Yesterday was a particularly beautiful sunny day and the best views are often up high. These were the views overlooking the town of Millstreet, Co.Cork from Tullig Hill
On This Day
On October 31st 2011 The world population reached 7 billion inhabitants according to the United Nations
On October 31st 2020 Scottish-born actor Sean Connery who is best known for having played James Bond died at the age of 90
Birthdays Today
Larry Mullen (U2 Drummer) is 62
Marcus Rashford (Man Utd Striker) is 26
Saint For Today
Today October 31st is Saint Wolfgang. It is also Halloween and the eve of All Saints Day
Significance of Today
Today we celebrate Halloween. It began as the Gaelic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. The Celts believed that on the night of Samhain, the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred, and the spirits of the dead were able to return to the mortal world. To ward off these malevolent spirits, the Celts would light bonfires, wear masks and costumes, and offer sacrifices to their gods.
As Christianity spread through Europe, the Catholic Church incorporated many of these pagan traditions into its own celebrations. For example, November 1st was declared All Saints’ Day, a day to honor all of the saints, and October 31st was designated as All Hallows’ Eve, a time to remember the dead. These celebrations eventually evolved into the modern holiday of Halloween, which is now celebrated in many countries around the world.
Quote For Today
“On Halloween you get to become anything that you want to be.” ~Ava Dellaria
Did You Know
Did you know that there is a traditional Halloween bread here in Ireland called a barmbrack or sometimes just called brack. The sweet loaf contains dark and golden raisins with a ring hidden somewhere in the brack!
Video for the week🎥 (Updated every Wednesday🎥)
This weeks video is called ‘A Few Words of Wisdom for Today’
Thought For The week
“Halloween is an ancient druidic holiday, one the Celtic peoples have celebrated for millennia. It is the crack between the last golden rays of summer and the darkness of winter; the delicately balanced tweak of the year before it is given over entirely to the dark.” ~Jenny Colgan
Halloween has most certainly not lost its appeal and is celebrated by so many. The old simple games from the past are still popular like snap apple. Halloween puts us in touch with the mystery of life and that some things in life are often clouded in darkness. It put us in touch with the struggle between light and darkness and the struggle between good and evil.
It puts us in touch with the passage of time and the cycles of nature which we so often take for granted. Halloween may have pagan origins but the Christian message is wrapped around it. It’s a simple Halloween message that God is with us, encourages and reassures us especially when we struggle with darkness, evil, mystery and the unknown.
Halloween coincides with the clocks going back and increasing darkness. The image of light is powerful at this time of year. We gravitate towards light when it is scarce. Halloween is also a celebration of God’s light and presence in our world.
May you be blessed this Halloween with light and love. May you be blessed with the strength to get through whatever darkness is with you right now. May you be blessed with the simplicity of a Halloween treat. May you be blessed this day and this Halloween. Amen
Thought For The Week is updated each Monday
