Ss. Michael and All Angels - Rector's Rambling for September 29, 2024

     
Today we celebrate with great joy the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels.  Michael is the lead angel, the warrior for God against the rebellious legions of demons who refused to serve God and were cast out of heaven. We have an image of St. Michael on our window at the back of the Church.  St. Raphael is also depicted in the window along with Our Lord, Our Lady, and St. John.

On page 4 of today’s Chronicle there is a Teaching Note on the different varieties of created spirits that we generally call angels.  In fact there are many more of these who are named in scripture according to their God-created purpose.  Although I don’t think much about some of the orders like choirs, principalities, and powers, I do think about the Archangels that we sing about in our opening hymn today (Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael) and of course our guardian angels as well. 

I remember my grandmother teaching me as a young child the bedtime prayer “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day, be at my side, to light and guard, rule and guide. Amen “   I also remember her remarking that my guardian angel must have gotten combat pay when I was in college and outside of the practice of the faith for a few years.

Of course the other reason for my love of this Feast Day is because of our long relationship with the St. Michael’s Conference for Youth, both the original East Coast conference were I worked and met Jennifer, and the Midwest conference were I have been on staff for 25 years.  St. Michael is a strong patron for the young people to look up to and call upon in intercession. 

Today is also an interesting anniversary for me.  It was 5 years ago today that I was life-flighted off a cruise ship in the Baltic Sea because of a diverticulitis attack, an infection that was raging through my intestine.  I was taken by helicopter to Turku, Finland where they removed 2/3 of my large intestine. 

The American doctor with whom I followed up with when I returned home said it was miraculous that the Finnish surgeon was able to remove that much diseased intestine and reconnect the what was left without a colostomy, and also how quickly normal function returned.  She had good skill, but we know she was guided by Dr. Jesus, who also gave the healing as well.  The prayers of the congregation, friends, family and strangers added to the cause. Thanks be to God!