A number of years ago, I attended a consultation entitled “How Do We Speak About God?” It was a really engaging time, when a group of clergy were discussing and sharing experiences and ideas of how we communicate about what we know and don’t see, and what we sense but can’t touch.
We looked at the overlay of faith in modern institutions – like health care. We contemplated expressing the divine in fine arts and poetry. We stretched our perceptions of where to *find* God in definitive ways: in sacred buildings and profound prayer, of course; but also seeing the holy reflected in nature’s majesty and in social media; in food security and international commerce.
Needless to say: it was exciting, exhausting, and exhilarating.
Over a decade later, several of us still engage in friendly conversations about this: how do we speak about God?
We ascribe characteristics, like love and justice and peace.
We speak of ways that we have encountered the divine, those holy moments where our inner selves *knew* we were in the presence of God.
We embrace practices, like building community and praying and acts of compassion.
And: sometimes, we point to others when we want to talk about God.
Not in the ‘handing it off to you!’ kind of deflection – but an authentic appreciation for the knowledge and wisdom of others.
Today is one of those days. How do we speak about God?
Sometimes we talk about angels.
Now, in today’s society, if we were to speak of angels, we would likely encounter folks who understand angels as cute little cupids, cherubs floating around with bows on Valentine’s Day.
Maybe.
Or we could find someone who thinks that angels are our celestial guardians who do their best to keep bad things from happening to us.
Maybe!
But the biblical accounting of angels tells us something different: And this is what we’re celebrating today.
Angels are God’s messengers. Literally, the word Angel means Messenger.
One who carries the message that God wishes for us to hear, and learn.
The angels have been greatly considered, and written about, for thousands of years. From appearance to temperament to purpose, the biblical angels seldom look or act like the greeting-card or porcelain knick-knack we think of.
They are heavenly beings, organised into choirs or hierarchies, and serve God as leaders, revealers, enforcers, proclaimers – those who carry the word and action as messengers of God.
To us as humans; and to other celestial bodies.
So when they bring their message to us, there’s a lot of ways that we can receive those messages:
For some, it is a revelation, like Jacob’s dream.
Not only is he shown that messengers are in constant motion between the heavenly and earthly realms; he is also blessed with the knowledge that God would not send messengers to somewhere unloved or unimportant.
“Surely the Lord is in this place!” he declares.
He has seen and experienced holiness: he can clearly talk about God!
And thus, as a result of his receiving God’s message, he then goes on to share God’s message.
How awesome is this place indeed!
For some, the angelic message is a basis for the entirety of existence: The psalmist celebrates the angels as worthy of blessing; as ministers of God’s will, of the works of God’s creation.
All who wish to embrace the grace that is communicated to them are invited to live out a life serving others with that same grace; not for their own glory, but to help others learn about, and come to relationship with, God.
Some of God’s messages are intending to identify leaders, and articulate ministries.
Our Gospel has Jesus reminding folks of God in his rather strange conversation with Nathanael; assuring him of the cosmic connection between the mortal Jesus and the eternal Christ. The angels will ascend and descend, we hear; carrying messages in ways that transcend time and space.
Jesus assures the people who are listening that these angels are present, and are real: even when they are not seen, or known, or understood.
And what a blessing for Nathanael; to hear the words of comfort from Jesus himself that he would be blessed with this undeniable confidence in the presence of God, manifest on earth.
What a compliment for Nathanael to have his ministry affirmed: he is a truth-teller, known and respected within the community. To be granted the glimpse of these angels gives him the opportunity to share the good news of Jesus’ divinity with courage, confidence, and credence. Angels amongst us, he will see: and speak about.
And some angelic messages are not for humans to see or participate in; but we benefit all the same.
The passage from the Revelation to John: a biblical book that in today’s society is met with a lot of curiosity and skepticism and inflammatory interpretation.
Understandably. This book has always been met with skepticism and curiosity… but that’s a sermon for another time.
Today, the passage we get introduces us to Michael: the archangel. And he and his team work together to ensure that heaven remains a place of holy peace.
Michael is described in the book For All the Saints “the powerful agent of God who wards off evil from God’s people and delivers peace to them at the end of this life’s mortal struggle.”
While many in today’s society tend to be wary of the Book of Revelation, when we read it as an extended message, we see not only the opportunity for our redemption (being offered over and over again); but we also are comforted by the knowledge that God’s angels are constantly at work to provide eternal peace.
Thus Michael teaches John – and us through John’s Revelation – to speak of God in ways that comfort, that encourage, that assure. God’s promises are everlasting, and we can join in rejoicing with the angels.
Those messengers, who praise God; and invite us to do the same.
As the 20th century English author Dorothy Sayers says: “the angels represent the operations of divine providence: that varied and coordinated power, imaging the whole spiritual order of the universe, quickened and sustained by the love of God.”
So angels are messengers of pure praise; and through their service of praise they work to sustain, empower, and defend, the spiritual order of the universe.
And as they do this, they keep the focus on God. On God’s grace. On the holy promise that is offered to us all.
They do this often without us knowing that they are God’s angels: even in the scriptures only four angels have names. The rest of these countless messengers come to us at unplanned times, in unexpected encounters, yet in ways that remain remarkable to us.
And they speak to us, about God. Inspiring us in words, in actions, in feelings, in dreams.
And they equip US to speak about God to others: in ways that are meaningful to our context, helpful to the people we meet, uplifting to the communities we serve, empowering to the experiences we share.
The angels are still speaking: and I pray that we will all have the openness of heart and soul to hear and receive the good news of God:
And that we have the confidence then to tell others of that goodness.
For God is present: and God’s angels are here:
waiting for God’s people to continue the communication.
Let us go into the world, sharing the Good News given to us by the angels.
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