Celebrating Michaelmas

September 29, 2009

The Feast of St. Michael

Michael=Who is like unto God?

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world -- he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Revelation 12:7

Light Candle

Prayer:
Everlasting God, you 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.

Scripture: There are so many to choose from depending on your emphasis for your family.

The gospel lectionary reading is John 1:47-51 but this passage makes no reference particularly to Michael.

Here are Scriptural passages which refer to the angel Michael fighting Satan: Jude 1:9 and Revelation 12:7
Paul’s references to Principalities and Powers: + (Eph 1:21)
+ (Col 1:16)
+ (Rom 8:38f)
+ (Eph 6:12)
+ (Eph 3:10)
+ (Col 2:10)
+ (Col 2:15)
Or you may choose to read a familiar Bible story of angels working as messengers for God.

The Blessing, Tea and Snack:
So many fun ideas ranging from traditional, folklore or thematic!

• Angel shaped cookies
• Angel food cake or Bannock (check out the recipe from Jessica!)
  
• St. Michael’s Waffles
• Italians eat Gnocchi!!
• The Irish eat Goose—read the origins here! Perhaps Chicken with Angel Hair Pasta if you don't have a goose!
• And since blackberries surround Folklore about the Devil any recipe with Blackberry will do since it was believed you shouldn't eat blackberries after St. Michael's Feast Day!

We’re going to do a Devil’s Food Cake (though we don’t have any cocktail swords to stab the cake with, so we’ll just use toothpicks! )

Hymn Study: I'd like to introduce the Sanctus (scroll down to S129) as it is the song that we sing each week during communion "joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest."

Activity or Craft:
While there are tons of Angel crafts on the Internet, it is more difficult to find things that aren’t cutsie! I hardly think in the fight between Michael and Satan as described in Revelations that the angels looked like sweet cherubs J. And we know in Scripture many times people did not know they were even speaking to angels and at other times, people were clearly afraid, since the Angel’s first words always seem to be “Fear Not!”

So we will do an art study of photographs of the amazing St. Michael’s statue in Gasson Hall at Boston College (where hubby went to Grad school) pictured above. For more about the statue check out the Boston College website.

I also plan on another Coloring page from Waltzing Matilda since both kids are so into coloring right now.

And then I’m sure my son will also want to act this one out—swords, fighting, dragons!

Other Resources:
A place to start your thinking about this Feast day and Angels in general: http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/254.html
http://www.fisheaters.com/customstimeafterpentecost10.html

For more activity and food ideas:
http://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/2008/09/from-thy-bounty-fair-feasting-with.html
You gotta love how the church calendar helps us not only walk the entire life of Christ but captures so many different theological categories as well!

Happy Michaelmas to you! We’d love to hear how you celebrated!