Alternative Celebration

Monday, Nov. 2, 2009 Posted: 8:29:19AM HKT

Recently, my wife came home after a meeting with deep concern. She shared about a particular sister’s fear that Christians today do not understand why we celebrate non Christian traditions made popular and imported from western culture. Interestingly, my wife shared that once in our Mid Autumn Evangelistic Event; a foreigner came by our church and asked: “Your church celebrates the Mid Autumn Festival?” A member responded “Yes” and without probing further, he shook his head in sadness and left. The fact is we do not understand enough to see what Christian can do with non Christian traditions.

The Mid Autumn Festival has just been celebrated and most of us would link it to the legend of Chang’er and Hou Yi. Many may not know that the moon cake is said to commemorate the uprisings against the Mongol rulers in the early 14th century. The Chinese hid a small piece of note detailing rebellion plans inside each moon cake with the message on the note was "kill barbarians on August 15th" (八月十五殺韃子). As Christian do we not have the greatest message to tell to the nations, an uprising of a different kind – from damnation to Eternal Life?

Another phenomena which most of us don’t get to see occur in East China's Zhejiang Province, watching the flood tide of the Qian-tang River during the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is not only a must for local people, but also an attraction for those from other parts of the country. In mid autumn, the sun, earth and moon send out strong gravitational forces upon the seas. Spectators crowd on the river bank, watching the roaring waves that rises as high as three and a half meters. Isn’t this the mighty creation of our sovereign God?

In my younger days, my grandmother always reminded us that in her hometown, mid autumn was also considered a harvest festival since fruits, vegetables and grain had been harvested in abundance, it was a time for relaxation and celebration. On this day the full moon is at the year's roundest and brightest, which symbolizes family unity and togetherness. The Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the festival of reunion. All family members try to get together on this special day. Those who cannot return home watch the bright moonlight and feel deep longing for their loved ones. Christians can host Mid Autumn’s party to gather friends and love ones for a reunion to tell them the greatest story ever told.

Another celebration coming up in November is Halloween. Many Christian parents are uncomfortable with participating in the traditions of Halloween. Today, it has been so commercially publicized, condominiums and shopping malls are organizing Halloween parties for kids, so what do Christians do?

Halloween traditions have pagan origins. Many understood it as a holiday of costumes, pumpkins, witches, ghosts, haunted houses and trick-or-treating.

The origin of All Saints' Day began somewhere during the 4th century in Europe by the Celts. The Halloween Celebration later was moved to November 1 in the 8th century by Pope Gregory III to give Christians an alternative celebration for All Saints' Day or All-Hallows. It is believed that the Christians slightly altered the holiday into a church related celebration, honoring deceased saints. The evening of October 31st soon became known as All-Hallows Eve and was eventually changed to Halloween.

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The Rev Tan Cheng Huat