St. Michael and All Angels- 29 September

The origin of the feast of St. Michael the Archangel goes back to the fifth century when a church in the Roman region was dedicated in honor of St. Michael. This feast became very popular in medieval England, and it was the only observance dedicated to angels that was retained in the Book of Common Prayer (although Gabriel is mentioned at the Annunciation). In Scripture, angels are mentioned many times, and St. Michael himself is mentioned in Daniel, the Epistle to Jude, and Revelation. He is the warrior angel who defends God's people from the Devil, and it is important that Christians recognize and honor the work of St. Michael and all the angels. 

The Collect for the Day highlights the role of angels in divine order. They are spiritual beings created by God, and they are at work in the universe to praise God and to aid His people. 

The Epistle for this day is from Revelation 12:7- 12: In this reading, we see the Archangel Michael's role in the cosmic struggle between God and the Devil. Michael is the battle leader of the spiritual beings that remain loyal to God. In this role, we should remember him and give thanks for his continuing service. At the same time, we must be clear about his role. Unlike Satan, Michael does not exalt his own importance and power. On the contrary, Michael serves the cause of Christ, the Lamb of God who sheds His blood to bring salvation, strength, and the kingdom of God. 

The Gospel from Matthew 18 seems to be far removed from the grandeur of angels and archangels because it speaks of simple children. Yet, children are important in the divine order, and their guardian angels have special honor in heaven.

Thus, angels have an important place in Scripture and in Christian doctrine. From the guardian angel of the smallest child to the great angelic warrior Michael, angels are part of divine creation and serve God's purposes. As the ancient struggle between good and evil continues for a limited time, the angels worship God and also help apply the victory won through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God the Father, to our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the Holy Spirit who are assisted through the work of St. Michael and all angels!

Trinity XVI- Ephesians 3: 13-21; Luke 17:11-17

The Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity emphasizes God's compassion in different ways. The Collect prays for the pity of God to cleanse and defend the Church which cannot continue in safety without divine aid.

The Epistle from Ephesians 3:13-21 is an exhortation by the Apostle Paul for the church to remain steadfast in faith. Remaining strong in faith depends upon power from the "Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith..." Through God's work, believers "know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge...." Again the initiative lies in the mercy, grace, and love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

The Gospel for the day is from St. Luke 7:11-17. Instead of verbal teaching or discourse, this passage shows divine compassion in one of our Lord's actions- the restoration to life of the son of widow from the village of Nain. Certainly, both the death of a young person and a parent losing a child can arouse a special pity. However, in this case, Christ's compassion is more focused on the woman because her situation is particularly dire. The young man was her only son, and she was a widow. In first-century society, that meant that she was being left alone and without livelihood or protection. Thus, in compassion, our Lord raised the young man and restored him to his mother. (We might also note the crowd's reaction: both fear and respect for the work of Christ.)

On this Sunday then, let us focus upon the mercy and compassion of God for His people. Human beings in general and Christians in particular are constantly dependent upon Him. We need cleansing and protection. We need inspiration from the Holy Spirit and awareness of the loving presence of Christ. Whatever our trials in this world, Christ reaches out in compassion to help us and lift us up. May we be open to Him!

Trinity XV- Divine Mercy and Human Response- Galatians 6: 11-18; Matthew 6: 24-34

The BCP "propers" for this Sunday highlight the centrality of divine mercy and the need for a faithful human response. The Collect for the Day is another one from the ancient church which was edited slightly in the 1549 and 1662 Prayer Books. The emphasis is on God's mercy helping to preserve the Church from the corrupting tendencies of human frailty. Only divine help can keep us from spiritual harm and lead us to salvation.

The Epistle is the third in a series of three traditional readings from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians. The English reformers did shift the selected verses slightly to Galatians 6:11-18 in order to emphasize the dangers of legalism and the applicability of Christ's Gospel to all peoples. Believers are not to glory in their human background or accomplishments. Rather as Paul says in Galatians 6:14, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." We must all be dependent upon the divine mercy and grace revealed most fully in the cross of Christ.

The Gospel for the Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity is from St. Matthew 6:24-34. The reference to God's provision is appropriate for early autumn, the beginning of the harvest season, but it implies much more. It points us to divine providence and mercy in all its expressions. All of creation is dependent upon God for existence and survival. He watches over and cares for wild plants and the least birds. How much more must He care for human beings, especially for His faithful people! Therefore, He expects a faithful response. We must cast aside faithless anxieties. We must reject the idolatry of mammon or materialism. Instead, we must place God's kingdom, His righteous standards, first if life is to be truly meaningful.