Michelmas

For Jews, today is Rosh Hashanah. Happy new year! For Christians, today is the (lesser known) holiday of Michelmas, the feast of St. Michael and All Angels. Or as it is known around here, the feast of St. Mick and the Fly Boys.

The Catholic Encyclopedia tells us: St. Michael is one of the principal angels; his name was the war-cry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against the enemy and his followers.

He is often pictured with a sword and a slain dragon or Satan at his feet.

Since it is so near the equinox, Michelmas is also a marker for fall. (If we were fancy Oxford kids, we’d be in our Michelmas term, I believe.)

There is much to celebrate today. We are thankful for our good friend St. Michael and all his angel compatriots. We are thankful for the heavenly hosts, praising God and fighting evil. St. Michael is also the patron saint of chivalry (because if an angel is not chivalrous, who is?), and we are thankful for our own family dragon-slayer, Mr. Pdubs, on his half-birthday. AND today we are celebrating the fact that after a long drought, Ezra smiled, laughed a little and has been mostly friendly again. (PRAISE THE LORD, THANK YOU JESUS.)

So HAPPY DAY INDEED.

St. Mick’s sword is a little bent, but that’s just because it is such hard work slaying dragons.