St. Michael and All Angels

2022-9-28 Eve of St. Michael and All Angels

Daniel 10:10-14; 12:1-3 Revelation 12:7-12 Luke 10:17-20

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. 

When we stop to think about it, there are many people responsible for bringing us into maturity  as well as protecting us. Many of these folks are unknown to us.  We do, of course, know our parents, siblings, grandparents, and other family members. We know our teachers, coaches, fellow students, bosses, co-workers.  We know the names of some of our politicians and we sometimes have relationships with them. We know our congregation members and we are blessed to have a personal relationship with our Indiana District President. 

We all take turns helping one another through encouragement, sharing of information, talent, prayers, and by being a fellow companion along this life’s journey. I think we are blessed to have a name, a face, and a history with so many people. 

But then, there are all those folks who are responsible for our safety and well-being that we do not know. We will never know their names, or see their faces regularly, or have a shared history with them. Let me give one example, I think of the massive medical institution that keeps so many of us healthy and works to cure disease. We don’t generally have the privilege of knowing the names of the researchers, lab technicians, the inventors of medical devices. Nor do we know the administrators or the people in companies that make vaccines or prosthetics or medicine available to us. 

There are many other facets of our American life that work to ensure our safety and our well being, so that we may raise our children and grandchildren and grow into maturity. 

I reflect on this distinction between the visible and the invisible because on this Eve of the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, we are acutely aware that while we know the names of two angels, there is a vast host of angels that we do not see.  Despite the fact that we do not see them, they are working for our physical and spiritual safety, well-being, and maturity. We know this because this is what God’s Word tells us.  We may want to know more than what the Holy Spirit chooses to reveal to us through Holy Scripture, but I think it best that we give thanks for what we do know and trust God’s wisdom in everything else. 

We have numerous instances in the Bible where angels play a significant role in the life of the faithful. The texts point to the spiritual fighting that goes on behind the scenes. Not only do we learn that there is an actual fight going on between God’s angels and Satan’s minions, but we also learn that God’s angels are not some rag tag group of defenders.  This is an army, a spiritual army, with hierarchy, leadership, orders, and soldiers. There is territory and people that are defended. There are winner and losers. And, the fight can be fierce and sustained. The Angel that is revealed to Daniel, says, “The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, ...” 

The Archangel Michael was assigned to Israel.  He is now assigned to the Church. The Archangel Michael brings with him his whole company. 

The text from Revelation tells us of the epic battle in heaven between Michael and his angels and Satan and his demonic cohorts.  But, the single most important verse in that text is verse 11: “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb...”  

We are indeed engaged in a spiritual battle, a battle that began when Satan disguised himself as a serpent in the Garden of Eden and deceived Eve and Adam.  The battle will continue to the end of time.  But, for nearly 2000 years, there has been a perceived difference.  The ultimate victory is won.  God won because of the loving sacrifice of the lamb.  Jesus’ blood was spilled and his life taken away for our sakes. Jesus did what Satan and the demons can never do.  He surrendered to the cross to take back the punishment of Adam and Eve’s sin.  Jesus’ sacrifice brings us forgiveness and peace with our heavenly Father.  We receive this gift of our Lord Jesus with faith.  

Yet, even though we are declared righteous by our heavenly Father for Christ’s sake, Satan wants to chip away at the faith of the church.  The battle continues. In these days, many of us can see some of what is going on.  The lies that people live by, the false truth they cling to, is obvious to those who are informed of God’s will for His people through the Holy Scriptures. Satan, the trickster, remains at work. But, for those who have faith in Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior, Michael and the Angels work to protect us.  

This evening, we give thanks to God for those who fight for us. They are engaged in a battle with evil forces that wish to take away our freedom, our joy, our life, our hope, and our future. The battle that began at the beginning, continues now, and will continue until that grand and horrible end of time. They serve and protect behind the scenes, most of the time.  Through the Scriptures we are given a mere  glimpse of this whole other aspect of our universe that we do not readily see.  Maybe that is a gift to us, that we don’t see it all. If we saw it all perhaps we would be paralyzed with fear? 

The Feast of St. Michael and All Angels encourages us to continue to live and grow in the faith God gave us. Knowing that we have been baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, assures us that the Angels are watching and fighting so that we may continue to bear Christ’s light to the world. 

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.