September 29, 2012

Feast of Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael, archangels

Sts. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are the three archangels who sit before the throne of God.  They are mentioned in Scripture.  Read more.

Lectionary: 647

A reading from the book of Daniel

Dn 7:9-10, 13-14

As I watched:

Daniel describes his vision.

Thrones were set up

and the Ancient One took his throne.

I suspect this is a reference to the Holy Trinity.  Three thrones.  One God.

His clothing was bright as snow,

and the hair on his head as white as wool;

This takes me back to Moses speaking to God on the Mountain

Exodus 34:29

King James Version (KJV)

29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him

 and to Jesus at the the Transfiguration.

Matthew 17

King James Version (KJV)

1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light

His throne was flames of fire,

with wheels of burning fire.

I don't know to what this refers.  But Ezekiel saw something similar in his vision:

Ezekiel 1:21

King James Version (KJV)

21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

A surging stream of fire

flowed out from where he sat;

Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,

and myriads upon myriads attended him.

I think these myriads are angels.

The court was convened, and the books were opened.

As the visions during the night continued, I saw

This brings me back to the book of Revelations:

Revelation 20:12

King James Version (KJV)

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

One like a son of man coming,

on the clouds of heaven;

Jesus is the Son of man and makes reference to this vision when He is being condemned by the Sanhedrin:

Matthew 26:64

King James Version (KJV)

64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

When he reached the Ancient One

and was presented before him,

He received dominion, glory, and kingship;

nations and peoples of every language serve him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion

that shall not be taken away,

his kingship shall not be destroyed.

St. Paul says:

Hebrews 1

King James Version (KJV)

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Or the alternate reading from the book of RevelationsRv 12:7-12ab

War broke out in heaven;

Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.

Satan is the Dragon.

St. Michael is the Captain of the Angels and He sounded the war cry against the being who rebelled against God.

The dragon and its angels fought back,

but they did not prevail

and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.

St. Michael and the angels prevailed and cast the devil and his demons out of heaven.

The huge dragon, the ancient serpent,

who is called the Devil and Satan,

who deceived the whole world,

was thrown down to earth,

and its angels were thrown down with it.

The deception of the world had not yet occurred when the Devil was cast down to earth from heaven.  

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

"Now have salvation and power come,

and the Kingdom of our God

and the authority of his Anointed.

This is a reference to the birth of Jesus, who has now come in the flesh.

For the accuser of our brothers is cast out,

who accuses them before our God day and night.

This repeats the fact that Satan is cast out of heaven.  Satan means "accuser".

They conquered him by the Blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony;

This is a reference to the Holy Eucharist and the Gospel.  The Church is defeating Satan by spreading the Gospel and celebrating the Sacraments.

love for life did not deter them from death.

This is a reference to the Apostles and the martyrs throughout Salvation history.

Therefore, rejoice, you heavens,

and you who dwell in them."

This is a call for rejoicing to all who are in the Kingdom of God.  That means you and I as well.  For we hope in God and God is sure.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5

Response. (1) In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,

for you have heard the words of my mouth;

in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;

I will worship at your holy temple

and give thanks to your name.

R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

Because of your kindness and your truth;

for you have made great above all things

your name and your promise.

When I called, you answered me;

you built up strength within me.

R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD

when they hear the words of your mouth;

And they shall sing of the ways of the LORD

"Great is the glory of the LORD"

R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

We are always in the sight of the angels.  So we should always sing the praises of God.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John

Jn 1:47-51

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,

"Here is a true child of Israel.

There is no duplicity in him."

Nathanael is also known as Bartholomew.  Jesus says that he is an extraordinarily honest man.

Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"

Nathanael isn't surprised that he is called an honest man.  So he must be aware of such a reputation.  But wonders how Jesus knows him.

Jesus answered and said to him,

"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."

Nathanael answered him,

"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

I don't know what Nathanael was doing under the fig tree, but he seems really impressed.  

I wonder here, why Jesus did not appoint Nathanael the Rock, as He later did Simon (Matt 16:18)? Because Nathanael essentially made the same declaration as did Simon.

Jesus answered and said to him,

"Do you believe

because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?

You will see greater things than this."

And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you,

you will see heaven opened

and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Here, Jesus makes reference to Daniel's vision again.  Essentially, He is saying to Nathanael, "If that is what you say because I told you about the fig tree, what will you say when you see the angels of God ascending and descending upon Me."  In other words, Jesus revealed to him that He is God.

Sincerely,

De Maria