Reformation Day & All Saints' Day

An observation. I had never thought of it before last week, but Reformation Day (Oct. 31) and All Saints' Day (Nov. 1) are explicably linked. Not only in their timing of one day apart, but in their meaning and significance for the church (and specifically Lutherans). The story goes that Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the Wittenburg church door on Oct. 31, 1517. These theses discussed, among other things, the nature of salvation, who is authorized to grant it, and what we do (if anything) to gain it. A key component of Luther's argument during the reformation and for Lutherans everywhere afterward, is simul justus et peccator (Latin for something like 'simultaneously justified and sinful'). This is the sinner/saint language many of us are familiar with. I had never before thought of how this theme from the reformation - the notion that all are both sinner and saint (or some close equivalent of that) - and the Holy Day recognizing all saints were so closely related. This holiday was designed to recognize those saints who didn't have a specific date associated with them for commemorations or feasts. But Luther's language changed the notion of a saint so that all people could be viewed in that light. We only recognize on November 1 those saints who have died the last year because of Luther's concerns which sparked the reformation on October 31. I don't know if it was divine providence, coincidence or Luther's intention that these two dates be located next to each other, but I do believe it is a rather remarkable occurance.