The Holy Taxiarchs and Archangels Michael and Gabriel (source)
Excerpt from the Homily on the Archangels Michael and Gabriel by St. Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain (amateur translation)
...According to the Theologians, there are
two foremost powers and special qualities and idioms of the holy God:
the one being Righteousness, also called conferment and judgment, and
the other is Goodness, also called faithfulness and compassion and
mercy, as David says: “I will sing of Your mercy and judgment, O
Lord.” With righteousness God judges and chastens men, when they
sin, and do not keep His commandments, and with goodness He again
shows mercy and compassion.
Now the Archangel Michel appears as the
special Angel of the righteousness of God, for we see him utilized as
a servant in order to chasten and to make continent the evil, and to
protect those who take refuge in the good. This is clear from the
many parts of the divine Scripture, and of course from the death of
the first-born of the Egyptians worked by Michael, while the life of
the first-born of the Hebrews was preserved.
The Archangel Gabriel appears as a
special Angel of the goodness and compassion of God, for we see him
utilized as a servant when there must be special compassion and
mercy. This we also see many times, and of course from the good news
which Gabriel offered to the world, of the great mercy by the coming
of Christ.
Three are the special and greatest
works which God performed: first, the creation of the noetic world,
second, the creation of the sensible world, and third, the incarnate
economy of God the Word. And in all three of these, first and
foremost He utilizes Michael and Gabriel...
And therefore, Michael and Gabriel are
the two brightest eyes of the all-perceiving God, with which He
beholds and enlightens all of the visible and invisible world.
Michael and Gabriel are the two strongest hands of the All-Governing
One, with which He works all on heaven and earth. Michael and Gabriel
are the two swiftest and thousand-winged feet of the Lord Who is
everywhere present, with which He hastens everywhere and passes
through not only the whole world, but even to the bodiless souls of
men, even into the darkest abysses. Because of this in one instant
you behold them to be found at one end of the earth and at the next
instant to be found at the other end, here healing a barren woman,
and there seizing one drowning in the abyss.
Michael, the Angel of divine fear;
Gabriel, the Angel of divine grace. Michael, the chastening right
hand of the Righteous One; Gabriel, the merciful right hand of the
Lover-of-Man. Michael, who rests upon the strongest; Gabriel, who
speaks from the ineffable. Michael, the stern eye of the Judge;
Gabriel, the peaceful gaze of the Foreseer. Michael, the fearful
voices and thunder and lightning and trumpets of the descent of God
on Mount Sinai; Gabriel, the peaceful dawn, the calm embraces, the
gladsome light and soft voice of He Who comes upon an ass [i.e.
Christ's humble coming to Jerusalem] proclaiming the descent of God
the Word to the womb of Mariam. Michael, the supreme servant of the
Old Testament; Gabriel, the chosen servant of the new grace of the
Gospel.
Michael had as a purpose the entrance
of praxis, for he served the Law, as Paul said that we were
under a custodian until Christ, while Gabriel has as a purpose the
perfection of theoria, for he served the mystery of Christ, as
he was the completion of the Law and the surpassing. Michael was the
beginning and Gabriel the end. Michael was the fore-chastening,
Gabriel the perfecting. Michael the Alpha and Gabriel the Omega. But
they were not against each other or spoke against each other, of
course not. But just as there is no praxis without theoria,
neither is their theoria without praxis, according to
the Fathers, in the same way, there is neither Michael without
Gabriel, nor Gabriel without Michael. For as the Law springs the
Gospels and the Gospel from the Law, in the same way, in Michael is
found Gabriel and in Gabriel is found Michael, and the one and the
other are united more than is the soul and the body. Because of this,
wherever is Michael there is Gabriel, and wherever is Gabriel there
is Michael. The two are always and everywhere inseparable. They are
inseparable in Heaven, inseparable in the Old Testament, inseparable
in the New. And in working wonders they are inseparable. And if
Michael chastens the evil, he chastens towards continence, that they
might fear the power and greatness of God and not neglect them due to
His great goodness. And if Gabriel again shows them mercy, he does
this that they might have hope and not come to despair from their
great fear. And the two therefore have the same goal: the salvation
of men and the fulfilling of the all-good will of God, as His good
Gracious Angels...
But O most-glorious Michael and
Gabriel, the sweetest among all the angels and men in reality and
names, the Angels of the righteousness and goodness of God, the
special servants of the special works of God, the two silver and
golden-winged eagles, the two great Arch-soldiers of the
life-creating Trinity, who with unflinching eyes behold the uncreated
light of the three-sunned Godhead, the two arch-satraps and of the
King of kings and Lord of lords, and first consultans and bodily
protectors of the God-man Jesus Christ, the archangelic pair and
beloved dyad desired-of to the world and by all, the adornment of all
the Angels, the boasts of Christians, the excellent and special
guides and protectors of the Monastic rank, who imitate your angelic
way of life as much as possible: receive this offering which we all
who have gathered today offer to doxology of the All-governing God
Who loves man in honor of your holy gathering. Accept this as a gift
and a smallest sign of thanksgiving for all that you continuously
work for each of us, for you care for us, and in many ways save us
from every evil. And we entreat you humbly to not abandon us of your
fatherly providence, but, O most-sympathetic and most-compassionate,
you approach us always and surround us, in order to fill us with holy
theoria and spiritual minds, and to deliver us, by virtue of
your approach, from all evil and obscene thoughts, and simply, all
invisible and visible enemies which tempt us, because with grace like
this, they are estranged if and when they approach. For St. Mark the
Ascetic says: “When the holy Angels approach us, they fill us with
spiritual theoria.” Similarly, Abba Issac says: “When the
holy Angels approach you to surround you, all temptations hold back.”
And because those who theologize say that to each man is granted one
of the Angels in this preset life, you do not neglect, O divine
Archangels, to grant to us this from you: first, to drive from our
bodies and souls all those dangers which could accompany us
externally or internally; and second, in order to compel us always
towards the good, enlightening our nous with divine
illumination, sweetening our desire and our heats with divine grace;
third, to hinder from us the wiles and schemes of the demons; fourth,
in order to offer our prayers to God, as the Angel Raphael offered
the prayer of Tobit, and as the Angels in the Apocalypse offered the
prayers of the Saints; fifth, to ever intercede to God on behalf of
us; and sixth, to chasten us in a fatherly manner sometimes, when we
stumble, not through vengeance, like the evil demons chasten us, but
through correction and chastity, for this gift is granted to us.
And straightaway we entreat you:
hearken unto our entreaties, O most-philanthropic Arch-soldiers of
God, do not cease with your ineffable intercessions for us to to calm
God's indignation, and to overlook, as the All-Compassionate One, all
of our sins, whether committed in deed or in word or in thought, with
which we embitter Him each day. Yea, we are sinners—we confess
this—and have transgressed His holy commandments, but we know no
other God but Him. Make us worthy, O Virgins and guardians of
virgins, O Archangels, to pass through this life of ours in chastity
and virginity, as we have planned, when we wear this Angelic Schema.
Be for us protectors and sleepless guardians, for all of us who
celebrate your all-holy Synaxis. And throughout this passing life,
drive away from us the scandals, and machinations of all visible and
invisible enemies, and at the hour of death, stand by us sinners as
helpers, from the right and the other from the left, covering us with
your golden wings, that our soul not behold the terrible sight of the
evil demons. And taking us up, lead us unto the eternal and bright
dwelling-place of the heavenly Kingdom, that we might ever glorify
with you one Godhead in Trinity, to Whom belong all glory, honor and
worship unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel (source)
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
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