St Michael and All Angels

This coming Sunday, September 29^th, is the Feast of St Michael and All Angels. The origin of this celebration dates back to 5^th century, although the earliest surviving mention of St Michael was in Jewish writings of the third and second-century-BC.

St Michael is one of only three angels mentioned by name in the Bible –and the name 'Michael' means “the one who is like God. His name also occurs only three times in the Old Testament book of Daniel⁽¹⁾ and twice in the New Testament: once in the letter of Jude (v 9), and once in the book of Revelation⁽²⁾. The other two named angels mentioned in the Bible are Gabriel and Raphael. This meant it was only until popular, late Jewish and early Christian devotion that a growing appreciation of Michael's role and place within Christian devotion flourished and considered him to be the greatest of all the angels.⁽³⁾

Such popularity soon led to a variety of customs and beliefs and these have continued to grow over the following centuries. It became common in the medieval period, for example, for people to dress up as knights and dragons and re-enact the battle of St Michael defeating the Dragon or to celebrate other local customs and traditions that became associated with St Michael.

Because of this growing popularity of St Michael it wasn't long before numerous churches throughout the world chose to name and place their church under the patronage and prayers of St Michael and All Angels.⁽²⁾ This growing popularity resulted in:

• The formal naming of September 29^th as St Michael and All Angels' Day and setting it aside as a special day of rest and it also carried the expectation that the faithful to attend Church and abstain from work and recreation.

• Other more domestic and local customs also started to occur. For example, roast goose (which was a luxury food in medieval times) became the standard food for St Michael's day .

• Because St Michael's day fell at the beginning of the Northern Autumn, and the start of the academic year, increasing number of English Universities and schools began to refer to the new term of study as the Michaelmas term.

• And because 'St Michael's day also coincided with the northern harvest season, it soon became customary for people to offer special acts of charity and goodwill to the poor in their community.

• For those living in the Southern hemisphere other themes and customs began to appear, such as the importance for developing one's personal spiritual wisdom, or the emphasis on personal and environmental gratitude and protection.

But for us now, how does this mediaeval festival resonate with us? I live in New Zealand, in a time when attending Sunday Services is on the decline. However, scattered across our country we still have a number of Churches dedicated to St Michael. While attendance may not be what they were in the past, they still stand as silent reminders of this festival day, and perhaps they also give us pause to reflect on the ways that we have been protect, guarded and blessed by God grace – not just for our own sake, but that we might become channels of God's love and grace to others as this day has been for many people of the past. For example:

Angels are messengers – and in scripture they announced to Elizabeth that she would give birth to John the Baptist; and the Archangel Gabriel visited also to Mary tell her that she will give birth to Jesus. I wonder what God is wanting to say to us? What is God seeking to birth within us?

Angels are worshippers – what do you value most in your life? How do you express your feelings of reverence and adoration?

Angels are defenders – Traditionally, they guard us against harm, both physical and spiritual. Whom do we need to protect, or to support, or love and care for?

Perhaps we might also remember the encouragement people have found in Michael the Archangel – and perhaps we too might also recognise the importance in today's changing world a willingness to offer support and protection to those who are most vulnerable, and to those who are struggling in our local community.

Kia mau te rongo me te pai ki a koe i to haerenga

May you find peace and goodwill on your journey.

Phil

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(1) Daniel 10:21 & 12:1

(2) Revelation Chapter 12: 7-

(3) Richard Freeman Johnson (2005), Saint Michael the Archangel in medieval English legend, Boydell

Press, p. 105, ISBN 1-84383-128-7, retrieved 11 July 2010