Reflection from Archdeacon Brian Sept 29 2022

 The Feast Day for Saint Michael and All Angels.  

 Today is the Feast Day for Saint Michael and All Angels.

When I was interviewed for our 2nd parish, I was requested to visit a member parishioner who was terminally ill and in hospital. Thinking that our parish had been without a resident priest for a while, I agreed. (In the sense of priestly protocol, this arrangement was out of the ordinary.)            

Attending at the bedside and following the traditional introductory etiquette, the first question I was asked: “Do you believe in Angels?”   To my positive response, the parishioner commented, “That’s good. You will be OK for the parish.”

I am not sure if that pastoral call was an appendix to the interview or not, but I was appointed to the parish.            

Angels: our culture is captivated with angels.   It is common to hear, “you are an angel.” Symbols of angels are everywhere! We can buy them from just about any store—even, the local grocery market! They are popular items to have on the shelves!            

Angels are often seen as “messengers.” Within Faith traditions, we see angels as messengers of God. They bring those inexplicable messages of (what I like to think of as the guiding) wisdom of the Lord for our lives. These messages are transmitted in various ways, such as prayer, or through the words of friends, family, and colleagues.            

During times of disaster, we often witness people speaking of angels intervening, to bring help, safety, or rescue to people. This past week, we have learned about the presence of “many angels” from Canadians on our East coast, having experienced the wrath of Hurricane Fiona. (We continue to pray for the people of the Maritimes as recovery, and clean-up begins.)            

In today’s edition of “Day by Day” we read that Michael is an archangel: sometimes referred to as “the great captain” or a leader of angels.   I started to think, “who has been an angel captain in my life?” I am challenged to pray, “how can I be an angel today?”            

In remembering Michael and all Angels today, we should not lose sight of the reference in The Revelation of John, chapter 12.

7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power     
and the kingdom of our God,

Blessings to all on this great day of spiritual journey.
Archdeacon Brian+