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Have you ever had a really weird dream? I am guessing we all have. And I don't know whether it's because I was away from my own bed, or because of all the foods I was eating, or perhaps just because of the jet lag, but I've had some really short but vivid dreams lately, and some of them have been pretty mysterious. The prophet Daniel today experiences visions that were very vivid, somewhat strange, and full of meaning. In fact, they weren't just dreams, they were angelic messages that Daniel was supposed to record for God's people at a time when everything was falling apart for them. After the temple was destroyed and those who were still alive were taken as slaves to Babylon, the only thought was: can things get any worse? Have you ever asked that question? I think we can look at our world, especially in light of what has happened in Paris on Friday, and ask that same question: can things get any worse? I wish I could say Friday was just a dream, or September 11th 2001 was just a dream, but unfortunately it is all to real.
Have you ever had a really weird dream? I am guessing we all have. And I don't know whether it's because I was away from my own bed, or because of all the foods I was eating, or perhaps just because of the jet lag, but I've had some really short but vivid dreams lately, and some of them have been pretty mysterious. The prophet Daniel today experiences visions that were very vivid, somewhat strange, and full of meaning. In fact, they weren't just dreams, they were angelic messages that Daniel was supposed to record for God's people at a time when everything was falling apart for them. After the temple was destroyed and those who were still alive were taken as slaves to Babylon, the only thought was: can things get any worse? Have you ever asked that question? I think we can look at our world, especially in light of what has happened in Paris on Friday, and ask that same question: can things get any worse? I wish I could say Friday was just a dream, or September 11th 2001 was just a dream, but unfortunately it is all to real.
One of the most important points of
Daniel's visions is this: what we see with our eyes is only part of
the story. The battles on this earth are only glimpses of the
supernatural battle for souns that is happening in our world. Saint
Paul says it clearly as well: we aren't fighting people as much as
principalities and powers, real spiritual evil that has effect in our
world. But the other point of Daniel is just as important: God is in
control and he will not lose. Even as we clearly see the waste of
human life in tragedies like this, or in the more
commonly-experienced evils of our world that are just as horrific, we
must never forget the promise of Resurrection that we hear today
foretold by Daniel: “those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall
awake; some shall live forever, others shall be an everlasting horror
and disgrace.”
Daniel names the prince of God's Army
today: the Archangel Michael. We visited a shrine to Saint Michael
that has been visited by Christians for about 1500 years. The people
of Italy go to that mountain cave and ask this angel to protect their
families and communities. I would like us to pray the traditional
prayer to Saint Michael as the conclusion to today's homily. It used
to be prayed immediately after every single Mass before the 1965
changes of Vatican II. I know this prayer has a rich history and a
great amount of power for us in the battle of good and evil that we
fight in our hearts and that has consequences for the world we live
in. There's a song lyric that's stuck in my head right now that
says: “Is this the world you want? Your making it, every day your
alive.” Let us ask Saint Michael to help us to change the world
for the better. Let us pray...
Prayer to Saint Michael
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us
in battle; be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the
devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray: and do thou, O Prince of
the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and
all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of
souls. Amen.
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