Be an angel
St Michael and All Angels (homily)
Revelation 12.7-14; John 1.47-51
My mum has a habit of calling people angels, as her mum before her had. “Be an angel andfetch some kindling wood." "Be an angel and empty the ashes." "Be an angel and walk the dogs.” As a child my helping out signified something more than simply helping out!
1) People and things can become messengers of God to our souls. Do you remember that lovely verse from the last book of the Hebrew scriptures we use in Advent: 'Behold, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me …?' That word, ‘my messenger’ is the same as for ‘my angel.’ That word is Malachi – the name given to the whole book – my messenger, my angel.
Like that, we should in faith be brave enough to name some of God’s angels to us – people whose kindness and care touches us when we’re down or least expecting it; the work of artist or poet or musician that bears our spirits up; the delight of place, or flower, sunset that speaks directly to our hearts. Messengers of God, intimations of glory:
Angel voices ever singing
Round thy throne of light,
Angels harps for ever ringing,
Rest not day nor night.
2) The Revelation reading directs us to something much more severe. The devil is expelled from heaven, and has settled with his messengers of gloom and destruction on earth. All too believable. The writer of Revelation anticipates in the story a time of appalling and unprecedented violence. There was much that could rip the young church apart – literally. There is much now that rips fullness of life apart for too many. Devilish forces are indeed abroad. Take heart – remember the angels!
Look again at the vision. Yes, the devil is cast down to earth, but only because he is already defeated. The fury and rage of evil is so deep because its power is already broken – these are the frustrated and terrorizing taunts of a beast whose power is already ebbing away, like some rabid dog.
The very intensity of evil’s rage is a sign that it is broken. In the Cross and resurrection has overcome the worst that evil and sin could do. Satan, the accuser, is left with no accusation to make. And the angels of God carry the assurance of that to God’s people. The picture is that of Epstein’s great sculpture on the west-end of Coventry– Archangel Michael stands triumphant over Satan bound and defeated. His angel companions bear the comfort and hope of that victory to those who feel evil’s rage.
When all is gloom and hurt, look for messengers of hope and love, and if you can’t because you’re too far down, pray God
someone else will have the care and the sense to be an angel to you.
3) An angel to bring life and colour and joy back to living – to open heaven to view, however fleetingly. There is more
to the business of living than cold analysis and rationalism would allow. Messengers of God, messengers of grace, messengers of delightful living are about. Away with tedium, away with despair. Let the beauty and tenderness and love and joy of God be seen. The God who cares for individuals, provides for them, guides them, and therefore employs messengers/angels to do it. Rejoice! Keep alive your faith and angels will be seen, and if they sometimes look
like all too ordinary people, don’t be surprised. In scripture angels are often mistaken for people – and you never know,
you might be an angel yourself this week to someone who needs you …
1) People and things can become messengers of God to our souls. Do you remember that lovely verse from the last book of the Hebrew scriptures we use in Advent: 'Behold, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me …?' That word, ‘my messenger’ is the same as for ‘my angel.’ That word is Malachi – the name given to the whole book – my messenger, my angel.
Like that, we should in faith be brave enough to name some of God’s angels to us – people whose kindness and care touches us when we’re down or least expecting it; the work of artist or poet or musician that bears our spirits up; the delight of place, or flower, sunset that speaks directly to our hearts. Messengers of God, intimations of glory:
Angel voices ever singing
Round thy throne of light,
Angels harps for ever ringing,
Rest not day nor night.
2) The Revelation reading directs us to something much more severe. The devil is expelled from heaven, and has settled with his messengers of gloom and destruction on earth. All too believable. The writer of Revelation anticipates in the story a time of appalling and unprecedented violence. There was much that could rip the young church apart – literally. There is much now that rips fullness of life apart for too many. Devilish forces are indeed abroad. Take heart – remember the angels!
Look again at the vision. Yes, the devil is cast down to earth, but only because he is already defeated. The fury and rage of evil is so deep because its power is already broken – these are the frustrated and terrorizing taunts of a beast whose power is already ebbing away, like some rabid dog.
The very intensity of evil’s rage is a sign that it is broken. In the Cross and resurrection has overcome the worst that evil and sin could do. Satan, the accuser, is left with no accusation to make. And the angels of God carry the assurance of that to God’s people. The picture is that of Epstein’s great sculpture on the west-end of Coventry– Archangel Michael stands triumphant over Satan bound and defeated. His angel companions bear the comfort and hope of that victory to those who feel evil’s rage.
When all is gloom and hurt, look for messengers of hope and love, and if you can’t because you’re too far down, pray God
someone else will have the care and the sense to be an angel to you.
3) An angel to bring life and colour and joy back to living – to open heaven to view, however fleetingly. There is more
to the business of living than cold analysis and rationalism would allow. Messengers of God, messengers of grace, messengers of delightful living are about. Away with tedium, away with despair. Let the beauty and tenderness and love and joy of God be seen. The God who cares for individuals, provides for them, guides them, and therefore employs messengers/angels to do it. Rejoice! Keep alive your faith and angels will be seen, and if they sometimes look
like all too ordinary people, don’t be surprised. In scripture angels are often mistaken for people – and you never know,
you might be an angel yourself this week to someone who needs you …