All Saints Day
a candle melting
by the door


On the night of All Saints Day, the typical Filipino household traditionally lights a candle and places it by the door or by the gate. The candle is supposed to scare ghosts or spirits away. But the tradition also reminds us of our mortality, and how short our life is on earth. Here's a text message I received today from an elderly woman among the indigenous people in the northern part of the Philippines:

Remembering those gone first is recognizing our mortality and honoring our short passage with faith and fidelity.