Sunday 28th September, Patronal Festival, 15th Sunday after Trinity

I was bullied when I was at school. I didn’t like it much, and if you share that experience you will know that the effects can be long-lasting. One thing I desperately wanted (and finally found, when I plucked up courage to tell someone about it) was someone stronger than me who could stand with me and help sort things out. This Sunday we are celebrating the Priory’s dedication to the Archangel Michael, whose feast day is tomorrow (29th September).

In Scripture, Michael appears most prominently in the Old Testament book of Daniel and in the New Testament book of Revelation. In both he is a warrior angel, commander of the heavenly armies, leading the spiritual struggle against forces which are hostile to God and his people. Both Daniel and Revelation were written at times when God’s people were under pressure, facing hostility and persecution. Feeling weak and vulnerable, the promise of spiritual support from a powerful angel was a source of deep comfort. There are many in the worldwide church for whom this continues to be true.

Scripture constantly reminds us, and we proclaim whenever we say the creed, that God’s creation contains things both “seen and unseen”. It’s easy to look at the world around us, with all its conflict and uncertainty, and lose heart. But we are surrounded by beings more powerful than we are, and who are in every sense just as real, even though they are largely unseen. We are not alone.

Every blessing,

Roger.