October 31

October 31 looms and our minds go to Halloween with its Trick or Treating.  October 31 and our thinking goes to cute costumes worn by adorable tykes seeking candy.  October 31 and many minds go to ghosts, goblins, witches and darkness.  October 31 and we hear about and possibly go to fright houses, haunted houses, and parties with skeletons, tombstones, and demons.  October 31 and most find themselves celebratory!

Or at least such are the thoughts of most Americans when October 31 comes to mind.

But there are a few where October 31 takes them back 500 years to Germany and a radical named Martin Luther.  October 31 is the day before the Catholic holy day called All Saints Day.  On that day in the year 1517 Luther made public a host of issues he had with his church – the Roman Catholic Church.  He was troubled by the sale of pardons for sins, so one no longer needed  to confess sin.  And about monies from the poverty-stricken Germans being used for a building project in the Vatican.  Luther was not happy!   He was troubled by other things as well which tallied up to 95 issues.

In June of 1520, the Pope issued a Bull (an official letter from the Pope) demanding that Luther retract his complaints.  On December 10, Luther burned the Bull so January 3, Pope Leo excommunicated Luther.  On April 18, Luther was called to account before a court in Worms, Germany, where he was confronted with his writings and told to recant what he had written.  Asking for a day to ponder, he returned the next day to declare that he was bound by conscience and could not deny what he had declared.  On May 25, Luther was declared a heretic -an outlaw – and people were forbidden to help him with housing or food.  Furthermore, he could be killed with no legal consequences.

King Fredrick III had him captured and taken to a castle for protection during which time he began translating the Bible from Latin into German.

And the Protestant movement – the Reformation – had begun.

While there were men before Luther who stood up and died for their beliefs (such as Wycliffe and Hus), Luther’s stance and works (thanks much to the printing press) set into action a host of others (Zwingli, Calvin, Knox) and the world would never be the same.  The Dark and Medieval Ages were soon in the rearview mirror.  Ahead was a transformed Europe that in time transformed the world.  The United States is in the wake of that movement.

So, October 31 is a red letter day – NO, a watershed day – NO, a monumental day – it is a HUGE day!  October 31, 1517, has to rank very near the top of human history days after the days of Jesus with the death and resurrection of Jesus at the top.

And what do most Americans think of concerning October 31?  Ghosts, Spiderman, candy, parties and fun!

And what should most Americans think?  Glory to God for a man and men who stood for the truth and gave us a world impacted by truth!

I think there are reasons to pause, praise and pray.

Thank you, Lord, for what we have inherited.

We praise you, Lord, for the blessings of human dignity, rights and freedom to worship and serve Jesus as deemed right.

So, help us, Lord, to grasp what we have and pass it on to those coming behind us.

October 31 is HUGE!