St. Michael and All Angels- 29 September- Revelation 12:7

 On Anglican calendars, 29 September is a date to honor the role of St. Michael and All Angels in the divine plan for salvation. In Scripture and Christian tradition, angels play several roles, one of which is to assist believers in their struggle against evil. In particular, the Archangel Michael is known as the defender of God's people from the attacks of the devil and his evil forces (Daniel 12:1). 

The harsh realities of worldly life are certainly reminders of our need for supernatural assistance from Michael and the great host of holy angels. Each day, Christians struggle with human weakness and temptation, and the daily news brings new reports of natural disasters, diseases, political corruption and violence, crime, and general moral decline.  Some of the bad things are natural consequences of a fallen world, but as Scripture reminds us (Ephesians 6:12; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:7), our struggles are not merely against flesh and blood.  The devil and his evil forces constantly seek to tempt and destroy us. Therefore, we always depend on divine aid through the grace of the crucified and risen Christ applied by the working of the Holy Spirit. And one way that God helps us is through the watchful protection of His angels who assist believers in the battle against evil.

These worldly realities make the Prayer Book collect for St. Michael's Day especially meaningful for believers: 

O everlasting God, who hast ordained and constituted the services of Angels and men in a wonderful order; Mercifully grant that, as thy holy Angels always do thee service in heaven, so, by thy appointment, they may succour and defend us on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Annunciation- 25 March- Luke 1:26-38

 Many contemporary Christians probably only think of the Annunciation of Christ to the blessed Virgin Mary during Advent, but March 25 has been the traditional observance since the early centuries of Christianity. This observance remains a fitting time for reflection on the Gospel from Luke 1. On this day, we think of many things: the redemptive purpose of God the Father, the splendor of the messenger Gabriel, the gracious humility and faithful obedience of the Virgin Mary, and the mystery of the Incarnation. Since this celebration occurs during Lent, we also realize that all these wondrous aspects of the story receive their meaning through the Cross, Passion, and Resurrection of the One whose Birth is announced.

The story of the Gospel is a meaningful whole. From the Annunciation to Christmas, from Christ's Baptism to His Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension, the message is about God's amazing and saving grace uniquely expressed through His only-begotten Son Jesus. Every Sunday, every special season, every special day, and every ordinary day are times for us to think about salvation and faithful responses. We always need to hear the good news of redemption through Jesus Christ again and again!

St. Michael and All Angels- 29 September- Revelation 12; Matthew 18 (Trinity 18)

This year Trinity XVIII is also the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels. The origin of the feast of St. Michael the Archangel goes back to fifth-century Rome when a church in the region was dedicated in honor of St. Michael. This feast became very popular in medieval England, and when the sixteenth-century reformers simplified the church calendar, this was the only observance dedicated to angels that was retained.

In Scripture, angels are mentioned many times. For example, the Gospel from Matthew 18:10 refers to the guardian angels of children. St. Michael and his angels are mentioned in today's reading from Revelation 12:7 ff. Michael the archangel is also mentioned in Daniel 12 and the Epistle to Jude. He is the warrior angel who defends God's people from the Devil. While we would certainly want to avoid superstitions and the distorted angel worship that St. Paul warns about in Colossians 2:18, Christians should recognize and honor the work of St. Michael and all the angels. Angels are spiritual beings created by God, and they are at work in the universe to praise God and to aid His people. We should remain open to their continuing assistance in our spiritual development.

Christmas 2019

This Christmas, let us focus for a few minutes on the announcement of the angel to the shepherds. St. Luke 2:10 says, “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” The angel’s message “I bring you good tidings” translates two Greek words which could also be translated as “I announce good news to you” or “I proclaim the gospel to you.”

These words mean that Christ’s Birth is the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel. His Nativity is not an isolated event. It is part of the whole story, one aspect of the entire Christian message. This birth cannot be separated from all that Jesus Christ means in His teachings, life, death, resurrection and ascension.

The story of Jesus brings “great joy.”  Obviously, there are hardships in the story. Joseph and Mary are relatively poor people from a small village in an obscure area. At the whim of the Roman oppressor, they have to make a dangerous and difficult journey for several days. At the end, they have to take shelter in a rock formation used as an animal barn. Mary’s labor is real, and there are evil forces in the world plotting to destroy the holy child.

But despite all the humility and suffering that are part of the story, its message is about deep and lasting happiness, an inner blessedness. And this joy is open to all people. The lowly shepherds are merely the first chosen to hear. They are humble representatives of all God’s people through the ages.

Christmas continues to bring us a similar message. The deliverer that we long for still comes in simple ways. Christ comes to us through the unseen Spirit, the Word recorded in ancient tongues, and sacramental bread and wine. This is really good news; these are tidings of great joy. However, the joy of the message is not to be confused with external worldly happiness.

Sometimes, we do not always have the best external circumstances at Christmas. There may be issues of health, of family, or of job. There may be sad memories. We may not have the time or money or energy to celebrate as we wish. We may not be with some of the people we love. But such externals are not the true joy of the season. Christmas is about a deep joy based on our faith and hope in God’s love, grace and mercy. Such a joy can survive in any circumstance- even as it did in a stable among poor oppressed people.

So whether we have a great external celebration with lots of people, gifts, and food  or we just have a simple quiet observance, let us focus upon what God does- how He sends His Son, the eternal Word, to become flesh and dwell among us. God the Father sends the divine Savior among us to save us all from sin and death. This is the Gospel; these are tidings of comfort and joy. Glory to God in the highest!