Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels {September 29}

no exotic travel plans today -- we're doing laundry, cleaning house, bathing the girls, and in general, fighting the good fight against entropy, while looking forward to Sabrina and Rebecca's arrival tonight! so i figured we'd have a more domestic celebration for the Feast of the Archangels. there will be no traditional roast goose for supper, but there will be honey mustard chicken, and i sold my soul for 250 g (1 cup) of fresh blackberries with which to make a blackberry cobbler (i'm making up the rest in strawberries, which did not exact quite so high a cost).

cobbler success! and it couldn't be easier. i used this recipe (and just mixed 2 TBSP sugar into the berries
 and let sit for about 10 minutes before adding the topping). 

the archangels used to have separate feast days, but they are now combined into one. here's a bit about St. Gabriel, from a homily by Pope Saint Gregory the Great: "Those who deliver messages of lesser importance are called angels; and those who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called archangels. And so it was that not merely an angel but the archangel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary. It was only fitting that the highest angel should come to announce the greatest of all messages. ... So too Gabriel, who is called God's strength, was sent to Mary. He came to announce the One who appeared as a humble man to quell the cosmic powers. Thus God's strength announced the coming of the Lord of the heavenly powers, mighty in battle."

St. Gabriel (image source)

St. Gabriel is also the one who appeared to Daniel to explain his messianic visions (Daniel 8:16-26 and 9:21-17) and who appeared to Zachary in the temple to announce the coming of his son, John the Baptist (Luke 1:11-20). he is the patron saint of clergy, the postal service, communications of all kinds (including telephones and television), and the archdiocese of Seattle (who knew?).

St. Michael is actually revered by all three monotheistic faiths (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam), which was news to me. in Islamic tradition, Mīkāl helped to purify Muhammed's heart before he traveled from Mecca to Jerusalem. the prophet Daniel describes St. Michael defending the church against the anti-Christ (Daniel 12:1), defeating Lucifer, who is often depicted as a dragon. he is the patron of artists, bankers, hatmakers, paramedics, police officers, and swordsmiths, among others.

St. Michael (image source)

before the Second Vatican Council, the St. Michael prayer was traditionally recited at the end of mass. however, it was removed (along with other prayers) to ensure a clear delineation between the liturgy of the Holy Mass and the various devotions that are still helpful to us, but not part of the mass itself. in reading about this today, i just learned that twenty years ago, Pope Saint John Paul II recommended that Catholics still pray the St. Michael prayer privately after the conclusion of the mass. and it seems particularly appropriate now!

St. Michael the Archangel,

defend us in battle.

Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,

and do thou,

O Prince of the heavenly hosts,

by the power of God,

thrust into hell Satan,

and all the evil spirits,

who prowl about the world

seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

St. Raphael, the patron of travelers, has been very good to us over the years. he helped guide Tobiah and cured him of blindness in the Book of Tobit (apocrypha alert!), and thus is also the patron of healers, physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and happy meetings.

St. Raphael (image source)

i came across this poem by G.K. Chesterton today, and although the Church is fighting a war within itself right now, it still seems particularly apt.

"To St. Michael in Time of Peace"

by G.K. Chesterton

Michael, Michael: Michael of the Morning,

Michael of the Army of the Lord,

Stiffen thou the hand upon the still sword, Michael,

Folded and shut upon the sheathed sword, Michael,

Under the fullness of the white robes falling,

Gird us with the secret of the sword.

When the world cracked because of a sneer in heaven,

Leaving out for all time a scar upon the sky,

Thou didst rise up against the Horror in the highest,

Dragging down the highest that looked down on the Most High:

Rending from the seventh heaven the hell of exaltation

Down the seven heavens till the dark seas burn:

Thou that in thunder threwest down the Dragon

Knowest in what silence the Serpent can return.

Down through the universe the vast night falling

(Michael, Michael: Michael of the Morning!)

Far down the universe the deep calms calling

(Michael, Michael: Michael of the Sword!)

Bid us not forget in the baths of all forgetfulness,

In the sigh long drawn from the frenzy and the fretfulness

In the huge holy sempiternal silence

In the beginning was the Word.

When from the deeps of dying God astounded

Angels and devils who do all but die

Seeing Him fallen where thou couldst not follow,

Seeing Him mounted where thou couldst not fly,

Hand on the hilt, thou hast halted all thy legions

Waiting the Tetelestai and the acclaim,

Swords that salute Him dead and everlasting

God beyond God and greater than His Name.

Round us and over us the cold thoughts creeping

(Michael, Michael: Michael of the battle-cry!)

Round us and under us the thronged world sleeping

(Michael, Michael: Michael of the Charge!)

Guard us the Word; the trysting and the trusting

Edge upon the honour and the blade unrusting

Fine as the hair and tauter than the harpstring

Ready as when it rang upon the targe.

He that giveth peace unto us; not as the world giveth:

He that giveth law unto us; not as the scribes:

Shall he be softened for the softening of the cities

Patient in usury; delicate in bribes?

They that come to quiet us, saying the sword is broken,

Break man with famine, fetter them with gold,

Sell them as sheep; and He shall know the selling

For He was more than murdered. He was sold.

Michael, Michael: Michael of the Mustering,

Michael of the marching on the mountains of the Lord,

Marshal the world and purge of rot and riot

Rule through the world till all the world be quiet:

Only establish when the world is broken

What is unbroken is the word.

Marco d'Oggiono, "The Three Archangels" (image source)

St. Michael, pray for us. St. Gabriel, pray for us. St. Raphael, pray for us.