Michael Jackson Remembered

Since the sixth century, and today, September 29th is historically and traditionally the feast of Michaelmas which celebrates and honors Michael the Archangel as the “chief” of all the angels in heaven.

In Christian, Muslim, Jewish and other theologies an angel is understood to be one who acts as a messenger or agent of God. The word angel is thought to be derived from the Greek word angelos which means messenger.  Throughout the bible it is generally seen that the will of God is usually imparted or carried out by angels.

They are completely spiritual beings. They have intelligence and will. They are personal and immortal creatures. Angels are described as servants of God in the Hebrew Bible (translated מלאך = angel.) So, too, in the New Testament and the Quran. The term angel has also been expanded to various notions of spiritual beings found in many other religious and pagan traditions. The role of angels includes protecting and guiding human beings, and carrying out God’s tasks.

The theological study of angels is known as angelology. In art, angels are often depicted with wings, ultimately reflecting the descriptions in the Hebrew Bible, such as the chayot in Ezekiel’s Merkabah vision or the Seraphim of Isaiah.

The mighty Archangel Michael is considered, in many Christian circles, as the patron saint of the warrior.  This reminds me of the modern warrior of L.O.V.E. to whose memory this website is devoted. The symbolism contained in the art of Michael Jackson is a fascinating study; one which sheds light into the heart and soul of one of the most influential and significant artists of this millennium. It makes me happy to imagine our MJJ joyfully singing praises, with choirs of angelic beings, to his Almighty Creator and Beloved Father God, who he always credited and thanked for every good thing that came his way in life.

At the time of Michael’s trial in 2005, of his genius, he says, “It’s a gift from God.”

“Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And 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.”

~Revelation 12:7-9 [RSV]

 

The traditional feast of Archangel Michael, one of the seven key and elevated angels mentioned in Scripture, has been known in English as “Michaelmas.” This name lives on in a humble wildflower, a white aster with many small star-like flowers, that blooms in late September, known as the Michaelmas daisy.

For This Michael Age

We must eradicate from the soul
All fear and terror of what comes toward man
Out of the future.
We must look forward
With absolute equanimity
To everything that may come.

And we must think only that whatever comes
Is given us by world direction
Full of wisdom.
It is part of what we must learn in this age,
Namely, to act out of pure trust
Without any security in existence,
Trust in the ever-present
help of the Spiritual World.

Truly, nothing else will do
If all courage is not to fail us.
Let us discipline our will, and let us seek
The awakening from within ourselves
Every morning and every evening.

~Rudolf Steiner

Thank you to Minyaweth You Tube Channel for use of this tribute video with Sarah McLachlan’s song, In The Arms Of An Angel

A Prayer to Saint Michael
Saint Michael, Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host,
by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

~Pope Leo XIII in 1886

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 29th, 2010 at 6:44 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.