October 2009 Archives

Image by spacepleb via Flickr

Every culture has its festival that celebrates the dead, honored ancestors, and the spirits that dwell in the afterlife. In Japan, there is the Bon Festival. In Korea, there is Chuseok. In China, there is the Qingming Festival. In Nepal, there is Gaijatra. To Pagans, Samhain is that holiday. The Asatruar honor the dead in two holidays: Walpurgis Night and the Feast of the Einherjar. In Western society, All Saints Day and All Souls Day occur together, and are surrounded and expanded upon by Halloween and Dia de los Muertos. Even players of World of Warcraft celebrate Hallow's End.

In our faith, the Feast of the Moon celebrates our honored dead, our ancestors, and all those who have passed on. We celebrate this festival from October 31 through November 2. Traditionally, according to the Calendar of Harptos, the Feast of the Moon would be celebrated on November 30, and would be celebrated by all faiths. In the future, if the other Gods of Faerûn gain a following in this world, our celebration may return to the traditional date, but for now, we choose to celebrate at a time when, due to the combined celebrations of millions of others, this world is closest to the other side, and the dead can most easily be honored.

As a new religion, we have not accumulated the generations of tradition that guide older religions in the celebration of this (and other) holidays, but we do have guidelines for celebration that give us a good place to start.

• In our faith, the most important part of this celebration is the relating of the stories of our dead. Each family tells the stories of their loved ones who have passed on, as well as stories of any notable ancestors. Our priests relate the stories of any members of their congregations who have died in the last year, who do not have family members to tell their stories for them.
• Another practice is visiting the graves of the dead, to ritually remember them with offerings, stories, conversation, and picnics. A visit to the grave during this festival is a solemn obligation.
• This is the holiday at which conversations with the dead occur. Priests will speak with those on the other side who can offer insight into difficulties that their congregation may be facing, and will help any members of the congregation who do not know how to communicate with the dead.

Image via Wikipedia

We don't have any objections to the usual practices of Halloween. In fact, I personally enjoy giving out treats when the Trick-or-Treat mobs come to my door, and I love decorating my house in its Halloween best. And as for horror movies? Don't let me get started on those! Celebrating along with the rest of the world is a good way to get in the spirit of the holiday. Share the good times with your family and friends, and give to those around you, whether it's by giving out candy at your door, giving something extra to your favorite charity, or going to the cemetery to place flowers on the graves of Revolutionary War veterans.

Whatever you do to prepare for the holiday, remember that the dead deserve your honor, and that the honor you give them reflects upon your own. The Feast of the Moon is a time to reflect and reconnect with your past, with those who made the world what it is now. It's a time for families to come together, the living and the dead, and rediscover their unity. Immerse yourself in the spirit of the festival, and you will find that it stays with you into the coming year.

Today, I turn 48. I have been following Kelemvor for some time now, privately following His guidance and doing what I can to serve Him in my own corner of the world. For some time, though, I have been feeling His presence, urging me to do more, until I could no longer resist His call. And so, as my birthday present to the world, I have done as my Lord asked, and created His Church.

It's funny, in a way. I've always joked about hating Dreams and Calls, probably because I know that once that Call comes, you can fight it, you can resist it, but in the end, you'll either obey, or prove - to yourself and to your god - that you were False.

I remember the Nisut (Life, Health, and Strength be upon her) once saying that She had to be dragged into accepting Her Office, and thinking I understood what she was talking about. If only I had realized then what I know now, I wouldn't have made that mistake. The sheer weight of the responsibility is awful, in the classical sense of the word: so great as to inspire an overwhelming sense of awe.

Kelemvor Chose me. When I stop to think about it, I feel as if my world is both shrinking and expanding at the same time. He Chose me. A God that most people believe is nothing more than the creation of a fantasy writer's imagination, and he Chose me. The very idea He exists, and that, existing, He would Choose me, a man who is crippled both physically and emotionally, to establish a Church that is dedicated to easing the fears and pain of those at the threshold of Death, makes me stop in my tracks and wonder what He could possibly see in me.

Maybe that's it. Maybe it's that very wonder that He sees. He gives me the strength to go on, to do His work, while I wonder why He would pay attention to someone as insignificant as me. And when I wonder things like that, I can sometimes swear I hear Him laughing.

But here I am, rambling, when I should be talking about the Church, about Kelemvor, and about the Mission He has tasked me with. Since you have probably already skimmed the web site, you know what Kelemvor teaches, and what He requires of His servants. Even in its incomplete state, the basics of Kelemvor's teachings are there. Now, it's time to step out in faith, believing that He will guide as surely as He Called, and that He will lead His Church in the way it should go.

I have to believe that, because I am just a man, and all I can do is what my Lord asks of me.