Deuteronomy, Chapter 28, Verse 10
All the peoples of the earth
will see that the name of the LORD is proclaimed over you, and they will be afraid of you.
Christ's death on the cross
was the fulfillment of the proclaiming of God’s name to all the peoples of the
world; for over His head was placed a notice King of the Jews.
It is interesting to note that the notice was
printed in three languages Hebrew, Latin and Greek. These three cultures in a
sense represented the characteristics of God. The Hebrew’s were Gods people and
represented the good of man and
brought the idea that the person was created by God and is more valuable than
the universe. Latin the language of the
Romans brought the idea that truth
is the highest value and the Greeks culture brought the idea of beauty being the greatest value. In
Christ’s death is represented all three values. That a good God died for man;
true to the end; and His shame was turned by love to beauty.
Today is the Feast of the
Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. In a way they also represent these
three values Michael the truth that angels and men are willing to fight for; Raphael
the good and Gabriel the beauty. On further reflection I can see these same
three attributes reflected the preamble of the US constitution: Life (good); Liberty
(truth); and pursuit of happiness (beauty).
We also see that the Name
of God which is goodness; truth and beauty is feared by evil men and women when
they are inspired by Satan and the demons to take away our life, liberty or our
pursuit of happiness.
Surely, it is time for Christians to
"rise from sleep," and to offer vigorous resistance to the enemies of
salvation. The weapons in this conflict are not the arms of civil warfare, but
the spiritual weapons of prayer and penance, increased fidelity to the
Commandments of God, and frequent reception of the Sacraments. And surely we
can choose no better leader in this conflict than the powerful captain who led
the faithful Angels to victory.
Let us, then, with confident trust,
invoke the aid and the protection of this mighty Archangel whose shield bears
the inscription:
"Michael----Quis ut Deus----Who is
like unto God?"[1]
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