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This Sunday is the day known as St. Michael and All Angels. This is a particularly important day to us here at our church because St. Michael is where we get our name.
When we refer to saints, we normally are talking about fellow human being who have gone on to glory with Jesus. When we name a church out of one of these saints, it is generally because there is something we admire about them or something about their story that we connect with. St. Michael is a different case. St. Michael was no man, but an angel.
Angels have this sense of divinity to them. They seem beyond human in just about every possible way. They seem closer to God even.
Did you know, however, that Michael means “who is like God?” Michael’s name is a reminder that though angels are different than us and though the seem to be almost godlike, They are not God Himself. That is an important reminder to us because it means that the heavenly company, the great communion of saints, is not limited to one being or another. This fact gives us more hope and comfort that we human beings can make it as part of that company too.
St. Michael reminds us of another important thing. As we heard in our reading from Revelation, Michael is at the forefront of the battle between Good and evil.
We all confront evil in one form or another every day. Because Michael leads the charge against the forces of evil, and since that seems to be Michael’s very purpose, we know, thanks to this creature God has made, that we will always have assistance, a companion, and a protector in our own individual battles with evil every day.
Bearing the name of St. Michael is one that should give us comfort always. It is a reminder of God’s continuing assurance that He is looking out for us and providing us all that we need, whether it is comfort and hope in the gift of salvation or the assurance that we never go into the battle against evil alone.