The lessons for St. Michael and All Angels are not the comforting words of sentiment or sweetness but words of war, of fierce battle, and of wining and losing. There is not much room for tame angels or soft images here. We long to see angels but if we saw them as they are we would certainly be terrified. I am reminded of a friend who described the implementation of the armaments of war and said he expected to be exuberant over the accomplishment of our technology. Instead he was sick and fearful. Angels that conform to the sweet image of our sentiment are worthless to us. I am not saying that they cannot be compassionate or gentle but that the warriors whom God calls His messengers are beneficial to us precisely because they are powerful.
Sadly, we do not want to interrupt our playful imagination with the stark reality of Scripture. We would do well to listen more to the Word than to tear up at the chubby little cherubs sold to us in the marketplace. If we knew what they were, we would desire less to see them and be comforted more by their labors on our behalf as God has promised.
I recall the movie City of Angels about 15 years ago. It is surely not faithful to the Biblical teaching on angels and yet the image of angels portrayed in that movie is closer to reality than the standard image of refrigerator magnet and Christian book store print. The movie image of those brooding angels hanging around the library watching folks oblivious to their presence still sticks in my mind. Those who watch over us at God's behest are filled with mystery and that mystery is as much a cause of fear as it is wonder. But we do not need figureheads. We need the reality of those whose heavenly battle with Lucifer and his legion banished evil from heave. We need the might of those who have the power of God on their side -- for us whom God calls His own. We need wild angels who wield the spiritual power of God against our powerful enemies. Remember when Jesus said if He wanted He would send for His angels and nothing could be done to harm Him. These were not show angels. Tame lions are for zoos. Tame angels are for fiction. God is not tame and cannot be house broken and neither can His angels. Thank the Lord for that. They do not serve us but they serve the Lord on our behalf. Let us never forget it...
2 comments:
C.S. Lewis had Ransom (protagonist) in his Space Trilogy eventually being at peace with the 'angels' with whom he came into cocntact. His friend (first person - the storyteller in the books) had his first encounter in the second book. NOT a comfortable experience. He was weak; felt sick to stomach. Fear was the primary emotion.
Raw power, which wields the authority of God (yes, they do God's will) is to be feared.
Maybe Ransom being comfortable is not the best word. More like an understanding. Ransom knew and told his companion the creaures were/are good. Comfortable? Probably as comfortable as Daniel was in the lion's den. Power controlled, and under the Hand of God.
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