Family, Michaelmas and All Saints’ Day

Family is at the center of God’s plan for the happiness and progress of His children. The Holy Bible teaches that God established families from the very beginning, and it shows us many examples of strong families. It also teaches us how to have a loving, happy family. And Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. To say that we are a church family implies the significant spiritual bond between believers, and the way we walk with one another through life, encouraging, supporting, and loving each other.

Communion of Saints - All Saints’ Day (festum omnium sanctorum) is celebrated on 1st November and All Souls’ Day (commemoratio omnium fidelium defenctorum) is celebrated this year on 4th November. This means that we remember all Christian martyrs as well as others who have died with faith in Christ. During these days, we remember holy people, but the word ‘holy’ does not only refer to the dead. Everyone is holy in Christ. In faith, we are all a part of the invisible communion of saints. The traditional gospel reading for this day is the Beatitudes from the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. According to our Christian creed, we can become part of an invisible communion of saints.

Michaelmas; also known as the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels - is a Christian festival observed in many Western Christian liturgical calendars on 29 September. In the Christian angelology of some traditions, the Archangel Michael is considered as the greatest of all the angels; being particularly honored for defeating Lucifer in the war in heaven.

Jesus said that God’s kingdom is a gift. He promised to forgive even the worst of sins. Jesus sends his followers out to the world to declare his grace and to serve people in his name. A Christian is a messenger of the Redeemer and acts as Christ to other people. In the fifth century, a basilica near Rome was dedicated in honour of Saint Michael the Archangel on 30 September, beginning with celebrations on the eve of that day. The name Michaelmas comes from a shortening of ”Michael’s Mass”, in the same style as Christmas (Christ’s Mass) and Candlemas (Candle Mass, the Mass where traditionally the candles to be used throughout the year would be blessed).