My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

ON NOVEMBER 8th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE SYNAXIS OF THE HOLY CHIEF COMMANDER MICHAEL AND THE OTHER BODILESS POWERS (Part II)

The three Orders in the lowest hierarchy are the Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. The Principalities are so called because they rule over the Angels below them and direct them to fulfill God's commands. It is they who watch over the world, protecting and guarding every kingdom and principality, every province and people, tribe and nation, for each of these has its own angel of this rank as guardian and governor. According to Saint Gregory, it is the duty of this Order to teach men to render to all in authority the honor due their station. These Angels usher worthy men into such positions as they merit and instruct them not to use their offices for their own gain or profit, nor to become vainglorious or full of conceit, but to honor God, to increase His glory and to spread word of it, for the benefit of all those under their authority.

The Archangels are the great messengers of God, eminent, and wondrous tidings. According to the renowned Saint Dionysios, it is they who deliver prophecies to men, enlightening them so that they may know and understand the will of God. They learn of God's will from the higher ranks and entrust the secrets thereof to the angels below them, who in turn declare them to men. Saint Gregory the Dialogist says that they spread abroad the faith among men, illuminating their minds with the light of the knowledge of the Holy Gospel and revealing to them the mysteries of the Orthodox faith.

The Angels occupy the lowest position in the hierarchy of heaven and are the closest of its ranks to men. They reveal the lesser mysteries of God and His intentions to men, whom they guide to live virtuously and righteously. Each of the faithful is entrusted to one of them. They support those of us who stand firm, and they raise up the fallen. Even if we sin, they do not forsake us but are always ready to help us, if only we desire it.

Nevertheless, the name Angel is proper to the higher ranks of heaven, for even if each has its own place and position and its own name which accords with the manner of grace bestowed upon it, that is to say, Seraphim, Cherubim, Throne, and so forth, they are still all called Angels; for in the sense the name refers not to what they are in essence but to the manner of service they perform. All of them alike are Angels, since they fulfill God's commands, as it is written: "are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister?" (Hebrews, Chapter 1). Each order has its own ministry (diakonia), and their ministrations differ, because the Wise Creator does not reveal the mysteries of His Divine Will to each Rank equally. He manifests His Sacred Will to the lower Orders through the Higher and through the latter commands the former to fulfill the dictates of His Will, as many plainly be seen in the Book of the Prophet Zachariah. This Book tells how, after a certain Angel, who commanded him to return to the Prophet and to reveal to him the future of Jerusalem. Thus it is written, "Behold, the Angel that talked with me went forth, and another Angel went out to meet him, and said to unto him, Run, speak to this young man" (that is, to the Prophet Zecharias), "saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as a town without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein, for I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of the round about" (Zechariah, Chapter 2). "When one Angel says to the other, Run, speak to this young man, there can be no doubt that certain Angels dispatch others here and there and that the Lower Orders that send them. Similarly, we find in the prophecy of Daniel that one Angel tells another to explain to the Prophet the vision which he saw. Therefore, it is clear that the Lower Ranks of Angels learn of the Will and intentions of the Divine Creator form the Higher Orders and are sent by the latter to do His desire.

It is fitting that the Orthodox Church here below should celebrate the Synaxis (Assembly) and seek the aid of all Nine Orders of the Holy Angels on the 8th day of this month of November, sending up fervent entreaties unto them; for on the Fearful Day of Judgment, which the divine teachers of the Church call the Eighth Day, when He Who is the Son of Man and God, the Righteous Judge, "shall come in His glory, and all the Holy Angels with Him" (Matthew, Chapter 25), as the Lord Himself prophesied in the Holy Gospel, all the ranks of Angels shall be gathered together (synaxis). "He shall send His Angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds" (Matthew, Chapter 24), that is, from the east, the west, the north, and the south. May the Lord then summon us, who reverently celebrate the Synaxis of the Angels, into the choir of the chosen!

The Holy Chief Commander Michael, the faithful servant of the Lord, was appointed by God as general commander over the entire assembly of the nine Angelic Orders. When Satan exalted himself in pride, feel away from God Into perdition, and was cast into the abyss, Michael called together all the ranks and hosts of Angels (Synaxis) and cried out with a mighty voice, "Let us attend! Stand a right before Him who created us, and do not consider doing what is not pleasing to God (The Prologue). Behold what has befallen those created with us, who until now ere communicants of the divine light! (Pantoleon the Chartophylax of the Great Church). Behold how they were straightway exiled from light into darkness because of pride, cast from light into darkness because of pride, cast from the heights into the abyss! (Isaiah, Chapter 14) Behold how the morning star, which lit up the down, has fallen to earth and been crushed!" (The morning star, Venus, shines shortly before dawn).

When Michael, who stood foremost among the Seraphim, the Cherubim, and all the ranks of heaven, said this to the entire assembly (synaxis) of the Angels, they glorified the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity, one in essence, the one God; and together they chanted the triumphal hymn: "Agios, Agios, Agios, Kyrios Sabaoth..." ("Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth, heaven and earth are full of thy glory!" (What we chant in every Divine Liturgy)

It is this assembly (synaxis) of the Holy Angels that we venerate on the present Feast of the Synaxis of the Angels; for they ever glorify the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, attentively and harmoniously, with one mind, heart, and voice (The Prologue and The Menaion). May we mortals also glorify Him unto the Ages of Ages. Amen. (Source: The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostom

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George