The readings for Michael and all angels are filled with apocalyptic imagery of one sort or another that settles on the figure of the 'Son of Man'. We associate this interpretation of the Hebrew in terms of Christ and the human figure of Jesus. Yet, the reality of the wording is a reference to humanity formed in the image of God as Adam. We live with our expectations of humanity without acknowledging God's image within us and thus our ability to be as Christ to those around us.
We can see that within our own culture and the pervasive philosophy of the western world, our basic worldview is based on the dichotomy of what we believe to be life. Black and white, truth and falsehood, heroes and villains. Yet, life is not as black and white as such dichotomous thinking would have us understand. It is filled rather with the unusual such as quarks and strings, synchronicity and quantum leaps whilst still maintaining that the spiritual life is non-existent and angels such as Michael and others are figments of fertile imagination. For our era, dependant as it is on the rational focus, this may well seem to be correct and an explanation that angelic beings as primitive rationales for something that could be logically explained. How? Well perhaps like Mexican and South American indigenous peoples it may be the results of drug induced visions. Such visions have a high impact in the communities in which they are practised but this does not help our everyday understanding or how it might assist us in working out God's plan for us.
Apocalyptic literature in the bible does somewhat reflect the mescaline induced visions and our interpretation of apocalypse does not really do justice to the meaning of the word. Both Daniel and Revelation are classed as apocalyptic writing that is revelatory writing, of deep existential and metaphysical truths of the day. These truths are often conveyed in language that is not conducive to rational interpretation but requires our right brain's intuitive and imaginary powers to be utilised. This is not something we are used to and so palm it of as being 'weird'. For our logical selves the weirdness is in the language that is both poetic and disturbing but describes fundamental political truths of the time. The question is does such language convey anything for us in our current circumstances, especially when we start using concepts such as angels, beings with fluffy wings and cherubic smiles? However, Michael is not seen as cherubic but heroic, not nice and cuddly but fierce and violent. So where to from here?
We can see similar political shenanigans within our own world. The same controversies, the same greed the same violence, the same ambitions, etc that are reflective of the human condition throughout our history. What Michael and the angels have for us is the same message that of God's continual work towards the salvation of those formed in his own image, those of Adam or humanity. Those who are able to display the reality of God into the world and become his messengers, angels, to those who are suffering. The work that our imaginative selves can undertake in a world of pragmatic depression to bring about communities of hope and care rather than despair. A day of angelology and fantasia that offers the hopes of God in our lives if we can allow ourselves to conceive of the impossibility underlying the rational reality we are told is the only reality.
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