Monday 19 December 2022
Judges 13:2-7, 24-25. Fill me with your praise and I will sing your glory – Psalm 70(71):3-6, 16-17. Luke 1:5-25.
I am Gabriel who stands in God’s presence.
Gabriel delivered a startling message to Zechariah, expecting to be believed. A dubious reaction meant he was struck dumb until the message had become a reality.
The solemnity and power of Gabriel bears little resemblance to the fluffy cherubs of pop culture.
In ‘The Dream of Gerontius’, the Elgar/St John Newman masterpiece, the guardian angel who accompanied Gerontius was no wimp either. The angel helped him make sense of his experiences in this strange twilight moving from death to new life, yet still linked by prayer to those left behind. The evil spirit’s final attempt to demoralise was shown to be futile because the victory had been won.
‘Go in the name of Angels and Archangels, in the name of Thrones and Dominations, in the name of Principals and Powers, and in the name of Cherubim and Seraphim: Go forth.’
This powerful chorus encourages us to call on angels for help and support in our life now.
Email this Print This Page
