Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels
Today's Scripture
Perhaps no part of our Christian faith today is so extracted from its original Christian context as angels. Angels! We see them as statues, on stationery, and in books. Those who do very little to practice Christianity are often drawn to the cute little cherubs. Those who do practice Christianity often take very little notice of angels, other than accepting this sentimentalized and sanitized version of winged figures flitting about doing good.
The readings today provide a different picture of angels. The first reading from the book of Revelation describes war in heaven, with the angel Michael and his angels leading the battle against the dragon. Michael is no cute little cherub, rather he is a mighty warrior, one who leads troops and battles a dragon and the dragon’s angel force. The defeat of the dragon is the defeat of Satan and his angel troops, and they are removed from heaven upon their defeat. In the gospel reading from John, Jesus also makes reference to heaven, telling Nathanael that he will see the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man (Jn. 1:51).
Both readings hence provide us with a picture of angels in heaven, serving God. In the first reading, they are battling on God’s behalf. In the gospel they move toward Jesus the Christ. So what about heaven? It seems that in order to think about angels, we have to think about heaven. To do so draws us beyond our daily life and experience on earth. In fact, the Church community, the people of God, the mystical body, does not include only those we see on earth. It also includes the communion of saints and the angels whose feast we celebrate today. Heaven and earth are not so separate as we usually think them to be; heaven and earth are connected by the community’s love for God, and God’s love for all creatures, both people and angels. Hence Michael’s battle in heaven is also a battle for God’s people on earth. This battle on God’s behalf is something that takes place both in heaven and on earth; it is a “cosmic” battle.
Hence when we celebrate the Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael today, we celebrate the very real way in which they assist us as messengers of God. Michael defends us in battle. Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Jesus. Raphael guides Tobiah of the Old Testament book Tobit. These angels do not exist in isolation from us. They interact with us and are a part of our world that properly includes both heaven and earth, with Christ as King. The defining feature of this world is the mutual love between God and his people, expressed in the form of worship.
Today, let’s take a few minutes to remind ourselves of the presence of angels in our world, both heaven and earth. Let us join with the holy angels to worship God and fight on his behalf. Then we can join the words of the psalmist, saying, “In the sight of the angels, I will sing your praise, O Lord!” (Ps. 138:1).
- Maria Morrow