Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers of Heaven.
All-Night Vigil Feast. A day when the faithful are highly encouraged to participate in the Divine Liturgy.
Hebrews 2:2-10; Luke 10:16-21.
Read Luke 10:16-21
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Today we celebrate the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers of Heaven. Angels are bodiless, immaterial creatures. God created the various ranks of angels as the highest beings of His creation. The reading from St. Luke’s gospel includes Jesus telling His disciples, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (Lk. 10:18-20).
In the Byzantine tradition, the Book of Revelation is not read liturgically. However, perhaps today’s feast would be a fitting occasion to do so. In Chapter 12, we read: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Rev. 12:7-9). In the war that broke out in heaven, angels warred against each other. Satan and the other fallen angels fell through their pride and disobedience. They were fought by St. Michael the Archangel and the other angels who remain faithful to God. Today, we still call upon the help of St. Michael and the other angels to defend us from the attacks of the demons. Although Satan and the demons fell to earth, they were conquered through the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ (see Rev. 12:11).
By telling His disciples that He saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven, Jesus revealed that He is the eternal God. Jesus existed even before “that serpent of old” ever tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden and brought about the fall of humanity. In today’s reading, Jesus granted His disciples the authority to trample over Satan and all demonic powers. However, what was important was not so much the fact that they were granted this power over the fallen angels but rather that their names were written in heaven. Today as we remember St. Michael and all the angels of heaven, let us thank God for the protection they continue to provide us. Let us remember that we have no reason to fear Satan and the demons because Christ has already conquered them.
Bible References