On the Byzantine liturgical calendar, today, September 6, we have the commemoration of the miracle of the holy archangel Michael at Colossae in Chionia.
Given that our heavenly patron is the Archangel Michael, it is good for us to spend a little time on the place of Michael in the spiritual life.
It seems that we can deepen our desire for God by knowing more and more of how He works in this saints and angels.
The Divine Liturgy speaks of the Archangel Michael in this manner:
O Commander of the Heavenly Hosts,
We who are unworthy beseech you
That by your prayers you will encompass us
Beneath the wings of your immaterial glory
And protect us who fall down and cry:
Deliver us all from harm,
For you are the commander of the powers on High. (Troparion, Tone 4)
The biographers say,
In Phrygia, not far from the city of Hieropolis, in a place called Cheretopos, there was a church named for the Archangel Michael, built over a miraculous spring.
This church was built by a certain inhabitant of the city of Laodicia in gratitude to God for healing his mute daughter. The holy Chief Commander Michael appeared to this man in a dream and revealed to him that his daughter would receive the gift of speech after drinking from the water of the spring. The girl actually did receive healing and began to speak. After this miracle, the father and his daughter and all their family were baptized. In fervent gratitude, the father built the church in honor of the holy Chief Commander Michael. Not only did Christians begin to come to the spring for healing, but also pagans [unbelievers]. In so doing, many of the pagans turned from their idols and were converted to the faith in Christ.
At this church of the holy Chief Commander Michael, a certain pious man by the name of Archippus served for sixty years as church custodian. By his preaching and by the example of his saintly life he brought many pagans to faith in Christ. With the general malice of that time towards Christians, and especially against Archippus, the pagans thought to destroy the church in order to prevent people from coming to that holy place of healing, and at the same time kill Archippus.
The Sacred Scripture for today’s Liturgy: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Matthew 19:16-26
Tonight at the Divine Liturgy, Father Iura blessed herbs and flowers.
Neither the tomb, nor death, could hold the Theotokos, who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions. For being the Mother of Life, she was translated to life, by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb (Kontakion for the Dormition).