Music for Ordinary Time: St. Michael and All Angels

St. Michael slays the Dragon

Today marks the Feast Day of St. Michael and All Angels, or Michaelmas, nowadays not so celebrated in the Western Church -- but today we had a taste of the story of St. Michael and his angels and their role in Heavenly realms, through our New Testament reading from the Book of Revelation -- Chapter 12, verses 7 - 12, shown below from the King James Version:

7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

In her reflections, Sandra began with a bit of the history of the origins of the Anglican Church, the Book of Common Prayer, and then the Feast Day.

She noted that Michael is the saint associated with providing safety and security.  For example, it is said that long ago, Italian immigrants to the U.S., crossing by boat from Ellis Island in choppy waters, creditted St. Michael with their safe passage -- and she queried whether or not the song, "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore" came from those beliefs.  It may have, on the other hand, originated longer ago than that, with African-American slaves, as a spiritual.  

It is reported, however, that the version with which we're so familiar today, the one sung around the camp-fire by so many of us growing up, is a version written by the great Pete Seeger, and made popular in 1960 with this rendition by a group called The Highwaymen:

For those of you who prefer a rousing, full-throated hymn with stirring music to mark the Feast, I close this wee dip into Michaelmas for 2019, with this presentation from the website, "Clerk of Oxford". The 'Clerk' selected others as well, but this one -- from the "old" hymnal (the #375 in the back of the 1962 Common Prayer Hymn Book) -- just seems to capture the spirit of the Day, sung by the Choir of St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, New York:

Ye holy angels bright,

Who wait at God's right hand,

Or through the realms of light

Fly at your Lord's command,

Assist our song,

Or else the thene

Too high doth seem

For mortal tongue.

Ye blessed souls at rest,

Who ran this earthly race,

And now, from sin released, 

Behold your Saviour's face,

His praises sound,

As in his sight

With sweet delight

Ye do abound.

Ye saints, who toil below,

Adore your heavenly King,

And onward as ye go

Some joyful anthem sing;

Take what he gives,

And praise him still,

Through good and ill,

Who ever lives!

My soul, bear thou thy part,

Triumph in God above,

And with a well-tuned heart

Sing thou the songs of love!

Let all thy days

Till life shall end,

Whate'er he send,

Be filled with praise!

AMEN