2025
Archdeacon Perry Cooper
A Homily for the Closing Eucharist of St Michael’s Maritime Youth Conference 2025
WHOM do you look up to?
Everyone has a person or persons they admire or look up to. For some it is an actor, for others it may be a pop star or athlete or a political figure, perhaps a teacher or a parent. For some, their hero may be a biblical figure – someone they learned about as a child in Sunday school.
Long ago as a young man learning about the Old Testament heavy weights, I felt an affinity for Samson. He had great hair, a beautiful wife, enjoyed a good nap, and possessed tremendous strength. Sadly, his wife Delilah betrayed him to his enemies. He had his eyes plucked out, and ended up bringing the house down – literally. He died and took his enemies with him.
How about this character, Michael the Archangel? Do you admire or look up to him? The Book of Revelation tells us in Chapter 12 that a war broke out in heaven, that Michael and his angels fought Satan and his angels casting them out of heaven and down to earth. Michael is seen as a powerful and virtuous warrior – a godly servant, a protector. He is of the celestial order called to serve God and God’s people. Hebrews 1:14 tells us, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (NIV). Angels love God’s people. Michael loves God’s people; he is in your corner.
My grandson Edward was experiencing night terrors – nightmares which would cause him to scream out as he slept. He would imagine scary creatures chasing him or coming down the chimney. For a time, the Grinch was the creepy culprit! Edward’s mother asked me if there were particulate bedtime prayers she could pray with him to invoke God’s peace and protection while he slept. I suggested that she should pray certain prayers from the service of Compline in the Book of Common Prayer. One of the prayers in particular, The Collect for Protection goes as follows:
Visit we beseech thee, O Lord, this place and drive far from it all the snares of the enemy; let thy holy angels dwell herein to preserve us in peace; and may thy blessing be upon us evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP p. 726)
Edward has memorized a number of the prayers from Compline and recites them aloud. As expected, his sleep has vastly improved.
Praying Compline is actually engaging in spiritual warfare. All day long the world wrings the goodness out of us, demanding its pound of flesh. We contend with the world, the flesh and the devil, and we get tired and spent, perhaps vulnerable to spiritual attack. Compline completes our day, finishes our day, hedges us. In Compline we pray prayers of worship and protection so we may be preserved, guarded and allowed to rest in peace. Our battle and the battles Michael fights for us are of a spiritual nature. The battles are not of this world in the sense that their origin is not seen with the natural eye. It is written is Ephesians 6:12, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers against authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly realms.” (NIV).
Are you currently fighting a spiritual battle? If you aren’t, chances are you one day soon you will. For God’s people, spiritual battles are normal, to be expected. But we are not alone, we are not left defenseless, we have the person of the Holy Spirit who will strengthen and guide us and we have the angels of heaven to minister to us.
This morning, I have a question for everyone: Is there a specific Bible passage you think about from time to time which seems obscure and requiring a deeper explanation? Some biblical passages are clear and self-explanatory like Phillipians 4:13. “I do all things through him who gives me strength.” (NIV). Or one of my personal favorites from 2 Kings 2:23, “From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road some boys came out of the town and jeered at him, get out of here, baldy, they said, get out of here baldy!” (NIV). You’ll have to read the rest of the chapter to see how it turned out for the boys.
I have been long fascinated with Jude 1:9. “But even the archangel Michael when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!” (NIV). The Book of Jude is a letter urging Christians to contend for the faith against false teachers – and the struggle goes on to this day! Scripture tells us that when Moses died, God took the body himself and buried it privately in the valley of Moab, a gravesite unknown to anyone including the devil. Why did God bury Moses in a secret grave? Perhaps to avoid Moses’ body from being desecrated or becoming a place of idolatry.
In the short and descriptive context of Jude 1:9 we see the type of individual Michael the Archangel is. First, he is a servant of God and knows his place in the heavenly order. He is not arrogant or boastful in his power or understanding. Michael is disciplined and wise. He doesn’t insult the devil or throw accusations against him, rather Michael invokes God’s authority by saying “The Lord rebuke you!” In other words, may God deal with Satan, as he sees fit. Michael knew his place and he never overstepped his bounds.
As Michaelites – whether conferees, or leaders, we should follow Michael’s example of humility, self-control and subordination. We are called to be subject to God’s perfect authority. Michael did not engage in slander and name calling when debating with Satan, he didn’t criticize him in an angry, abusive or insulting way. Michael simply trusted in God’s perfect timing, authority and judgement. In one sense, Michael as a servant of God, a servant of Jesus, reflects or mirror-images Jesus to us and to the whole church. Michael, like Jesus, glorifies the Father through word and deed. And if Michael’s example can encourage us to be like Jesus, then praise the Lord! May all we’ve learned and experienced this week deepen our relationship with God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Let us pray:
O Lord, we pray thee, sow the seed of thy word in our hearts, and send down upon us the showers of thy grace, that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, and at the great day of harvest may be gathered by thy holy angels into the heavenly garner; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP p. 618)
_________________________________________
Archdeacon Perry Cooper is Rector of the Parish of Chatham in the Diocese of Fredericton, Territorial Archdeacon of Chatham Archdeaconry and Chair of Anglican Renewal Ministries Canada. He has served as the Activities Director (Archdeacon of Fun) for the 2024 and 2025 St Michael’s Youth Conferences.
