MICHAELMAS

Opotiki News, Volume III, Issue 318, 2 October 1940, Page 2

MICHAELMAS

(Supplied by the Opotiki Ministers’ Assn.) September 29th. was the feast or the “mass” of St. Michael and all Angels. What a pity it is not more widely observed these days. It lifts us so high above this poor world of ours with its slaughterings ol women and children, sinking ships and falling houses. It lifts us into those limitless expanses where God' and all His Holy Angels dwell. Look up into our Spring skies, by day or by night, and see the glory of the heavenly Hosts, St. Michael and AH Angels. Science has.taught us that we aro so many tiny atoms of humanity crawling, clinging precariously, to a speck of cosmic dust which we call our Earth. The Psalmist, ages ago wondered? “Lord, what is man that Thou art mindful of him ; or the son of man that Thou so regardest him ? Man is like a thing of nought; his t.me passeth like a shadow”. And yet he secs that “The Lord is loving unto every man; and His mercy is over all His works”.

When we look up, the whole of Space is scintillating with the wings of the heavenly hosts who surround us. God created all things Good. But one of the brightest of all the Angels, Lucifer the Star of the Morning, rebelled against God. Ho thought he was wiser; he thought to setl his throne above the throne of God, and there was “war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world, and his angels were cast out with him. Therefore rejoice ye heavens, and they that dwell in them. IV oe to the inhabiters of the earth, and the sea; for the devil is. come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath a short time to live”.

Why do we cling to this devil-rul-ed earth of ours so tenaciously, so fearfully, when above, and. all arouncl us, are the armies of God led by Blessed Michael ? Because of our sins we are bound for a little while in this world, but Salvation has come to us. We may lift our minds whenever we will to the heights above. We may meet Sunday by Sunday and sing the song of the Angels and Archangels. “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Host, heaven and earth are full of Thy glory; glory be to Thee, 0 Lord most high”. This song which we sing in our Eucharist is no earthly song; it is not the composition of any man; it has come to us from heaven above. It is the eternal song of the Holy Angels. And we, because we are “in Christ”, may sing it; and do sing it with “angels and archangels and the whole company of heaven.” Our feet may be bound to this earth, and our bodies may be a part of this world ; but let us praise God that our minds and our souls arc free, and we may lift them up and dwell in those supernal regions where the Holy Ones give us the strength to endure all that we have to suffer in this world, and emerge victorious from the conflict.