. According to the story, Matthew defended her and was put to death because of it, laying down his life while defending the Christian faith and Ephigenia’s vow. Whatever uncertainty surrounds the details of Matthew’s later life, his most enduring legacy in the Church is the Gospel that bears his name and that Christian tradition has long attributed to him. The Gospel of Matthew is rich with references to the Old Testament and deeply rooted in the story of Israel. Again and again, it connects the life of Jesus with the Scriptures that came before Him, proclaiming with particular clarity that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. As you read it, notice how often Matthew points out that something has happened in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets. If you have ever noticed Matthew represented in Christian art by a winged man or angel, there is a reason for that, too. Each of the four Evangelists came to be associated with one of the four living creatures described in Revelation 4:7. Matthew’s symbol is the winged man, traditionally connected to the fact that his Gospel begins with the human genealogy of Jesus Christ. Ways to Celebrate the Feast of St. Matthew at Home As always, celebrating a feast day at home does not have to be complicated. A little Scripture, a good story, and something memorable around the table can be enough to help the people in our homes begin to recognize these days as part of the rhythm of the Christian year. Here are a few simple and symbolic ways to celebrate St. Matthew on September 21st. Read Scripture Begin with Matthew’s own story by reading Matthew 9:9–13 or Mark 2:13–17. Spend some time reflecting together on Jesus’ words, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice,” and what His willingness to call Matthew tells us about the mercy of God. With older children, you could also open the Gospel of Matthew and look for some of the places where Matthew connects the life of Jesus to the Old Testament. It is a wonderful way to begin noticing one of the distinctive features of the Gospel that bears his name. Enjoy Grapes, Grape Juice, or Wine In Logroño, Spain, the Fiestas de San Mateo coincide with the grape harvest. You can make a simple nod to this tradition by putting grapes on the table or serving grape juice or wine with dinner. Have a Pay Day This one is simply fun, especially if you have children at home! Serve Pay Day candy bars or chocolate coins as a lighthearted reminder of Matthew’s former life as a tax collector and the far greater “treasure in heaven” he chose when he left everything behind to follow Jesus. Give Something Away Matthew’s feast is also a wonderful opportunity to turn our attention from keeping money to giving it away. Consider making a donation to your church, a ministry, or someone in need. If you have children, invite them to choose something from their own money to give. It is a simple way to remember a man who left his livelihood behind when Jesus called and to remind ourselves that what we possess is ultimately entrusted to us by God. Play Monopoly or Life A family game night with Monopoly or Life is another playful way to remember Matthew’s former occupation. It can also open the door to a conversation about money, generosity, what we value, and what it means that Matthew was willing to walk away from worldly success when Jesus called him to something greater. Make Pancake Stacks For an easy breakfast or dinner, make stacks of little pancakes to resemble piles of coins. Let’s Get Ready Together The Feast of St. Matthew is a beautiful reminder that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy and that a single “yes” to Jesus can transform the direction of an entire life. Matthew was sitting at a tax booth when Jesus found him. Nothing about his life or reputation made him an obvious candidate to become one of the Twelve, and yet Jesus called him anyway. Matthew got up and followed, and the story of his life became something entirely different because of it. And year after year, as we continue to remember these stories, they slowly become part of the rhythm of our homes and part of the way we understand our own place in the story of God. Let’s continue walking together through the liturgical year, anchored in Scripture, tradition, and joy. the recipe - St. Matthew’s Day Coin Pancakes 1 egg 3 Tablespoons butter, melted 1 cup flour 1 Tablespoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup buttermilk Melt the butter. When cool, blend in the egg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the egg, butter, and buttermilk to the dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Heat a griddle to medium-low heat. Melt 1 tsp of butter in the griddle. Pour out the batter, making small circles. Flip when golden brown. Drizzle with honey or syrup.

Every year around this time, I begin looking ahead. Advent still feels a little way off. We are still firmly in Ordinary Time. But a new Christian year is coming, and with it we will begin the story all over again: waiting for Christ in Advent, celebrating His birth at Christmas, following Him through His ministry, walking with Him toward the cross, rejoicing in the Resurrection, and then learning, once again, what it means to live as His people in the long months of Ordinary Time. One of the things I love most about the liturgical year is that it gives our lives a different way of keeping time. The world around us has its own calendar, with its school years and fiscal years and holidays and shopping seasons, but the Church quietly gives us another one. It orders our time around the life of Christ and the story of our faith, returning us year after year to the things we most need to remember. And that is why, all those years ago, I created the first Liturgical Calendar. I wanted something I could hang in our home that would allow me to see the Christian year unfolding in front of me. I wanted to know what season we were in, which feast days were coming, and when I needed to begin preparing if I wanted our family to actually celebrate them rather than realizing, once again, that a feast day was tomorrow. Over the years, that simple calendar has become one of the things The Liturgical Home is best known for, and it has found its way into so many of your homes. I never take that for granted. And this year, for the first time, the collection is growing in some significant ways. The Original Liturgical Calendar Our Original Liturgical Calendar is back for the 2027 Christian year. Perfect for Anglicans and liturgical Christians of all denominations. This is the calendar so many of you already use to follow the seasons, Sundays, feast days, and rhythms of the liturgical year throughout your home. It is still the calendar I use myself, and it remains at the heart of this collection. But this year, you have more choices for how it fits into your home. For the first time, the calendar is available in three sizes: 12×18, our original 18×24, and a new large 24×32. I know not everyone has the same wall space, and I wanted there to be an option for the small kitchen corner as well as the big family command center. We are also introducing bamboo magnetic poster hangers for the 12×18 and 18×24 calendars, which make it incredibly simple to hang the calendar beautifully without framing it. A New Catholic Liturgical Calendar Many of you who follow The Liturgical Home are Catholic, and over the years I have heard from many of you asking for a calendar created specifically with the Catholic liturgical year in mind. This year, it is finally here. The 2027 Catholic Liturgical Calendar was created especially for Catholic homes that want to see the rhythms of their own liturgical calendar laid out clearly and beautifully throughout the year. Designed according to the liturgical calendar published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), this beautiful visual guide helps families, parishes, classrooms, and ministries follow the seasons and major celebrations of the Catholic Church throughout the year. A Calendar You Can Keep Year After Year The other completely new addition is our Perpetual Liturgical Calendar. Unlike the dated calendars, this one is designed to remain with you year after year. It gives you a way to see the shape and movement of the Christian year as a whole — the seasons, the great feasts, and the recurring rhythm that carries us from Advent through the entire story again and again. And the Liturgical Planner Is Back For those of you who want to move beyond simply knowing what is coming and actually prepare for it, the Liturgical Planner is back as well for 2027. The calendar helps you see the year. The planner helps you live it. This is where you can look ahead to the feasts and seasons you want to observe, decide what matters to your family, make plans, gather what you need, and keep the liturgical year from becoming one more thing you intended to do but remembered too late. The planner includes monthly and weekly calendars for the liturgical year with all of the feast days marked, a recipe for each month, room for notes, and the menaing behind each season. These calendars and planners are meant to help you see where you are, know what is coming, and choose intentionally how the rhythms of the Christian year will become part of the rhythms of your own home. The Shop Is Open The 2027 Liturgical Home Collection is officially available at The Liturgical Home today. You’ll find: The 2026–27 Original Liturgical Calendar The NEW 2026–27 Catholic Liturgical Calendar The NEW Perpetual Liturgical Calendar Three calendar sizes: 12×18, 18×24, and 24×32 Bamboo magnetic hangers for the 12×18 and 18×24 calendars The Liturgical Planner Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing much more about the new calendars, how the different versions work, and how to decide which one is right for your home. But today, I mostly just want to say how grateful I am that these things get to become part of your homes. My hope is that these tools are an aid to what happens around the liturgical year — the stories told at the dinner table, the candles lit, the meals shared, the saints remembered, and the seasons noticed. It is about allowing the story of our faith to become part of the ordinary rhythm of our lives, until Christian time begins to feel like home. The new liturgical year will be here before we know it. Let’s get ready. 🤍 Shop the 2027 Liturgical Year Collection at The Liturgical Home.

The Crucifixion by Fra Angelico On September 14th, Christians around the world celebrate Holy Cross Day - one of the oldest feast days in the Christian calendar, with roots stretching back to fourth century Jerusalem. The cross is not merely a symbol of suffering but the very instrument of Christ’s redemption for the whole world, the means by which He made peace through His own blood. That the cross, once an instrument of shame and execution, has become the sign of our salvation is reason enough to celebrate with joy and gratitude. The Rediscovery of the Cross Holy Cross Day commemorates not only the cross itself but also its remarkable rediscovery after centuries of burial beneath the ruins of Jerusalem. The earliest Christians held the site of Jesus’ tomb in deep reverence. But when Jerusalem fell to Rome in 70 AD, the city was reduced to rubble. Decades later, in 130 AD, Emperor Hadrian built a Roman colony over the ruins, ordering the tomb of Christ filled in to create a level foundation for a temple dedicated to the goddess Venus. It was a deliberate act of erasure, a pagan overlay on the holiest ground in Christendom. In doing so, Hadrian unwittingly fulfilled Paul’s words: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). In the fourth century, Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and set about recovering and restoring the faith’s most sacred sites. He sent his mother, Helena Augusta, to Jerusalem with instructions to have the pagan temple demolished and the ancient ruins beneath it excavated. What the excavations uncovered amazed everyone involved - three crosses, believed to be the cross of Christ and the crosses of the two thieves crucified alongside Him. The discovery was met with tremendous celebration, and Helena, along with her delegation and the local Christian community, established a feast day to mark the occasion. That feast day has been observed by the Church ever since. What the Cross Means for Us It is easy, in the familiarity of the cross, to lose sight of what an astonishing thing it actually is. We wear it around our necks, carve it into our churches, and trace it over our bodies with our hands, and yet the cross was not originally a religious symbol. It was an instrument of execution, the Roman Empire’s most brutal and deliberately humiliating method of putting a person to death. It was designed not only to kill but to shame, to display, and to warn. And yet this is the thing that stands at the very center of the Christian faith. The question worth sitting with on Holy Cross Day is how that happened - how the instrument of the most shameful death imaginable became the sign of the greatest love the world has ever known. When Jesus went to the cross, He did not go as a victim of circumstances beyond His control. He went deliberately and willingly, in full knowledge of what awaited Him, because the cross was the only way to accomplish what needed to be accomplished. The debt of human sin was real. The separation between a holy God and His broken people was real. And the only way to bridge that separation, to cancel that debt, to make peace where there had been enmity, was for Someone who was without sin to bear the full weight of it on our behalf. Paul says it as plainly as it can be said, “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). On the cross, the sin of the world was laid upon the Son of God, and in His death it was dealt with completely. The curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom. The way to God was opened. The peace that had been impossible was made. This is why the cross is not primarily a symbol of suffering for Christians, though it involved the most profound suffering imaginable. It is a symbol of victory and of love and of the lengths to which God was willing to go to bring His people home. Paul tells the Corinthians that he resolved to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ and Him crucified, not because the crucifixion was the end of the story, but because everything that came after it, including the resurrection and the life we now have in Christ, flows directly from what happened there. The cross changes who we are, what we owe, where we stand before God, and what we have to look forward to. It is the hinge upon which all of history turns, and it is the reason that on September 14th the Church pauses to stand before it again, to receive what it offers, and to give thanks for a love that was willing to go that far. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.- 1 Corinthians 1:18 Ways to Celebrate Holy Cross Day at Home Make a cross-shaped dessert.This is one of our favorite activities for Holy Cross Day, a simple and delicious dessert that children can help make and that gives a tangible shape to the day’s celebration. Whipped cream and crisp dark chocolate wafers are involved, which means it is very difficult to go wrong. The recipe is shared below. Make a cross from toothpicks.This is a simple craft that even young children can do. Break toothpicks into pieces and arrange them in the shape of a cross on black construction paper, gluing them in place. Punch holes in the corners, thread twine through, and hang the finished cross somewhere visible in your home, or let the children process through the house carrying them. It is the kind of simple, handmade thing that children remember. Make something with basil.An ancient tradition associated with Holy Cross Day holds that basil was growing abundantly on the hill where Helena discovered the cross. In Greece to this day, priests distribute sprigs of fresh basil to their parishioners on this feast. You can bring that same tradition into your home by having your children gather small bundles of basil, tie them with ribbon, and place them on the table as simple decorations. For dinner, make a fresh homemade pesto and toss it with hot pasta, fragrant, seasonal, and perfectly suited to the day. Teach your children to make the sign of the cross.Holy Cross Day is a beautiful occasion to introduce or deepen your children’s understanding of the sign of the cross. Many people assume it is a superstitious gesture or something belonging only to certain traditions, but it has always been intended as something far simpler and more beautiful than that - a physical reminder, made with our own bodies, that we belong to Christ and have been marked by His cross. Showing your children how to make the sign of the cross on Holy Cross Day gives the gesture its full context and meaning. the recipe - Holy Cross Icebox Cake Chocolate Cookies 1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour 1⁄2 cup (1 1⁄2 ounces) Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda 1⁄4 teaspoon table salt 1 1⁄4 cups (5 ounces) confectioners’ sugar 3 tablespoons water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted Whipped Cream 1 quart heavy whipping cream 1 cup sugar For the cookies: Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until combined. In a second medium bowl, combine sugar, water, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add butter to the sugar mixture and whisk until incorporated. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir with a spatula until fully combined. Transfer dough to the counter and knead until smooth, about 20 seconds. Roll into a 5-inch log. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until very firm, at least 2 hours or up to 5 days. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the log into ⅛-inch-thick rounds and transfer to prepared sheets (20 cookies per sheet), leaving ½ inch between rounds. Bake until the center of the cookies gives very little when pressed with your fingertip, 20 to 22 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely. Serve. (Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.) Whip the whipped cream on high until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Add a layer of whipped cream between layers of chocolate wafers and arrange them on a platter. Stack the wafer layers on their sides in the shape of a cross. When you are satisfied with the shape, cover the whole cross in the remaining whipped cream. Place the ground wafers in a sifter and sift over the cake. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl until combined. Combine sugar, water, and vanilla in second medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Add butter to sugar mixture and whisk until incorporated. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture and stir with spatula until fully combined. Transfer dough to counter and knead until smooth, about 20 seconds. Roll into 5-inch log. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until very firm, at least 2 hours or up to 5 days.

When my husband and I were first married, we had no money. He was no longer in his band, and the only job he could get was stocking shelves at Camelot Music. I was an art student with no income. We lived in an old apartment, packed our lunches, and watched every penny that we spent. Children were definitely not part of the picture. We were barely keeping our heads above water. And then my husband got a full-time job as a programmer at a life insurance company, and suddenly everything changed. We felt like we were rich - we definitely weren’t - but it is amazing what the move from an hourly wage to a salary makes in a young couple’s life with no children. We went to the movies, we ate out, and we explored the city. In the evenings, I would read while he played guitar. Life was easy, life was simple, we were free, and we were in no hurry to change any of it. During that time, nobody challenged us. The choices we were making, waiting, enjoying our lives, building financial stability before adding the complication of children, were so very sensible, so responsible. Everyone around us was making the same kinds of choices for the same kinds of reasons, and there was not a single voice in our lives asking us to examine whether sensible and responsible were the same thing as faithful. My husband and I had begun reading a lot of theology during that season. One of the gifts of that quieter, simpler life was the time it gave us for reading, and somewhere during that period, we came across a book that changed things for us. The funny thing is, it was not a book either of us had wanted to read for the reasons it ended up mattering to us. But in it, we discovered a theology of marriage and children and what the Christian tradition has always said about the meaning of the two together that shocked us. Neither my husband nor I had ever seriously thought about the theology of marriage and children. We were simply swimming in the cultural waters - that children were a choice, that timing was a matter of personal preference and financial readiness, that waiting until we felt ready was not only reasonable but wise. We had never examined those assumptions. We had never asked whether they were consistent with what we actually believed about God, about marriage, about the shape of a faithful life. The more we thought about what we had read, the more uneasy we became. Not because anyone was accusing us of anything. But because we were beginning to see something we had not seen before - that the life we had been living so contentedly, the life that felt so free and so easy and so entirely sensible, was organized primarily around our own comfort. And that comfort, left unexamined and unchallenged, has a way of becoming its own kind of captivity. We were not avoiding children for any compelling theological reason. We were avoiding them because everything was going well, and we did not want to disrupt that. Sacrifice felt optional when so little was being asked of us. And the longer we waited, the more settled we became in the life we had, and the harder it was to imagine choosing anything else. We knew we were at a crossroads, and we knew we needed to choose, not just about children, but about something larger than that - about which direction we were walking. We had to decide whether we were walking toward the life God was calling us into, or whether we were going to keep protecting the comfortable life we had already built. We chose to walk toward holiness - to stop arranging our lives around ease and open ourselves to the costly gift God was placing before us. It was one of the best and hardest decisions we have ever made. I tell that story not because the specific question we were wrestling with -children, timing, what faithfulness looks like in a marriage - is the subject of this series. It is one example among many of a pattern I have come to believe is one of the defining spiritual challenges of our moment. Because my husband and I were not alone in our complacency. We were surrounded by people in the same place - good people, faithful people, people who loved God and went to church and read their Bibles - who were nevertheless making the same quiet, reasonable, sensible choices in the direction of comfort and away from the harder, more costly, and more formative things that faithfulness requires. As I have grown older, I have watched that pattern only deepen. The comfort is more readily available, the expectations are even lower, the cultural pressure to choose ease over sacrifice has become more relentless, and the voice within the Church calling people toward holiness - toward the hard, beautiful life the New Testament actually describes - has grown quieter and quieter. I think about that crossroads moment all the time. Not just what we decided but what it took to get us there - the fact that it required a book, a lot of uncomfortable conversations, and a moment of honest reckoning with ourselves. Without any of that, we would have simply kept walking in the direction we were already going, never questioning it, never quite realizing that comfort and contentment are not the same thing as faithfulness, and that the life we were living, however pleasant, was not the life we were made for. That is what frightens me about the moment we are living in now. It is not only that we may be making wrong choices, but that we have lost the inclination to ask what our choices are forming us to become. So many of us are making choices - about marriage, about children, about church, about prayer, about how we spend our time and order our days and give ourselves to things larger than our own preferences - with no one asking us to examine them, no voice in our lives naming what is actually at stake, no moment of honest reckoning with the question put into words on that ordinary evening so many years ago. Which direction are we walking? Here is what I have come to believe after years of thinking about that question and watching the people around me navigate it in their own ways. Comfort is not the enemy of the Christian life, but comfort unchallenged, comfort unexamined, comfort that has quietly become the organizing principle of our days and our decisions - that is something entirely different. That is something the New Testament has a great deal to say about, and what it says is not what our culture wants to hear. I often wonder if our deepest problem is not that we sometimes choose comfort over holiness, but that we have forgotten to want holiness at all. It’s innate in us to want happiness, security, success, and ease. But how many of us find ourselves wanting, above everything else, to become holy? How many of us examine our choices not by asking, “Will this make my life better?” but “Will this make me more like Christ?” I certainly don’t! Christianity has never promised that the good life is the easy life. It teaches us to take up our cross, to die to ourselves, to practice steadfastness and faithfulness and sacrifice and self-denial - not because suffering is good in itself, but because holiness is worth pursuing, and becoming holy will sometimes be hard. I think this is the strong conviction we have most failed to pass on to the next generation - that hard things are not obstacles to a joyful life - sometimes they are the very means God uses to lead us into one. There is a joy on the other side of faithfulness that comfort alone can never give us. My husband and I found that joy when we chose the harder thing on that ordinary evening in our apartment. And in the years since, through the children who arrived and the sacrifices they required and the people they have made us into - we have found more of that joy than we could ever have imagined from where we were standing then. I want to spend the next several weeks exploring what that conviction looks like lived out - in marriage, in celibacy, in the decision to have children, in the faithful weekly practice of showing up to church, in eating together, in daily prayer, in the rhythms of the liturgical year, in care for the poor, and in the ancient practice of self-denial that our own age finds so baffling and so unnecessary. Not because I have mastered any of these things - I most certainly have not! But because I think we need to hear again - clearly, honestly, and without apology - that a life spent becoming holy is worth the cost.

On August 24th, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Bartholomew, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke each mention him by name (Matt. 10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:14), and in the Gospel of John he appears under the name Nathanael, giving us one of the most honest first encounters with Jesus in all of the Gospels. When Philip finds Nathanael and tells him they have found the one Moses and the prophets wrote about, Jesus of Nazareth, Nathanael responds with the kind of refreshing honesty that must have made him immediately likeable: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Philip simply says, “Come and see.” And when Jesus meets him, He greets him with words that tell us something important about who Bartholomew was: “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no guile.” When Bartholomew asks how Jesus knows him, Jesus tells him He saw him under the fig tree, and that is enough. Bartholomew’s response is immediate and wholehearted: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” It is a brief encounter, but it reveals a man of genuine faith and transparent heart, exactly the kind of person Jesus gathered around Him. The Life of St. Bartholomew Unlike some of the other disciples, the New Testament does not give us a detailed account of Bartholomew’s life and ministry. What we know is that he traveled everywhere with Jesus, learning from Him and participating in His mission throughout those years of public ministry. He was present with the other disciples after the resurrection and ascension and was in the upper room when the Holy Spirit fell at Pentecost (Acts 1:13, Acts 2). From that point, tradition takes up the story. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, Bartholomew is said to have traveled widely in service of the Gospel, to India, to Armenia, and possibly to parts of Africa, bringing the Christian faith to regions far beyond the borders of the Jewish world he had known. He is credited in various traditions with establishing the Church in these places, a missionary whose reach extended further than almost any of the other apostles. The Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew St. Bartholomew’s martyrdom is one of the most vivid and enduring parts of his tradition. He is believed to have been martyred in Albanopolis in ancient Armenia, though the accounts of exactly how he died vary. Some traditions say he was crucified upside down. Others say he was beheaded. But the account that has captured the Christian imagination most powerfully and that appears again and again in art and iconography across the centuries is that he was flayed alive. Perhaps the most famous depiction of St. Bartholomew in all of Western art is found in Michelangelo’s Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel, where the apostle stands holding his own flayed skin, a haunting and unforgettable image of martyrdom and faith. Scholars have long suggested that the face on the skin is a self-portrait of Michelangelo himself, which gives the image yet another layer of meaning. Though the details of his life remain sparse, St. Bartholomew has been widely commemorated in art, architecture, and tradition. Churches, cathedrals, and monuments throughout the world bear his name, and the feast day associated with him has given rise to some of the most distinctive and enjoyable folk traditions in the Christian calendar. How to Celebrate St. Bartholomew’s Day at Home Make gingerbread. During the Middle Ages in England, gingerbread was among the most traditional foods served on feast days, often stamped with the image of the saint being honored. At the famous Bartholomew Fairs held across England, gingerbread marked with the image of St. Bartholomew was one of the signature treats of the celebration. We are making Gingerbread Cake from one of my favorite seasonal cookbooks, Honey and Jam by Hannah Queen, whose recipe captures the warmth and spice of this old tradition beautifully. The recipe is included at the end of this post. Have a race and eat a currant bun. In the village of Sandwich in Kent, England, children still observe a St. Bartholomew’s Bun Race, running around the chapel of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and receiving a currant bun as their reward. It is the kind of simple, joyful local tradition that has survived for centuries because children love it, and it translates beautifully to a backyard or neighborhood on the feast day. Make Bartlemas Beef. St. Bartholomew has long been considered the patron saint of butchers, for what are perhaps obvious reasons, given the manner of his martyrdom. Traditionally, the beef served on his feast day was known as Bartlemas Beef, a name derived from “Bartlemas,” meaning the Mass of St. Bartholomew. The Cook’s Guide from 1664 offers this remarkable recipe, which we share here in its original form: “Take a fat Brisket piece of beef and bone it, put it into so much water as will cover it, shifting it three times a day for three dayes together, then put it into as much white wine and vinegar as will cover it, and when it hath lyen twenty-four hours take it out and drye it in a cloth, then take nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and mace, of each a like quantity, beaten small and mingled with a good handful of salt, strew both sides of the Beef with this, and roul it up as you do Brawn, tye it as close as you can; then put it into an earthen pot, and cover it with some paste; set it in the Oven with household bread, and when it is cold, eat it with mustard and sugar.” Please let me know if you make this, and particularly what you decide to use as “some paste!” Eat watermelon and make watermelon lanterns. In Italy and Spain, watermelon has long been the traditional food of St. Bartholomew’s Day, arriving as it does at the very height of watermelon season in late August. On the feast day, communities would gather for watermelon festivals, attending Mass, eating the fruit, and celebrating the saint together. At the Cathedral of San Bartolomeo all’Isola, which stands on the Tiber Island in the middle of the Tiber River in Rome, a market would be held with vendors displaying whole and sliced watermelons for the crowds gathered to celebrate. And on the Spanish island of Majorca, children carried on a tradition that sounds like pure delight, hollowing out watermelons, carving them into lanterns, and parading through the village with them glowing in the summer evening. It is hard to imagine a more festive or more seasonally perfect way to honor a feast day in late August! the recipe - Gingerbread Cake 1 cup strong brewed coffee 1 cup dark unsulfured molasses ½ teaspoon baking soda 2-¼ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 1-½ teaspoons baking powder 1 Tablespoon ground ginger 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ¾ cup vegetable oil 3 large eggs 2 cups packed dark brown sugar Powdered sugar for dusting Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch Bundt pan. In a large saucepan, combine the coffee and molasses, bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the baking soda (the mixture will foam). Allow the syrup to cool. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl. Whisk together the oil, eggs, sugar, and molasses mixture in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it on a wire rack and cool completely. Dust the cake with powdered sugar.