Oct. 7 - The Holy Evangelists, Jonah And the Whale, Halloween
- narsar18
- Oct 7, 2018
- 4 min read
This Sunday learned about the 4 Holy Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John), read the story of Jonah and the Whale, and discovered the origins of Halloween. Keep reading for lessons we covered and printable activities!
The Holy Evangelists
In the Christian tradition the four evangelists have their own symbols.
St. Matthew: Winged Man, Incarnation. - To St. Matthew was given the creature in human likeness, because he begins his gospel with the human generation of Christ, and because in his writings the human nature of Our Lord is more dwelt upon than the divine. Matthew speaks more about the human nature of Christ.
St. Mark: Winged Lion, The Resurrection. - The Lion was the symbol of St. Mark, who
opens his gospel with the mission of John the Baptist, "the voice of one crying in the
wilderness." He also sets forth the royal dignity of Christ and dwells upon His power
manifested in the resurrection from the dead. The lion was accepted in early times as a
symbol of the resurrection because the young lion was believed always to be born dead,
but was awakened to vitality by the breath, the tongue, and roaring of its sire. Mark was a very enthusiastic and fearless preacher. His Gospel is full of actions and very few teachings of Jesus.
St. Luke: Winged Ox, Passion. -The form of the ox, the beast of sacrifice, fitly sets
forth the sacred office, and also the atonement for sin by blood, on which, in his gospel, he particularly dwells. Luke was a convert who worked very hard to collect every minute detail of Jesus' life. He was a disciple of St. Paul.
St. John: The Eagle, Ascension. - The eagle was allotted to St. John because, as the
eagle soars towards heaven, he soared in spirit upwards to the heaven of heavens to`
bring back to earth - revelation of sublime and awful mysteries. As for John, like an eagle
he soars valiantly in the realm of mysticism and does more theology than narrative.
Independently of their reference to the four evangelists these figures sometimes refer to
the Incarnation, the Passion, the Resurrection, arid the Ascension.
Activities
Jonah and the Whale
In the Bible: The book of Jonah (1-4), Matthew 12:39-40, Luke 11:32
The story of Jonah is among the most widely recognized in the Old Testament but at the same time is rarely actually read. (Something like James Joyce’s Ulysses – that great classic that no one reads.) And too bad because it’s actually a different story from the one that the cartoons and children’s books have interpreted for us. Jonah is actually the story of every single one of us self-satisfied church members. He was a card-carrying prophet of the Lord, called upon to do a job that would reveal God’s deepest character. What happens is very instructive – you might say a lesson for us all, for all time.
This was a very important story to Jesus. Jonah was the only Old Testament figure he connected himself with. In Matthew 12:39-40 and Luke 11:32 he was asked by Pharisees and teachers of the law for a miraculous sign. Although he was disappointed in their need for such a sign he told them that there would only be one – the sign of Jonah.
The book of Jonah was written at a time when the Jews had just been exiled from their homeland and formed into a diaspora that continued even after most returned home. They wanted to remain pure and distinct from surrounding cultures. They had a self-centered and superior attitude; their priority was holding onto their traditions and heritage. This became more important than truly knowing and loving God! For some Christians, this might sound familiar.
Jonah is a short book, 4 chapters in all. But each chapter is packed with an important part of this great story and lots to think about.
Activities
Halloween!
What is Halloween?
The Druids of pagan Britain celebrated Samhain ("summer's end") on October 31. They believed that spirits of the dead who had not lived good lives would return and walk the earth. People set out treats to placate them, an origin of trick or treating. Scotland and Ireland also had harvest-time traditions of soliciting treats. The ancient Romans celebrated Feralia on that day, offering prayers for dead relatives, friends, and heroes.
The Christian West celebrates All Saints Day or All Hallows Day on November 1, remembering all Christians who have died or, in Christian terms, "fallen asleep in Christ." The evening before is called All Hallows Eve. One centuries-old tradition in Wales called for singing door to door and asking for cakes in return for prayers for the deceased.
The Armenian Church marks All Saints Day in November (this year, it's November 3) as well, but the date is not always the same (it is a "variable" feast day).
Is Halloween a pagan festival?
Halloween is a combination of pagan and Christian remembrances. This is not unusual, as many popular pagan practices were often absorbed into later Christian holidays. December 25 became Christmas in the West to take advantage of the festivities of a popular pagan holiday. Many of the customs associated with Christmas, including the Christmas tree adorned with lights, outdoor lights, wreathes, and the yule log, are derived from pagan customs. The Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ is still marked by sprinkling one another with water, a remnant of Armenian pagan customs.
Is it okay for Christians to take part in Halloween festivities?
Halloween is very much a children's festival. It involves candy, costumes, and fun. And on what other day do neighbors open their doors .with a friendly smile? As a nod to a primarily secular holiday that our children enjoy and in accord with its lighter traditions-meaning no mischief and none of the more gruesome masks and costumes of recent times-there is nothing wrong with enjoying Halloween.
Activities
Additionally, here is an infographic all about The Holy Translators of the Armenian Church!
Sources: Vemkar - Eastern Diocese
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