Michaelmas
Michaelmas is on the 29th. When it comes to celebrating the feast of St. Michael and All Angels, it leaves many confused. After all, I find that the very topic of angels has been muddled by cultural apprehension of the spiritual world. Most often, we see angels depicted as little chubby babies with wings and a harp, or we hear the common misunderstanding that when people die, they become angels. Let us set the record straight: angels are entirely different beings from humans. In 1 Corinthians 6:3, St. Paul writes: "Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, matters pertaining to this life!" Angels are messengers; this is where the word angel comes from. They exist at all times to do the will of God and to point to Him. In Scripture, we are told of Seraphim, which means “the burning ones,” for as they surround the throne of God, the fire of God’s divinity is reflected in them. At all times they do the bidding of God, whether that is fighting spiritual battles, “There was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not...”, watching over children (Matthew 18), or as messengers to the saints like Mary and Joseph, or Elizabeth and Zechariah. Angels play an important role, but is it important enough to have its own feast day?
The Prayer Book Commentator, John Henry Blunt, has this to say about the celebration of the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels:
“The holy angels in general are commemorated by the Church from a deeply-rooted feeling of their communion with the saints, and of their ministrations among mankind on earth. Such a feeling is warranted by the words, "Ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels; to the general assembly and Church of the Firstborn..." [Heb. xii. 22]: and, "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" [Heb. i. 14.] The holy Son of God condescended to be ministered to by angels in His Temptation and Agony; they waited upon Him at His Birth and Resurrection; and at His Second Advent, He will come with "all the holy angels." St. Peter was set free from prison by an angel. and one stood by St. Paul in the ship, thus illustrating their ministration to Christ's servants. Our Lord Himself spoke of their rejoicing over penitent sinners; and said of the little ones who had passed under His hand and benediction, that "their angels do always behold the face of My Father Which is in heaven," as if indicating many ministrations to those who are His,--some known, and some that are not made evident to sight or other sense. It has been a constant tradition of Christianity that angels attend at the ministration of Holy Baptism, and at the celebration of the Holy Communion; and that as Lazarus was the object of their tender care, so in sickness and death they are about the bed of the faithful, and carry their souls to the presence of Christ in Paradise.
Without taking into account, therefore, and of the many unveilings to our sight of holy angels and their ministrations recorded in the Old Testament, we have ample ground for believing that they are joined in a very close communion with those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. But whereas the saints were once sinners, and yet God is pleased that we should honour Him by venerating these pure and spotless servants of His who do His pleasure. And as our Father on earth as it is done in heaven, so may we take their example as the highest, next to His of perfect submission to the will of God. While in respect to our worship on earth we may reckon it as exalted privilege to have such communion with them as to be able to say, ‘Therefore with angels and archangels, and all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify Thy glorious Name, evermore praising Thee, and saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, heaven and earth are full of Thy glory: Glory be to Thee, O Lord most High.’”
So, let us keep the feast, and may it bring us to the throne room of God, that we might worship Him with all the heavenly hosts of angels.
God's Peace,
Fr. Aaron