Archangel – ☩ Ecclesia Gnostica

Thanksgiving

Color: White

The COLLECT

Spirit of life and mighty One of light, open our eyes that we may recognize the bounty of blessings which Thou hast bestowed upon us, and grant that through our appreciation of that which is temporal we may be brought at length to that which is eternal. Praise be to Thee for the wonder of the fire that bringeth warmth and brightness to the world and to our mind; praise be to Thee for the freshness of air that bloweth where it listeth as the image of Thy most holy Spirit; praise be to Thee for the rich earth, the sustainer of all that lives; praise be to Thee for water that refreshes the earth in stillness and in storm; praise be to Thee for the courage of the heroes, the example of the saints and the splendor of all noble deeds; for the memory of our true home above the shadows of this world, and for the hope of our return to Thy kingdom of life and light everlasting. Amen.

The LESSON

The Lesson is taken from the Book of the Psalms of David:
Ye shall stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. At morning and at even. O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving and show ourselves glad in Him with psalms. The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands prepared the dry land. He is the Lord our God: and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord: I will direct my prayer unto Thee, and look up. I will sing of Thy power: and will praise Thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning. In the evening and morning and at noonday will I call: and He shall hear my voice. The tenderness of the Lord is new every morning: Great, O Lord, is Thy faithfulness.

The GOSPEL

The Gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. Philip:
There is a glory that is higher than glory, there is a power which is above power. Because of this the perfect things are open to us, and the hidden things of the truth; and the holy things of the holy ones are revealed, and the bridal chamber invites us in. Insofar as it is hidden, wickedness is indeed brought to naught, but it is not taken away from the midst of the seed of the Holy Spirit; they are slaves of wickedness. But when it is revealed, then the perfect light will pour out on everyone. And all those who are in it will receive. Then the slaves will be free, and the captives delivered.

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The Day of the Holy Raphael, Archangel

December 22

Color: White

The COLLECT

O God, who art the author of peace and health, in the Gnosis of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom: defend us Thy humble servants from all afflictions and infirmities that take our power from the tasks we dedicate to Thee. We thank Thee for Thy glorious messenger and healing angel, Raphael, and for the aid and comfort given to us by all Thy holy angels, now and for evermore. Amen.

The LESSON

The Lesson is taken from the Book of Tobit:
And the angel said unto them: Bless God, praise him and magnify him and praise him for the things which he hath done unto you in the sight of all that live. It is good to praise God and exalt his name and honorably to show forth the works of God: therefore be not slack to praise him. Do that which is good and no evil shall touch you. A little with righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold; for those that exercise alms and righteousness shall be filled with life, but they that transgress are enemies to their own life. God hath sent me to heal, thee and thy daughter, for I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels which present the prayers of the saints and go in and out before the Glory of the Holy One.

The GOSPEL

The Gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. John:
Then said they unto Jesus: What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them: This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent. For the Bread of God is He who cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto Him: Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them: I am the Bread of Life; he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst. All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.

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The Day of the Holy Michael, Archangel

September 29

Color: White

The COLLECT

O glorious prince of the heavenly army, Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in the eternal combat, which we sustain against the powers of darkness, malice and ignorance, which afflict us on this aeonial battlefield of our earthly life! Come, invincible leader of the host of heaven, guardian of the paradise of the world and wielder of the double-edged, flaming sword! Aid and sustain us in our defense against the adversary; and come to lead us finally into the presence of the Most High, into the abode of the blissful. Enlighten and purify us, O Thou great and mighty Archangel Michael, grant us to abandon the works of darkness and to love the Gnosis of the Light; so that whilst all things of this world pass away. we may ever hold fast those things which abide for evermore. Amen.

The LESSON

The Lesson is taken from the Book of Enoch the Prophet:
In the five hundredth year, and in the seventh month, on the fourteenth day of the month of the lifetime of Enoch, in that parable, I saw that the heaven of heavens shook; that it shook violently; and that the powers of the Most High, and the angels, thousands of thousands, and myriads of myriads were agitated with great agitation.

And when I looked, the Ancient of days was sitting on the throne of his glory, while the angels and saints were standing around him. A great trembling came upon me and terror seized me. My loins were bowed down, my reins were dissolved and I fell upon my face.

The holy Michael, another holy angel, one of the great holy ones, was sent to raise me up. And when he raised me, my spirit returned, for I was incapable of enduring this vision of violence, its agitation, and the concussion of heaven.

The GOSPEL

The Gospel is taken from the Gospel of Truth:
The place to which they direct their thoughts, that place is their root, which brings them upward in all the heights to the Father. Theirs is His head, which becomes a repose for them, and they are enclasped as they approach Him, so that they say that they have partaken of His face by means of the embraces.

But they do not stand revealed in such a manner as not to have risen above themselves. Nor did they lack the glory of the Father, nor did they think of Him as small nor that He is bitter or wrathful, but that He is guileless, imperturbable, and a sweetness, knowing all before they were, and not having need to be taught.

This is the way of those who have something on high through the immeasurable Greatness as they stretch after the One, alone and perfect, who is there for them. And they are not to go down to Amente, and they have neither envy nor groaning, nor is there death in them, but they rest in Him who rests, not toiling nor writhing round about the Truth.

But they are themselves, the Truth. And the Father is in them, and they are in the Father, being complete, being indivisible in the truly Good, lacking nothing at all but taking rest, being fresh in the Spirit. And they will heed their root, they will be at rest, they in whom He will find His root and not do harm to His soul. This is the place of the blessed — this is their place.

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Homily for the Day of the Holy Archangel Michael by Bishop Stephan Hoeller

A Homily for the Day of the Holy Archangel Michael by Bishop Steven Marshall