Today the Church commemorates the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels otherwise referred to as "Michaelmas." Today we remember those other heralds of God the Father, the angels. The Anglican tradition maintains the three main archangels:Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel. Often there is the fourth, Uriel. Especially in the Episcopal tradition, there seems to be a fear of discussing the angelic hand of God. Michael is my middle name and I have always had a special place in my heart for the warrior of the Father. While I do not count angelic theology as a particular interest of mine, I know that I do not know enough about angels in heavenly chorus. I pray this day that I may come to a greater knowledge of angels and the celestial chivalry.
Hymn
Tibi, Christe, spledor Patris*
Thee, O Christ, the Father's splendour,
Life and virtue of the heart,
In the presence of the Angels
Sing we now with tuneful art;
Meetly in alternate chorus
Bearing our responsive part.
Thus we praise with veneration
All the armies of the sky;
Chiefly him, the warrior Primate
Of celestial chivalry,
Michael, who in princely virtue
Cast Abaddon from on high.
By whose watchful care repelling,
King of everlasting grace,
Every ghostly adversary,
All things evil, all things base,
Grant us of thine only goodness
In thy paradise a place.
Glory to the Father sing we
with resounding voices sweet,
Glory unto Christ our Saviour,
Glory to the Paraclete:
Standing forth, One God and Trinal,
Ere the ages; as is meet.
Amen.
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*The Monastic Diurnal (London: Oxford University Press, 1963).
A Feast Day Collect
Everlasting God, who have ordained and constituted in a wonderful order the ministries of angels and mortals: Mercifully grant that, as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by your appointment they may help and defend us here on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
