Sermon: The Rev. Dr. Maryann Amor
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Michael and All Angels, also known as Michaelmas. Maybe you have heard of this day before, have even celebrated it in worship. I know this is true for me…I have not only worshiped and preached on Michaelmas, but I was even ordained as a priest on this day. But with all of this, I still had no idea what today represented…that was, until I sat down to prepare this sermon. It was in researching and writing this sermon, learning more about the story of St. Michael and the celebration of Michaelmas that I realised that its core message of courage is one we can hold onto in our daily lives.
St. Michael was an archangel, so one of the chief angels…his story isn’t presented as historical fact, but is more mythological, filled with imagery that points to spiritual truths. As the legend goes, St. Michael was called to defend heaven against Lucifer, another archangel who rebelled against God. Michael, with an army of angels, cast Lucifer from heaven and, it is said that when Lucifer landed on earth after falling from the sky, he found himself in a blackberry bush. So, these berries are cursed, never to be eaten after Michaelmas is celebrated.
Running through this tale of Michael defeating Lucifer is the theme of his courage. This also informs the famous story of St. George slaying the dragon, as it was said St. Michael was with George, giving him courage in battle.
Michaelmas always falls on September 29th, just after the fall equinox. This timing is important as fall is a transition from the warmth of summer into the cold, darker days of winter. Touching on Michael’s story, his defeat of Lucifer and his support of St. George, Michaelmas reminds us of the courage we need as we prepare for winter. It’s a time to gather our strength as we get ready to face the dark winters days and the challenges they present to us.
Although Michaelmas isn’t really celebrated in Canada, it was a major festival in the Middle Ages and still holds importance in parts of Ireland and Scotland. The aster, a purple daisy that blooms around this time in Scotland, became a symbol of St. Michael’s courage. People would also feast and celebrate, eating goose, which was thought to bring good fortune for the winter. There’s even a tradition of baking “Michaelmas Bannock,” a type of bread that I’ve attempted to make for us to enjoy after the service today.
As I reflected on the legends and traditions surrounding Michaelmas, all of which I didn’t even know existed, I found that I was really touched by the theme of courage that underlies it all. Even though Michael’s story is really mythical and feels out of place in today’s world, the lesson of courage is timeless. A Waldorf publication notes that Michaelmas is a time to “ponder our own inner dragons” and develop the strength needed for personal growth. Michaelmas reminds us that we need courage to face all the dragons in our lives.
The reality is that we all have inner dragons—doubts, fears, challenges we’d rather avoid. And just as winter is inevitable, so too are the difficulties and unexpected trials that come our way. Michaelmas invites us to face these dragons head-on, with the courage to grow and strengthen ourselves in the process.
Unfortunately, in today’s world, many people shy away from this kind of inner work. We often dismiss counseling or therapy, thinking we don’t need it. But I really think we all need it. A friend of mine compared doing inner work to how people care for a car…you put oil in a car to ensure it runs, you do this before it breaks down…our inner work, the work of therapy and counselling is like this…it is like taking care of ourselves, putting oil in us, before we break down. It is maintenance of our inner lives. Michaelmas is a reminder not to be ashamed of, ignore, or run away from our inner dragons, but to have the courage to face them, to wrestle with them and, when we need it, to seek help from those who might accompany us along the way.
We might also broaden our understanding of the Michaelmas courage as we look at our family of Christ Church, Anglican. We might, as so many other parishes do, fear our future, fear whether our church will last, what it will look like compared to the glory days of 40 years ago when the place was packed. We need the courage to face a future where we have to rethink, reimagine, what it means to be the church in our post-pandemic, post-Christendom, western, Canadian context. Yes, it is really scary stuff, it is a big dragon that seems like it will never ever be conquered, but together, we might find the courage to become a new church that builds on all that our predecessors did…that makes a huge impact on the lives of people not only in Country Club, but in Grande Prairie as a whole.
As we mark Michaelmas today, I invite you to take some time this week to reflect on where you need courage in your life. To reflect on what dragons you are called to face as an individual…what dragons we, as a church family, might be called to face. Can we remember the story of St. Michael, hold onto the Michaelmas message of courage in face of darkness and dragons, so that we might valiantly triumph over all that lies before us?
So to conclude this sermon, let us pray…St. Michael, mighty defender of heaven and earth, Stand by us with your sword of light and truth. As you drove the forces of darkness from the heights of heaven, Grant us the courage to stand firm against the shadows in our lives. Help us to cast aside fear and doubt, To walk the path of righteousness with unwavering trust in God. Give us strength when we are weak, Boldness when we face adversity, And the grace to persevere in our mission of faith. May your presence remind us that we are never alone, And that God’s power will always prevail. Through your intercession, May we be victorious in the battles of life, Filled with the peace of Christ, now and always. Amen.
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