Michael and All Angels
Sermon Preached by Reverend Stuart Langshaw on Sunday, 29 September 2024.
I’d like to begin with some trivial pursuit questions. (a) How many windows here in St Andrews depict an owl? (There is 1 window) (b) How many windows here depict St Andrew? (There are 2 windows). (c) How many windows here show Gabriel the Archangel? (There are 3 windows). How many windows here depict Michael the Archangel? (There is 1 window). How many angels and cherubs total in the windows? (There are 31 of them).
Today is Michael and all Angels’ Day. It’s a funny sort of day really. We don’t think about angels much and certainly we don’t preach about them often. We associate them with Christmas – they look good as decorations on the Christmas Tree. But as for their being a serious topic for serious study – they don’t feature a great deal.
Our hymns today have been centered on angels. As is the way with well-written hymns, today’s hymns have opened the theological doors to look at angels. Our opening hymn reminded us that angels sing God’s praises and play harps (Ye Holy Angels Bright A&M 826). Then our hymn before the gospel introduced us to the cherubim and seraphim who also sing God’s praises (Verses 2 and 3 of Bright The Vision That Delighted A&M 603). We are going to sing about the angels’ job to help u in our songs of praise to God (Verse 1 of Ye Holy Angels Bright A&M 826). Finally we shall sing about the angels adoring God (Verse 4 of Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise A&M 676). I rather like the idea of angels helping us as we praise God – maybe standing beside us and singing with us. Good hymns!
Angels feature in art, too. You probably know of the famous Angel Of The North, a contemporary sculpture by Antony Gormley, located near Newcastle in England. It’s huge. It is 20 metres tall (66 feet in the old measurement), and has a wingspan of 54 metres (177 feet), larger than a Boeing 757 aircraft. It’s so designed that winds work on the ribs and skeleton of the figure, directing the winds to the sculpture’s foundations. And so it can withstand winds with speeds of over 160 kph. The Angel Of The North is shown briefly in the opening scenes of the TV series Vera.
And here at St Andrew’s – in the windows that surround us – we have all these angels depicted – and some cherubs too. There are lots of angel at St Andrew’s Walkerville – – – in the hymns, in the windows – – – and in the pews as well.
Some angels are more important than others – the archangels are top-brass angels. The four most often depicted in art are Gabriel – the messenger of God who brought to Mary the announcement of her growing child; Michael who is the dispenser of justice; Raphael who is the healer and protector of travellers; and Uriel, the angel of prophecy and wisdom.
Let’s talk about Michael in particular. After all today, September 29, is known as Michaelmas. The Bible often refers to the archangel Michael as “a chief prince” of the heavens. We see this in Daniel chapter 10 and in chapter 12. Michael led a host of angels in a victorious war over Satan and his demons in Revelation chapter 12. Michael worked with another angel to answer Daniel’s prayer that God would turn away his anger and wrath from Jerusalem …” (Daniel 9:16).
Under the archangels are the angels, and at Michaelmas today we also remember and honour these lower ranks of angels and angelic beings like the cherubim and seraphim. In the hymn we sing, Ye Watchers And Ye Holy Ones we hear the story of all sorts of spiritual beings that do God’s will in heaven.
Ye watchers and Ye Holy Ones, bright seraphs, cherubim and Thrones, raise the glad strain, Alleluia.
Cry out, Dominions, Princedoms, Powers, Virtues, Archangels, Angels’ choirs. Alleluia.
Seraphs, cherubs, Thrones, Dominions, Princedoms, Powers, Virtue, Archangels, Angels’ choirs …
There’s a lot of sorts and ranks of heavenly beings praising God.
Last question – what does an angel look like? We are strongly influenced by Isaiah chapter 6 where Isaiah saw a vision of angels in the temple. Each angel had 6 wings – with 2 they covered their face. With 2 they covered their feet. With 2 they flew. But way back in Genesis, in Abraham’s experience, three strangers turned up to his tent to announce that Abraham and Sarah would have a son, and so God’s promise to his people would be kept. But these 3 strangers were dressed in civvies- and yet they were angels.
And in the Epistle to the Hebrews there’s strong encouragement for us to practise hospitality. The words are, ‘Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Hebrews 13:2)
Our society spends a good deal of time trivialising angels. As in so many areas, what our society cannot cope with, it makes trivial. Angels are just one example. We have pop songs about attractive girls looking like angels. Matt Monro sang:-
She walks like an angel walks. She talks like an angel talks.
She’s wise like an angel’s wise, with eyes like an angel’s eyes.
Her smile’s a kinda pearl. To my mind she’s my kinda girl.
And my heart’s kinda full of joy – because she told me I’m her kinda boy.
We have this idea that human perfection is a reflection of the angels’ perfection. After all, have you ever heard of an ugly angel, or a bald angel, or an angel with a prosthetic limb?
Enough! So – what message can we take away from the feast of Michel and All Angels?
First, glorifying God is good, and is the angels’ job and is our job. As Anglicans we tend to keep our Christian cards pretty close to our chest. We are a bit embarrassed about showing any emotion in our worship. We’re happy enough for people to make the sign of the cross on themselves at appropriate moments in the service. But as for people singing too loudly (however loud that is!), or raising their hands palms up during the singing of a hymn . . . or in a prayer . . . that’s a bit far for us. Pity! But these people are only praising and glorifying God in the hymn or prayer. . . expressing their emotion. They are doing the work that angels do. I reckon that our expression of worship could do with a good dose of overt enthusiasm and joy. And our reaction to anyone who does dose their praise in these ways should be understanding, affirming and encouraging, rather than “Anglican disapproving.”
Our second lesson from the feast of Michael and all angels is . . . being involved in God’s service. That’s the angels’ job and it’s ours too. The old collect for today in the Book of Common Prayer says, “Mercifully grant, that as they holy angels do thee service in heaven . . . “ Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer we say, “Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” How is God’s will done in heaven? It’s done immediately, fully and gladly by the angels. Opportunities come to us almost every day to do God’s will . . . to do something for someone else . . . to assist a good cause . . . to help someone in their need. Let us always be looking for ways to be involved in God’s service by being involved in serving someone else. And serving them immediately, gladly and fully is the standard we aspire to , for that is the angels’ standard.
Our final lesson from the feast of Michael and all angels is . . . being involved as a witness to the glory and power of God. When angels appeared to humans . . . to the shepherds on the hills outside Bethlehem . . . to Isaiah in the Temple . . . the angels were witnesses to the glory and the power of God. That’s our job too whenever we are out and about . . . formally or informally . . . on business or recreationally . . . with family and friends or with strangers . . . our lives are to be a witness to the glory and to the grace of God. The way we conduct ourselves – the sorts of things we say to one another – the way we say those things – all these things should draw people’s attention to the grace of God and God’s presence within us, as we witness to God’s glory and power. This was the job of Michael and all the angels – this is our job too.
Today is Michael and All Angels’ Day. It may be a funny sort of day, but it’s an important day too. It reminds us that we must glorify God . . . that we must be involved in God’s service . . . and that we are witnesses to the glory and power of God.
One last thing . . . take note of who you are sitting next to this morning . . . you may be sitting next to an angel unawares!