Light from the Altar - Saint Michael, Archangel, 8 May

What a difference there is between light and its definition: light as explained to a sightless child and the light bursting in upon the wide-open eyes of one seeing! Some such difference is there between the angels and our ideas of them. With the dear saints we have kinship. True, they are conquerors, and we too often conquered; still, we can clasp their hands and feel that they are flesh and blood, and human nature generally. But with the angels the ease is different. They are on a plane far above us. It is not so much our language that is at fault as that our perception is. We have not the intellect to grasp natures other than our own, especially those above us. And how far the angels are above us by nature who shall say!

The angels know no wavering of temptation, no quivering of sensuality, no mediation of the senses. With them there is no balancing in reasoning, no hesitation in acting. But we men are for ever fighting, or worse, succumbing; for ever weighing reasons and mistaking conclusions. Only to think of the great brains of the earth puzzling over the question of education, groping and querying, acting and withdrawing, blundering and amending; light coming slowly from different luminaries, and, because it is partial, apparently contradicting! It is all very praiseworthy, but very dull. What a difference to the angelic intellect, which sees as a whole, grasps as a whole, assents as to a whole!

And these great intelligences are at our disposal: "Are they not all ministering spirits sent to minister for them who are heirs of salvation!" (Hebrews 1:14) Ministering spirits! No king upon earth has, by reason of his kingship, such servants. And yet the poorest amongst us has at his command the heavenly host. We hear of people rejoicing over their great retinues, counting over their servants, numbering their dependents. Let them, and laugh. The most powerful monarch's army cannot come near our Master's train. "Is there any numbering of His soldiers!" (Job 25) And His soldiers are ours. For did He not say: "I have called you friends"! Friends share each other's privileges, joys, company. As the angel's ministered to our Lord so they minister to His friends. Is it not our fault, then, if we stumble in temptation or fail in trial!

Only three of the blessed angels are named in Scripture; and first of these is Michael, the Prince of the Church of God. Michael interpreted means "Who is like to God," because when Lucifer the bright one fell Michael stood firm by the standard of his King. He is spoken of as a warrior spirit: "There was a great battle in Heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought and they prevailed not." They were thrust down by the great standard-bearer to the bottomless pit.

And such a one is our champion, "the great Prince who standeth for the children of thy people," Daniel calls him. And Zacharias saw the archangel praying for his people: "O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem? I am zealous for Sion with a great zeal." "If we only had workers," we sometimes sigh. Well, here is a worker with thousands at his command, one who has measured himself with the powers of darkness and has prevailed. Our enemy is, like his, a spiritual one - let us, then, make common cause with him.

"But we do pray to Saint Michael," we say. Ah, yes - that is, we mention him in our prayers. But how much intention do we put into the words, and how much stronger do we feel for such feeble asking? We say our prayers often as we swallow capsules: the quicker the better. This is a sorry habit. The beauty of the words escapes us; their bulk only impresses us. Far wiser to say a few prayers slowly, intently, than many quickly and unthinkingly. "Blessed Saint Michael, defend us in the day of battle" - day of temptation, of daily need, of weary doubt - "that we may not be lost," the only awful word existing, the only event no man's courage can support; "in the day of judgment," God's own day of vindication, when each will receive his just award. Blessed Saint Michael, defend us now and be with us now that we may be safe on that tremendous day.

- taken from Light from the Altar, edited by Father James J McGovern, 1906