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Angels Will Rejoice!

Last Sunday, St. Michael’s and All Angels, our sister parish in Chemainus, celebrated their patronal festival.

It was the first time I have ever preached on angels!

That seems rather odd--since scripture is full of angels: from the Garden of Eden to the garden in Revelation. In the Hebrew Bible, angels appear to each of the Patriarchs, Moses, and Joshua. They appear to:

  • Hagar in Genesis 16:9

  • Lot in Genesis 19:1

  • Abraham in Genesis 22

  • They ascend and descend Jabob’s ladder in Genesis 28:12 and in Gensis 31:11

  • The prophet Isaiah speaks of ‘the angel of presence’

  • The prophetic books refer to ‘the heavenly host’

  • The book of Daniel features angels prominently.

 

In the New Testament, hosts of angels

  • appear at the birth of Jesus.

  • guard the entrance to the tomb following the crucifixion.

  • appear to kings and to the poor.

  • glorify God in heaven and tromp the earth.

  • are both fearful and beautiful.

  • are righteous and some are crooked.

  • They bear good news, and

  • They mutiny and rebel.

 

So why I have I never preached on them?

We live in such a rational age that many of us dismiss angels as fairytales from the past. At the same time, angels figure prominently in much ‘new age’ thinking and in popular culture. The skeptics among us scoff at such superstitions.

Of course there are lots of false ideas about angels.

  • We do not become angels when we die.

  • Angels do not get their wings when a bell on a Christmas tree rings.

  • Angels are not really like Della Reese on the TV program Touched by an Angel

  • or like Cary Grant in the old movie, The Bishop’s Wife.

  • Cherubs were never babies.

Most of us, it seems, have given up on angels. We have turned them into shadows of themselves and stole their power. Their mystery and their beauty have become suspect. But scripture shows us powerful messengers who always seem to present challenges to whom they appear.

Maybe that is why we do not mention them.

We fear what they may have to say and what they might require of us. No wonder the first words out of an angel’s mouth are usually, ‘Be not afraid.’

It is sad that we dismiss or ignore angels and I miss them. Especially now, I miss them. Now when other powers are rampaging in rage and arrogance and blindness through the world.

And so, I pray: 

Michael, Archangel, we need you! We need your righteous sword to cast aside injustice and war- mongering. We need you to stand up to the tyrants and bullies of this world and to give power to the weak, strength to the afflicted.

Gabriel, Archangel, we need you! We need you to spread healing in our world—among the hungry, the homeless, the addicted and to all those afflicted in body, mind, and spirit. We need you to empower us to proclaim Christ in all that we say and do.

Uriel, Archangel, we need you! We need you to shine light in our darkness and expose the greed that reigns in our world. We need to stand as a beacon to the poor and to those who have lost hope.

Angels in all your hosts strengthen our voices to glorify our Redeemer, to speak for the lonely and the voiceless. Guard our children, cradle the sorrowful.

Now maybe such prayers are too outlandish for belief. Maybe I am verging on superstition. But I do not care.

If you do not believe in angels, then for God’s sake become one.

Become a proclaimer and a healer; become a warrior against injustice and hopelessness and evil. Be a light bearer in the darkness around us. Do that for Love’s sake and believe me, you will find yourself on the side of the angels. You too will be messengers of God, bearers of glad tidings, protectors of God’s people.

And the angels will rejoice!

Norman+