THE WORD AND THE FEAST
September 29, 2022: Celebrating the ArchangelsDaniel 7: 9-10, 13-14 (or) Revelations 12: 7-12; John 1: 47-51
Celebrating Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael gives us an opportunity to remind ourselves of the significance of the angels within the Christian tradition. Angels in the Old Testament were considered the extensions of God... when the angels came, they said, 'the Lord visited' them: take the case of the visitors to Abraham (Gen 18) or the case of Jacob fighting with the man of God (Gen 32) etc. Michael, as the strength of God; Gabriel as the messenger of God and Raphael as the healing of God, is a well known understanding of the Angels and their functions, from time immemorial.
Celebrating the Archangels today gives us two lessons - To See the Angels and to Be Angels:
To see the angels, is to see the hand of God at work in our everyday experiences, not to be blind to the daily miracles that happen around us. It is a special grace to perceive that God is active on our side all the time; it is left to us to acknowledge it and gain the advantages of it. It does not automatically happen that we see and acknowledge the presence of God; it needs a special consciousness and a humble openness to admit it.
To be angels, is to be extensions of God's presence to the others, to be extensions of God's love to the others. When we stand by someone in trouble, when we side with the oppressed and the victimised, when we speak out for the truth and bring God's message to people, when we empathise with those who are suffering and bring healing to them, we are being angels to those persons. That is our call, to be angels to the others.
A simple caution: it is relatively easy to see an angel in, and to be an angel to, those who are far away and from an outer circle of relationships. At times it takes more effort and courage to do so with those who are much nearer. Let us begin with those whom we usually take for granted, from at home!