St Michael the Archangel

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Today is the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel (also the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels).

Saint Michael is one of the principal angels; his name was the war-cry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against the enemy and his followers. Four times his name is recorded in Scripture:

(1) Daniel 10: 13 sqq., Gabriel says to Daniel, when he asks God to permit the Jews to return to Jerusalem: "The Angel [D.V. prince] of the kingdom of the Persians resisted me . . . and, behold Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me . . . and none is my helper in all these things, but Michael your prince."

(2) Daniel 12, the Angel speaking of the end of the world and the Antichrist says: "At that time shall Michael rise up, the great prince, who standeth for the children of thy people."

(3) In the Catholic Epistle of Saint Jude: "When Michael the Archangel, disputing with the devil, contended about the body of Moses", etc. Saint Jude alludes to an ancient Jewish tradition of a dispute between Michael and Satan over the body of Moses, an account of which is also found in the apocryphal book on the assumption of Moses (Origen, De Principiis III.2.2). Saint Michael concealed the tomb of Moses. Satan, however, by disclosing it, tried to seduce the Jewish people to the sin of hero-worship. Saint Michael also guards the body of Eve, according to the "Revelation of Moses" ("Apocryphal Gospels", etc, ed. A. Walker, Edinburgh, p. 647).

(4) Apocalypse 12: 7, "And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon." Saint John speaks of the great conflict at the end of time, which reflects also the battle in heaven at the beginning of time. According to the Fathers there is often a question of Saint Michael in Scripture where his name is not mentioned. They say he was the cherub who stood at the gate of paradise, "to keep the way of the tree of life" (Genesis 3: 24), the angel through whom God published the Decalogue to his chosen people, the angel who stood in the way against Balaam (Numbers 22: 22 sqq.), the angel who routed the army of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19: 35).

Following these Scriptural passages, Christian tradition gives to Saint Michael four offices:

To fight against Satan.

To rescue the souls of the faithful from the power of the enemy, especially at the hour of death.

To be the champion of God's people, the Jews in the Old Law, the Christians in the New Testament; therefore he was the patron of the Church, and of the orders of knights during the Middle Ages.

To call away from earth and bring men's souls to judgment ("signifer S. Michael repraesentet eas in lucam sanctam," Offert. Miss Defunct. "Constituit eum principem super animas suscipiendas,"  Antiph. off. Cf. The Shepherd of Hermas, Book III, Similitude 8, Chapter 3).

Epiphany

The feast of Epiphany falls on January 6th and is the climax of Christmas, marking the end of the twelve days of Christmas and celebrating the visit of the Wise Men to the Messiah. These men are often called Kings or Magi. They brought valuable gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to honour the Divine Infant.

The gift of gold was the gift people usually gave to their King. By giving gold they were recognising Jesus as their King. The second gift, frankincense, is a white gum from a tree called Arbor Thurisfrom. After hardening the gum forms a hard resin which when burnt gives off a fragrant smell. It was burnt as an offering to God during worship, and is often used today as incense for sacerdotal ritual, especially during Mass, over the Easter period and at funerals. It is also used as medicine and as a perfume. The third gift was myrrh, which was also a gum from a thorny tree. Myrrh is a wound healer because it has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and pain relieving qualities. It was used as an embalming material when someone had died.

Epiphany is the day when all Christmas decorations need to be taken down.

The day before Epiphany is the twelfth day of Christmas and is sometimes called Twelfth Night. In the Church calendar the Epiphany season lasts until the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.

To unveil the beginning is to unlock the mystery of the end. For where the beginning is, there the end will be. Happy is he who stands at the beginning — he will know the end and will not taste death.

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Christmas Greetings

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St Lucy (Lucia)

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Saint Lucy's (Lucia) name means "light", with the same root as "lucid" which means "clear, radiant, understandable." Unfortunately for us, Lucy's history does not match her name. Shrouded in the darkness of time, all we really know for certain is that this brave woman who lived in Syracuse lost her life in the persecution of Christians in the early fourth century. Her veneration spread to Rome so that by the sixth century the whole Church recognised her courage in defence of the faith.

Because people wanted to shed light on Lucy's bravery, legends grew up. The one that is passed down to us tells the story of a young Christian woman who had vowed her life to the service of Christ. Her mother tried to arrange a marriage for her with a pagan. Lucy apparently knew that her mother would not be convinced by a young girl's vow so she devised a plan to convince her mother that Christ was a much more powerful partner for life. Through prayers at the tomb of Saint Agatha, her mother's long illness was cured miraculously. The grateful mother was now ready to listen to Lucy's desire to give her money to the poor and commit her life to God.

Unfortunately, legend has it, the rejected bridegroom did not see the same light and he betrayed Lucy to the governor as a Christian. This governor tried to send her into prostitution but the guards who came to take her way found her stiff and heavy as a mountain. Finally she was killed. As much as the facts of Lucy's specific case are unknown, we know that many Christians suffered incredible torture and a painful death for their faith during Diocletian's reign. Lucy may not have been burned or had a sword thrust through her throat but many Christians did and we can be sure her faith withstood tests we can barely imagine.

Lucy's name is probably also connected to statues of Lucy holding a dish with two eyes on it. This refers to another legend in which Lucy's eyes were put out by Diocletian as part of his torture. The legend concludes with God restoring Lucy's eyes.

Lucy's name also played a large part in naming Lucy as a patron saint of the blind and those with eye-trouble.

Whatever the fact to the legends surrounding Lucy, the truth is that her courage to stand up and be counted a Christian in spite of torture and death is the light that should lead us on our own journeys through life.

Prayer:

Saint Lucy, you did not hide your light under a basket, but let it shine for the whole world, for all the centuries to see. We may not suffer torture in our lives the way you did, but we are still called to let the light of our Christianity illumine our daily lives. Please help us to have the courage to bring our Christianity into our work, our recreation, our relationships, our conversation — every corner of our day. Amen

Her name meaning light is a factor in the particular devotion to Saint Lucy receives in Scandinavian countries, where young girls dress as the saint in honour of the feast.

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St Teresa of Avila

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http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=208

Born to the Spanish nobility, the daughter of Don Alonso Sanchez de Cepeda and Doña Beatriz, Teresa grew up reading the lives of the saints, and playing at “hermit” in the garden. Crippled by disease in her youth, which led to her being well educated at home, she was cured after prayer to St Joseph. Her mother died when Teresa was 12, and she prayed to Our Lady to be her replacement. Her father opposed her entry to religious life, so she left home without telling anyone, and entered a Carmelite house at 17. Seeing her conviction to her call, her father and family consented.

Soon after taking her vows, Teresa became gravely ill, and her condition was aggravated by the inadequate medical help she received; she never fully recovered her health. She began receiving visions, and was examined by Dominicans and Jesuits, including Saint Francis Borgia, who pronounced the visions to be holy and true.

She considered her original house too lax in its rule, so she founded a reformed convent of Saint John of Avila. Teresa founded several houses, often against fierce opposition from local authorities. Mystical writer. Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on 27 September 1970 by Pope Paul VI.

There are more than one type of stigmata. Some affected people display no outward signs of the stigmata at all. These are referred to as the invisible stigmata. Other stigmatics' wounds refuse to clot or heal. They remain fresh and uninfected.

In very rare cases the blood is said to have a perfumed odour, known as the Odour of Sanctity. The Odour of Sanctity can also be present separate from stigmata. Saint Teresa of Avila was reported to have emitted heavenly scents after she died.

Those who have shown the wounds of Christ are often ecstatics. Upon receiving the stigmata they receive a mystical vision of Christ. While the have been extremely rare cases on non-Catholic stigmatics most are devout Catholics.

The first mentioned stigmatic is St Francis of Assisi in whom the stigmata were of a character never seen subsequently. Since that time over five hundered stigmatics have been accepted by the Roman Catholic Church. The first record of a female stigmatic is the Blessed Christina von Stommeln circa 1310.

St Teresa of Avila’s scent emanated throughout the whole monastery the moment she died. Saint Thérèse de Lisieux (known as “the Little Flower”) was said to have produced a strong scent of roses at her death, which was detectable for days afterward. Likewise, Padre Pio’s stigmata is said to have emanated the smell of roses.

http://pathofreconciliation.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/st-teresa-of-avila.html

http://www.marypages.com/TeresaofAvila.htm

http://www.marypages.com/IncorruptBodies.htm

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St Francis of Assisi

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It was on the feast of St Francis of Assisi twenty-one years ago that I was elevated to the episcopate. I wrote of a mystical experience I had during the consecration itself in The Grail Church, page 101:

"The tranquil features of the emdieval saint appeared mementarily, like a pale image against the rich vestments of the consecrating prelate, but as the vision intensified it transformed from a representation of Cimabue's famous painting of the friar to that of Our Lord. ... St Francis, more than anyone, interprets Christ's challenge to all aspiring disciples with a freshness and a vitality. Christ, the only way to God, is our Master and gentle Francis is a fellow-disciple guiding us along the often difficult path all Christians must follow. The little saint suffered silently and painfully for the Church of the Middle Ages with its abuses, thinking he could change the proud prelates with their clerical pomp not by criticism but by holy humility and reverence. Undoubtedly some were transformed by his Christ-like example, but Franciscans have nevertheless been persecuted on occasions ..."

Founder of the Franciscan Order, born at Assisi in Umbria in 1181 or 1182 — the exact year is uncertain — St Francis died there on 3 October 1226. His feast is held on October 4th. Many of the stories that surround his life deal with his love for animals. One day, while Francis was travelling with some companions, they happened upon a place in the road where birds filled the trees on either side. Francis told his companions to "wait for me while I go to preach to my sisters the birds." The birds surrounded him, intrigued by the power of his voice, and not one of them flew away.

St Francis preached the teaching of the Catholic Church, that the world was created good and beautiful by God but suffers a need for redemption because of the primordial sin of man. He preached to man and beast the universal ability and duty of all creatures to praise God, and the duty of men to protect and enjoy nature as both the stewards of God's creation and as creatures ourselves.

Saint Francis' Canticle of All Creatures

Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord,

All praise is Yours, all glory, all honour and all blessings.

To you alone, Most High, do they belong,

and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.

Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures,

especially Sir Brother Sun,

Who is the day through whom You give us light.

And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour,

Of You Most High, he bears the likeness.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,

In the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.

 

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,

And fair and stormy, all weather's moods,

by which You cherish all that You have made.

Praised be You my Lord through Sister Water,

So useful, humble, precious and pure.

Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire,

through whom You light the night

and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You my Lord through our Sister,

Mother Earth who sustains and governs us,

producing varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.

Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon

for love of You and bear sickness and trial.

Blessed are those who endure in peace,

By You Most High, they will be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord through Sister Death,

from whom no-one living can escape.

Woe to those who die in mortal sin!

Blessed are they She finds doing Your Will.

No second death can do them harm.

Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks,

And serve Him with great humility.

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Holy Guardian Angels

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A Guardian Angel is a spiritual being assigned to protect and guide particular persons or groups. Belief in Guardian Angels can be traced throughout antiquity. The concept of tutelary angels was extensively developed in the middle ages, and is part of the Church’s devotional beliefs. It is a colourful and popular expression of our underlying belief in a personal Providence taught by Jesus: “The very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10: 30-31) and “If God so clothes the grass that is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more you, O ye of little faith?” (Luke 6: 28).

In Genesis 18-19, angels carry out God’s wrath against the cities of the plain, and deliver Lot from danger; in Exodus 32:34, God says to Moses: “My angel shall go before you.” Later we have the story of Tobias, which enshrines the words of Psalm 91: 11: “He has given his angels charge over you; to keep you in all your ways.” (Cf. Psalm 33: 8 and 34: 5) In Daniel 10 angels are entrusted with the care of particular districts; one is called “prince of the kingdom of the Persians.” and Michael is termed “one of the chief princes”; cf. Deuteronomy 32: 8 (LXX); and Ecclesiasticus 17: 17 (LXX).

In late Judaism the belief developed that the people have a heavenly representative, a Guardian Angel. The belief that angels can be guides and intercessors for human beings is implied in Job 33: 23-6, and in the Book of Daniel (10: 13) where the “prince of the Persian kingdom” contends with Gabriel. The same verse mentions “Michael, one of the chief princes,” and Michael is one of the few angels named in the Bible. In the New Testament Book of Jude, Michael is described as an Archangel. The Book of Enoch, part of the Ethiopian Church’s canon of scripture, says that God will “set a guard of holy angels over all the righteous” (1 Enoch 100:5) to guard them during the end of time, while the wicked are being destroyed.

In Rabbinic Literature, the Rabbis expressed the notion that there are indeed guardian angels appointed by Yahweh to watch over people. Rashi on Daniel 10: 7 “Although a person does not see something of which he is terrified, his Guardian Angel in heaven does see it; and so he becomes terrified.” Modern rabbis clarify that people may indeed have guardian angels. God watches over people and the Guardian Angels are emissaries to aid in this task. Thus, while not prayed to directly, they are part of how our prayer and response come about.

In the New Testament belief in Guardian Angels seems to have greater precision. Angels are envoys between God and man; and Christ set a seal upon the Old Testament teaching: “See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18: 10). A twofold aspect of the doctrine is seen here: even little children have Guardian Angels, and these same angels do not lose the vision of God by the fact that they have a mission to fulfil on earth. The idea that people are protected by Guardian Angels is perhaps also implied in Hebrews 1: 14, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”

Acts 12: 12-15 suggests that a specific angel is assigned to protect each individual. After Peter had been escorted out of prison by an angel, he went to the home of Mary the mother of John Mark. When the servant girl ran to tell the group that Peter was there, they thought it must be his angel. Since then, Peter’s Guardian Angel is the most commonly depicted in art, most famously Raphael’s fresco (in the Vatican) of the Deliverance of Saint Peter from prison. Another key example is the angel who comforted Christ in the garden.

Whether Guardian Angels attend every individual is not consistently upheld by the Church Fathers, and is not an “article of faith,” although the concept is clear in both the Old and New Testaments. According to St. Jerome the concept is in the “mind of the Church” and he stated that: “how great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from his birth an angel commissioned to guard it.”

The belief in and theology about angels has undergone many refinements since antiquity. Belief in both the East and the West is that Guardian Angels serve to protect whichever person God assigns them to, and pray to God on that person’s behalf. The first Christian theologian to offer a detailed doctrine about Guardian Angels appears to have been Honorius of Autun (1080-1154), who said that every soul was assigned a Guardian Angel the moment it was put into a body. Scholastic theologians augmented the theory of Angelic Guardians. Thomas Aquinas agreed with Honorius and held that the lowest order of angels served as guardians, and his view was most successful in popular thought, but Duns Scotus said that any angel might accept the mission.

This feast, like many others, was local before it was placed in the Roman calendar. It was not in the breviary of Pius V, published in 1568; but there was a request from Cordova in 1579 for permission to have a feast in honour of the Guardian Angels. In the 17th century Clement X (1670-1676 ) made the Feast of Guardian Angels an obligatory feast for the whole Latin Church to be celebrated on October 2nd. This gives the sanction of papal authority to an ancient and cherished belief. The multiplicity of feasts is in fact quite a modern development, and that the Guardian Angels were not honoured with a special feast in the early Church is no evidence that they were not prayed to and reverenced. Pope John Paul II urged belief in Guardian Angels in conjunction with devotion to our Blessed Lady: “Let us invoke the Queen of angels and saints, that she may grant us, supported by our Guardian Angels, to be authentic witnesses to the Lord’s paschal mystery.”

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