September 27, 2020 – Sermon and Service
The Feast of St. Michael and All Angels
E. Bevan Stanley
September 27, 2020
(Transferred from September 29)
Genesis 28:10-17
Revelation 12:7-12
John 1:47-51
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. In the Name of the one holy, and undivided Trinity. Amen.
This is the feast of St. Michael’s and All Angels. What do we know about Angels in general and St. Michael in particular? First, the word “angel” comes from the Greek ἄγγελος (angelos) which means “messenger.” Angels are messengers from God. In the reading from Genesis, there are angels going up and down a ladder that connects the earth with heaven. Angels are intermediaries. An archangel is simply a chief angel. Archangels are mentioned very rarely in the Bible. Michael is named three times in the book of Daniel, once in the very short letter of Jude, and once in Revelation. Gabriel is also mentioned in Daniel and then the birth narratives of Jesus. Raphael and Uriel are mentioned only in the Apocrypha. Most of the traditions about angels and archangels come from post-exilic Judaism and post-apostolic Christianity and are not part of the biblical canon.
Incidentally, there is a lot of nonsense in our popular culture about angels. They are not human beings. Human beings do not become angels when we die and go to heaven. Angels are not chubby little babies with wings as depicted in medieval and renaissance art. Remember that when angels show up in the Bible, the human beings to whom they are appearing are terrified and think they are about to die. Chubby babies, even if they do have wings, do not elicit this kind of response. The first thing angels often say is, “Do not fear.”
In the Bible, Michael is depicted as a warrior fighting on behalf of the chosen people. In art he is usually shown wearing armor and carrying a sword or spear. Often the devil in the form of a snake or serpent is shown beneath his feet.
What on earth might all this mythology have to do with us? Simply this: Michael is the patron saint of this parish. I have no idea why he was chosen back in 1745. It is not all that common a name for Episcopal churches. There is only one other St. Michael’s in Connecticut; it is in Naugatuck.
Michael’s role is that of a guardian, a protector, a defender. Michael protects us. In this time of COVID19, we need protection. And so far Michael has been doing a good job. I am aware of no cases of COVID19 among our members. But more specifically, Michael defends against the devil, Satan, the evil one, the Father of Lies, the Accuser. In this sense Michael may not be the most comfortable of patrons. For while he protects us from the evil around us, he also contends with the evil inside us. Part of his job is to protect us from the dangerous parts of our selves. He reminds us of Jesus’ surprising saying that he, Jesus, did not come to bring peace to the earth, but a sword.
In 2020 we are not only contending with a world wide pandemic. We are also confronting the realities of racism in our country, the inability or unwillingness of our criminal justice system to hold police officers accountable when they kill unarmed citizens, the shame that we incarcerate more of our population than any other country in the world and turn imprisonment into a new profit making industry, a political system benefits the very wealthy and neglects everyone else, and a degradation of public discourse that makes any real negotiations on behalf of constituents impossible. We need the help of our Archangels without a doubt. Yet the divine army, of which our God is the Lord, is made up of us humans as well as other less material beings. The Archangels, not even the entire host of heaven can save us unless we do all we can as well. Today as we celebrate our patron, we also worship together at this ten a.m. service for the first time in five months. We worship God together; we stand against evil, however we may experience it, together. We are the Body of Christ, the People of God, and part of the host of heaven. Together with God and God’s angels, we can protect the world from evil.
Hear again this prayer often called “St. Patrick’s Breastplate” because of those parts of it which seek God’s protection. It is also sometimes called “The Deer’s Cry” or “The Lorica”. In this time when we all need protection, it is particularly powerful.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through the confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the Judgment Day.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.
I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me
From snares of demons,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.
Michael comes to us today and says, “Do not fear. God loves everyone one of you. The evils you are experiencing are not the last word. The worst thing is never the last thing. Stand up and I will stand with you. Confront the devil and he will flee from you. Look, God makes all things new.”