Saint Michael and All Angels

Information (and misinformation) about angels can be found in abundance as they remain popular with all sorts of people, religious, spiritual, and otherwise (I’m thinking of that store at the mall, but that’s a different kind of angel!). There are questions about the categories of angels (e.g. archangel, seraphim), whether everyone has a guardian angel, and the medieval classic, “How many angels can dance upon the head of pin?” (You were wondering about that, right?)

The Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels, also known as Michaelmas, falls annually on September 29. Angels appear throughout the pages of Holy Scripture. Sometimes, as in the case of Michael, they are named in obscure passages (Daniel 10:12:1, Thessalonians 4:16). In other cases, angels are referred to in a general sense (Job 38:7, Revelation 14:6). In other places, angels act as God’s messengers, such as when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary (Luke 1:26-38). 

Michael’s importance is tied to Revelation 12:7-9: “And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 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.”

It is for this reason that Saint Michael is portrayed in Christian art and iconography as a warrior. Our English word for angel comes from the Greek word “angelos” meaning messenger. For thousands of years, across cultures, human beings have reported angelic encounters. Within the Christian faith and the Western artistic tradition, angels have often been depicted as beautiful human like creature with wings and halos. These are symbolic portrayals. In Christian understanding angels are genderless; they are spiritual beings, not physical ones.

Angels aren't chubby babies with wings (I know they are so cute!) but are super-human intelligences that serve God; usually, behind the curtain of ordinary human perception. But, are they real? Traditional Christian belief and experience suggests, yes! With all that the natural sciences are revealing to us today about the “seen and unseen” it shouldn’t surprise us that there is more to this world that meets the naked eye. But what do you think about angels? Are they a mysterious reality or a medieval supersition? Please share in the comment sections below.  

The Situation of Christianity in the West, part 2

The Good News:


Our current period of flux, decline, and instability of Christian institutions may be the exact kind of spiritual soil needed to birth powerful movements of the Spirit. You don’t have to be a church historian to notice that many of Christianity’s greatest movements were birthed during times of cultural conflict, societal instability and/or spiritual decline.


For example, the early Church’s explosive growth,  the rise of the Franciscans and Dominicans in the 13^th century (see how I humble I am listing the Franciscans first…), the Great Awakenings in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, and the growth of Christianity in the majority world in the last century (Isn’t it great you get to say, “I was born in the last century”?! Ok. Ok. Touchy subject. Let’s move on).

We should be praying for and on the lookout for new movements of the Spirit. This is hopeful news. For sure, like in times past, there will be tensions between the old movements and the new movements. There is already a need for discernment in sorting out robust, fruitful, and faithful expressions of Christian life and community and those that are less so. 

Besides the good news of new powerful movements of the Spirit, there is also the good news of being forced back to Christian basics. When popular culture and Christianity merge, the result has often been a weakening of the zeal and discipleship of the Church. This means it has been possible for many people to go to church without really becoming disciples, mature Christians.

But the good news is that as Christian institutions become more sidelined from mainstream culture, the more individual Christians will have to seriously embrace their faith. If most cultural forces are encouraging people NOT to be active in the faith, then to be active in the faith will require more commitment to basic Christian beliefs and practices by the average church goer. 

But wait, there’s more! (Call now and…oh never mind) This change will mean churches, if they hope to survive, will have to get out of their doors to connect with their communities. It will also mean some new structures for churches, seminaries and denominations. What other good news is there to our situation in the West? Are you seeing any of this yet, locally or globally? 

The Situation of Christianity in the West, part 1

The Old News:

Christianity is booming in the majority world (Africa, South American, and parts of Asia); whereas, overall, Christianity in the West (North America, Europe, and parts of Oceania) has been facing a steep decline for decades. This post isn’t about doom and gloom (I know…I know… you were really hoping for some of that) but this post is about recognizing our current reality.  

In short, Christian faith and Christian institutions, once at the center of Western culture, are increasingly less so, and Christian affiliation, which could once be assumed of most people (at least nominally), now cannot be assumed. There are places and populations where Christian influence is still stronger, but the trend away from our cultural dominance is relatively universal.

There are brighter spots, exceptions, and nuancing of this decline, but my purpose is simply to acknowledge this is the reality we find ourselves in as followers of Jesus in the early parts of the 21st century. This is a change from what many of us have known in past years, and many of you have witnessed this change accelerate over your lifetimes.

Many, from researchers, to practitioners, have written about this change (including me). In my travels, the reality of our situation is apparent to everyone: from the pastor struggling with to lead her church, to the faithful lay leader, who is perplexed why so few people participate in the church anymore, including his own children and grandchildren.

This is old news. Younger generations have grown up with this reality. They don’t remember a time when Christian influence was stronger. This is a hang up for those of us who have a memory (or a perceived memory?) of when churches thrived and Christian cultural influence was supersized (some say for good; some say for ill; some say I should be taking a pill).

Does your church talk about this reality openly? Or is it something people only talk about in the church parking lot, in between complaints about church meetings not being long enough? (That was a joke in case you were wondering) Is this old news in your church circles? Is this something your leaders, whether local or regional, are actively seeking to address? Do you want them to? 

Lenten Practices, Stations of the Cross

The stations are a way of remembering and entering spiritually, the final hours of Jesus earthy life and ministry. This period is also referred to as Christ’s passion. Passion coming from the Latin word for passionem, meaning suffering. Hence the term, Passion Week. That is Holy Week. Each station remembers a point along the way Jesus took from his condemnation by Pontius Pilate to his death on the cross and burial in the tomb. By observing the stations, the individual believer, family, or congregation, accompanies Jesus in his last moments. For centuries, Christians have physically retraced Jesus’ Way of Sorrow (Via Dolorosa) in the Old City of Jerusalem on Good Friday. Usually, there are 14 stations.

The practice of the stations allows all Christians, regardless of geographic location, to enter this experience. Many Roman Catholic and some Anglican Churches display the stations of the cross in their churches all year. However, many don’t and still observe the stations on Fridays in Lent. This is often done by using temporarily displayed stations. Also, many monastic communities and retreat centers have the stations of the cross displayed on their grounds. These, while sometimes used by congregations formally, are often used more by individuals for personal reflection and devotion. Whether used as a formal service by a congregation or more informally by individuals for personal meditation the stations can be a powerful practice. 

It’s not necessary to have “official” stations to observe this practice on your own. You could look up the fourteen stations in the Bible, with a passage per station, perhaps moving from room to room. You could print out stations from various websites and create actual stations around your home or property. You could identify locations in your neighborhood or community with the traditional stations and observe them as a walking pilgrimage. Meditating, praying, and accompanying Jesus in his passion, as the Christian community has for over 2000 years can stir the heart, prompt deep reflection, and nurture faith. If a local church offers the stations you may wish to go experience them for yourself or try doing them in your own. 

Lenten Practices, Silence

Silence has long been understood as an ideal environment for fostering personal reflection and encounter with God. Silence is regular part of the life of many monastic communities. This isn’t done only to create a relaxing and peaceful environment (something parents of young children fantasize about!). Rather, exterior silence invites individual reflection, sometimes painfully, as thoughts, memories, and temptations arise. Much soul work cannot begin until we are willing to deal with our internal noise. Exterior silence is also an invitation to interior silence. The practice of quietening the heart and mind is often associated with Eastern religions, but in the Christian faith this practice is also an important means of making space to listen for God.

Stillness is associated with silence and both are associated with an awareness of the divine, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). The Prophet Elijah, fleeing persecution, encounters God not in the awesome power of earthquake or fire, but within “sheer silence” (1 Kings 19:12). Silence can be healing. Silence can be energizing. There are some who go to remote locations simply for the respite from the noise of our devices and the noise that our human communities create, complain about, and sometimes celebrate (click here for example.) Prayer is often described as a conversation with God. Silence fosters listening. Recall a person you’ve met who relishes talking but not listening. You don’t get to say much.

They say a whole lot. If you had something powerful, profound, or even pressing to tell them (e.g. “A tractor trailer truck is coming this way.”), they might not be able to hear it (with consequences that will run right along). Might this be God’s experience with you and me? We talk, but we don’t listen. Our culture is not comfortable with silence. Every single moment must be filled with noise. Our phones, with their wonderful abilities to play music, movies, and to entertain with massive choices of games, mean we don’t have to experience silence unless we choose to. It’s worth choosing silence. It’s a time-honored way of coming to terms with our anxieties, gaining clarity about our callings, and entering fuller awareness of the Triune God.   

Lenten Practices, Confession

While the saying, “confession is good for the soul” remains well known, the actual practice, in its various forms, is less well known. It is important to begin any consideration of confession by acknowledging that all Christian Churches, whether Protestant or Catholic, teach of the necessity of confession. Confession at its basic level is admitting to God you have erred, you’ve messed up, you’ve sinned. Considering Christian discipleship is about striving to Love God and Neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40) by aligning one’s whole life with the teachings of Jesus, it is not surprising that we often stumble along the way. I also stumbled earlier today while riding a unicycle and juggling four Bibles, three prayer books, two rosaries, and one Grizzly bear.

What all Christian Traditions do not agree about is sacramental confession. The centuries long practice of penitents (those with something to confess) of making a formal confession to a priest. Christian Traditions that practice sacramental confession (Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, some Lutherans), believe that God has blessed certain practices, as either instituted by Christ or developed by the Church in response to Christ. Practices that have proven, over long centuries, effective means by which human beings might receive and encounter the presence, forgiving power, and love of God. These practices are called sacraments. Besides confession, there is the sacrament of Holy Communion, Baptism, and Marriage, among others. 

Christian Churches that don’t believe in the seven traditional sacraments (often holding to just two: baptism and the Lord’s Supper), argue that these rituals were not instituted by God or that you do not need to go a human being (as helpful as that might be on occasion) to confess your sins. You can do that directly to God through Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Certainly, all Christian Churches, even those that require private confession, acknowledge you can confess directly to God. But some argue that sacramental confession is also necessary.  Why? One reason is the importance of dealing with failures and sins sooner, rather than later. Another reason is power of the sacrament to bring healing and hope to persons dealing with guilt

Yet another, is that these Churches tend to view the weekly reception of Holy Communion as a serious act. Thus, it is necessary to prepare. Not all Churches that make private confession available require it. In the Anglican Tradition, the view of private confession is, “All can, some should, none must.” As someone who has been a penitent and a priest, I can say that it is often powerful, often liberating and often healing for people. It can also be a useful practice to help support intentional and faithful living. If you know you are going to have to regularly make confession to another human being, that can impact how you live in subtle and significant ways. Ow! (Please excuse me, the Grizzly bear I was juggling earlier, is currently eating my leg.) 

The key is preparation and intention. Some Christians have had bad experiences with confession, because of an inattentive confessor (the priest hearing the confession). Others experienced it as a perfunctory ritual, something “you had to do” and thus did not experience it as an opportunity for soul cleaning, encouraging accountability, or gracious support of becoming the best person you were meant to be as God intended. Confession is about these larger purposes and not just “reporting about breaking rules.” Confession at its best is medicine for the soul. Confession is a way to sweep your conscience through the compassionate and convicting strength of the Holy Spirit. So, practice confession, daily in prayer, weekly in worship, and if your church offers it, sacramentally. 

Lenten Practices, Almsgiving

What are alms? Alms are a rare species of endangered leopards in the amazon (just kidding). Alms are food or money or assistance given to those in need. Almsgiving has always been part of the faith.  A concern to give to those in need. This practice encompasses both ideas of charity “let me give you a token of kindness or let me help you with a specific need in this immediate moment” and  ideas of justice: “not only should I help you in this immediate moment, but I should ask why you need help, and seek to address those root causes” and ideas between.

You can still find churches that have boxes labeled “For the Poor.” Some of you are familiar with the practice of mite boxes. Mite being an old translation for coins in the Bible. Some of your congregations do this now. A good practice. These are handed out at the start of Lent and individuals and families are encouraged to place them on their dining room tables. Change is collected throughout the season of Lent, for a specific cause, often associated with those in need (e.g. Heifer International, a Local Rescue Mission, spot removal surgery for Almcats , etc.).

Almsgiving can also be done directly to a person in need. This is part of the traditional practice. This can involve the giving of good, meeting a specific need, or financial assistance. Whether in person, through a mite box, or special project, even the small act of giving away our change can be a step toward developing greater awareness of need and greater generosity of spirit. Wrestling with how much we should give to the poor, as part of, or beyond a tithe, or a percentage of one’s income, forces us to look at our lives and deal with some tough questions.

How much do I really need? There are a lot of people out there whose basic needs are not being met. What is reasonable for me to keep and live on considering the profound suffering in the world? To often we ignore this entirely or make token gestures. While some are called to give away much of what they earn and have, the practice of almsgiving doesn’t require all of us to move this far and this fast. What this practice does do is invite us to think about Jesus’ Great commandment to “Love our neighbor” (Matthew 22:39) and take action to help those in need.