Sunday, September 29, 2013

St. Michael and All Angels
Daniel 10:10-14, 12:1-3
Psalm 146
Revelation 12:7-12
Matthew 18:1-11

Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in Jehovah his God.

Martin Luther said, “All heaviness of mind and melancholy come of the devil; especially these thoughts, that God is not gracious unto him: that God will have no mercy upon him, etc. Whosoever thou art, possessed with such heavy thoughts, know for certain, that they are a work of the devil. God sent his Son into the world, not to affright, but to comfort. Therefore be of good courage, and think, that henceforward thou art not the child of a human creature, but of God, through faith in Christ, in whose name thou art baptized; therefore the spear of death cannot enter into thee; he has no right unto thee, much less he hurt or prejudice thee, for he is everlastingly swallowed up through Christ.” (From Table Talk)

Perhaps we have reason to be melancholy. Watch just a few minutes of the news these days and you will see that there is trouble everywhere. There is war and fighting around the world, people are dying at the hands of their neighbors, people are suffering from natural disasters. Illness is rampant; it seems like there is more dis-ease in body, mind and spirit than there ever has been. People are frustrated financially, lonely because of broken relationships and afraid of what tomorrow might hold. Even our entertainment is filled with the promise of suffering rather than hope.

Daniel was a man of incredible faith who was given a gift. The book tells of visions that ultimately point to the sovereignty of God over the kingdoms of men. God wins, and though the language sounds frightening, we are reminded that the words of the prophet are always meant to encourage God’s faithful people to prayer and power in His name. That doesn’t stop us from being afraid, being upset and confused and frustrated, especially when it seems that God is taking too long to fulfill His promises.

Shortly before our passage from Daniel, we see Daniel exhausted by the experience of his vision. He was face to face with a man who was not a man, but something greater. He was dressed in linen with a gold belt; his body was like gemstone and his face like lightening, his eyes flaming torches and his arms and legs as solid as bronze. His voice was like the sound of many speaking. I would be afraid to be in the presence of such an awesome creature. On top of the vision, he was left alone because those who were with him were afraid. They didn’t even see the vision, but something about the situation terrified them and they ran away.

Daniel was given a great responsibility: knowledge of what was to be. The ‘man’ says, “Fear not, Daniel; for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand, and to humble thyself before thy God, thy words were heard: and I am come for thy words’ sake.” This visitation was not meant to frighten Daniel, but to encourage him. The fear he felt was the devil trying to turn him from faith. The battle that is waged is not one between flesh and flesh, but in spirit. The devil wants us to be frightened so that we’ll stop praying, but it is our prayers that have the greatest power. Daniel need not be afraid because there are forces, angels and archangels, who are fighting those powers that seek to turn us from God’s kingdom.

There is a place off the coast of Cornwall, England, called St. Michael’s Mount. Over the years the mount was used as a port for tin trade, a monastery, a military outpost and a private home. It is a strategic and important property over which many have fought. As with everything in England, the written history comes with a sense of mystery and myth. There are several ancient legends connected with this special place.

One story talks of a giant that lived on the island that could easily walk across the causeway to the mainland to steal sheep for his lunch. The story goes on to say that a boy went to the mount to fight the giant and tricked him into falling into a hole. This tale became the story we know called “Jack and the Beanstalk.” There are also legends about King Arthur that are placed at the mount as well as stories about the Celtic saints. The name of the mount comes from a legend involving the Archangel known as Michael. It is said that some fishermen saw him standing high above the sea on a rocky ledge as if he were guarding it. Michael the Archangel is described as a mighty warrior angel that fights the devil, as in today’s story from Daniel. Many churches and religious institutions that were located on the top of a hill or mountain took the name St. Michael in honor of his feats in the heavenly realm, so it is no wonder that the legendary place off the coast of England would be called St. Michael’s Mount.

The modern understanding of angels is far different from what it was in the times of the biblical writers and even in the days that the English established St. Michael’s Mount. Angels today are pretty little things with fluffy wings and pure white garments. We rarely think of the angels in terms other than our helpers, beings that will take care of us. There are also many who think of the angels as people who have died and been transformed by God into guardian angels. We use this language to help people through their grief, to give them hope that their loved one is still with them in some way.

But Angels are unique beings created by God for a specific purpose: to serve God as His messengers to God’s people. Though in this life we are a little lower than the angels, for we do not have access to the throne of Glory as they, we will be the ones who dine at the table to grace at the great heavenly banquet that awaits us. For now, the angels move throughout the dominion of God, passing into our world only in obedience to God’s will. Their main purpose, as is ours, is to glorify God in all they do.

This Sunday we celebrate St. Michael and all the angels, including the other archangels. The Bible tells us about Gabriel, the messenger who told Mary and Joseph about the coming of their Son. The other archangels, known only extra-biblically, are Raphael and Uriel. We thank God for these beings because they help us, speak to us, guide us and protect us. They are fighting the battle we cannot even see, and guard us as we fight the battle here on earth.

On a side note, it is interesting to pay attention to the meaning of the names of those archangels. Michael means “the one who resembles God.” Gabriel means “man of God.” Raphael means, “God heals.” And Uriel means, “God is my light.” In these names we see God and the work He does among us. The angels are not God; they are created beings that God has called to do His Work in another realm.

There are those who reject that spiritual realm because it exists beyond our consciousness, but it is good for us to remember that they are there, as are the beings that fight on the other side. For every archangel and angel in God’s Kingdom there is a demon who is sent to do Satan’s work. We want the life of faith to be easy, but we will face the enemy the stronger we rely on God, the more we pray, the better we understand God’s purpose for our life. Thankfully, we have these spirits who are with us, encouraging us, protecting us and telling us not to be afraid. It is amazing to think that even though God has these magnificent beings to do His work in this world, He still calls us to do His work, too. We join in the battle with the archangels and the angels, to share God’s grace with the world.

The battles we face are not always spiritual. We face people who do not believe and call us fools for doing so. Many think that Christianity is nothing more than a fairy tale. In today’s society, if you aren’t healthy, rich or successful, then ‘the gods’ have not treated you with favor. You must have done something wrong, or you must not have enough faith. Achieving great things is seen as blessedness, yet the reality is quite different. The humble are those who are blessed. God uses the weak to accomplish great things. Success in God’s kingdom does not look the same as success in the world. It is no wonder that we become melancholy when we are facing the battles of faith; the world insists that if our faith were real then we wouldn’t have to battle. They don’t believe in that realm beyond our consciousness.

We see a similar story in the text from Revelation. In this story, Michael once again is called to wage war on those who are enemies of God. In this story the dragon is defeated. The story sounds much like that which we hear in the book of Job about the rebellion of Lucifer, once the greatest angel. And yet this story foresees a time after the saving work of Christ when the dragon, or Satan, or the devil no longer has control over the earth. We are warned, however, but until that day when the enemy is finally and completely defeated, we will face the danger of Satan’s temptations. Satan is frightened. Satan knows that his time is short. He knows that he will not have control for very long. And so, he’s trying every trick imaginable to draw as many to his side in the meantime.

There are those in our society who pursue success to the detriment of all else. The coach who is willing to cheat for the sake of a victory is harming the children on his team because they are not learning sportsmanship and respect. The person who is willing to destroy a family for the sake of a career misses out on the incredible blessings of being part of a loving relationship.

It is possible to take ourselves to the other extreme, to pursue the battle against the devil, which can be just as dangerous. I know people who seek persecution, who see everything as being against them. They are bound by a desire to be the underdog and they purposely set themselves up for failure just so they can wallow in their humility, but it is a false humility. God does not call us to be like the archangels and angels, but invites us to cry out to Him to fight the battle and defeat the enemy. He has created the angels to fight, and He has given us the power to pray.

Prayer seems so passive. We are people of action. We want to go out and do whatever needs to be done. We want to fight the good fight with good works, with acts of power, with tangible behavior. But prayer is not passive; prayer is reaching out to the One who can actually make things happen.

I have begun a prayer group that will meet once a month at my house, but I’m calling for the members to commit to prayer in their own homes the other weeks. Last night was our first distant prayer meeting. I was alone in a special place and yet I knew I was not alone. I do not even know how many or if any of the other members were able to spend time, but I knew that I was joined with other Christians by the Spirit of God. I was concerned that I would not be able to fill an hour alone, but when I came out of my prayer room, the clock showed that an hour had passed.

Many would say that it was a wasted hour, after all these is so much I could have accomplished in that time. And yet, I know it was not wasted. I believe that in that time God heard our voices and set in motion the answers to those prayers.

See, there is a great deal that we can do in this world to make a difference in the lives of our neighbors. We can help them through their pain, we can heal them, and we can help them. We can, and must, live an active faith. But on a Sunday like this, when we consider that there is more to the Kingdom of God than just us Christian people on earth, we are reminded that sometimes the greatest work we have to do is to pray. Prayer is a humbling experience because it means letting everything go and letting God take care of it. Action takes the solution into our own hands; prayer gives it over to the One who really can change the world.

I suppose that’s why we have today’s Gospel lesson. It doesn’t seem to fit, does it? After all, what does little children have to do with angels, unless we are talking about those pretty little angelic faces they have when they sleep? The truth is, we are meant to be more like children, humble and dependent on God.

What can a child do when they are faced with a difficult or frightening situation? They can’t fix it themselves, they do not know how. They must go to one who is greater. A child bullied in school must go to a teacher or the principal to get help. A lost child must find a policeman to help them home. A sick child must go to their mother or father to get well. Children know they cannot take action, but seek help from the one who can. Though there are many things we can do, ultimately we need to remember that there is One to whom we can go to help us through.

And so today, let us be thankful that we do not have to fight the battles of heaven alone, but that we have angels and archangels to do so. And let us all get down on our knees in faith and do the work that we have been called to do, lifting the needs of the world in prayer.

Many people are suffering from depression and are seeking aid through doctors, family and friends. We are also looking toward our government, military and emergency services to help. The heaviness of mind we face is a tool of the devil to keep us from doing what we should do: praise the Lord God Almighty. Today’s Psalm begins with prayer and a warning to look to God for our help. He loves the righteous, which are those who are in a right relationship with Him. We have that relationship through Christ our Lord. In that right relationship, God will provide all we need, including the doctors, family and friends who will serve us in love and ease our suffering. He will give wisdom, guidance, strength and courage to the government, military and emergency services that will provide help for our circumstances. He will send His archangels and angels to help us fight the battle we cannot even see.