Word to the Wise
Tuesday, September 29, 2015 - Sept. 29 - Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels
[Dan 7:9-10, 13-14 or Rev 12:7-12a and John 1:47-51]Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him. [Daniel]
The story of faith and God's creation includes many characters. Some of them are folks we might know from historical events. Others we know only from stories handed down. The same was true for those who wrote down the story of God's actions in the scriptures. Included in this great narrative are the angels, to some of whom tradition have given names. I suspect that the very fact that these three "archangels" were given names is the reason they are honored as saints. [Even the tradition of the "guardian angel" makes it possible to give them a "feast day."]
We Americans have the tendency to identify ourselves by what we do rather than who we are. This seems to be at work somehow in the feast of the archangels. Michael is a warrior, Gabriel is a messenger, and Raphael is a healer. Their role is more important than trying to figure out who they are, since their service is their identity. We honor them as part of God's narrative. Maybe we'll get to ask further questions later on! AMEN
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