Today’s Word from Pastor Katrina…
Revelation 12:7-8
And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
There are so many geese at the University of Nottingham! The above photo was taken on the terrace– the geese were constant companions as I walked to the chaplaincy office at the university. I’ve learned that the presence of geese in Nottingham is not simply due to typical migration patterns. There is an event in Nottingham called The Goose Fair (happening now!), and apparently in the mid 1500’s there were thousands of geese that were driven on foot from surrounding cities to be sold in Nottingham.
The birds’ feet were coated with a mixture of tar and sand to protect them on the long journey of fifty miles or more. It is recorded that up to 20,000 geese were driven up… into Nottingham’s Old Market Square. The geese were sold in Nottingham to provide the traditional Michaelmas dish of roast goose.
Michaelmas is celebrated in a few days, on September 29th. The word Michaelmas refers to the “Mass of St. Michael.” It is the Feast of Michael the archangel, and “all angels” specifically Gabriel and Raphael. Michael is mentioned multiple times in both the Old and New Testaments. In the book of Revelation, he fought a dragon (representing Satan or the devil) in Heaven. In the British Isles, a mythical epilogue to the Biblical account says that the dragon fell out of heaven onto a blackberry bush and spoiled the fruit, which is why you shouldn’t pick blackberries after September 29th. The date is the day that a church in Rome was consecrated to St. Michael. It’s an important date in Britain and Ireland that marks the end of harvest, and a quarterly time to end or renew contracts, tidy accounts, settle debts, and start a new academic and judicial year. In medieval times, some tenants paid part of their rent with a goose! In a story from Italy, I read that St. Michael was the inspiration for the Sword in the Stone story, and there is evidence of a sword in stone at the Chapel of San Galgano. My siblings attended the Whidbey Island Waldorf School where Michaelmas, now called the Festival of Courage, is an annual celebration in Autumn, which teaches the students about strength, courage, and cooperation.
St. Michael represents attributes like a warrior spirit, courageous, defender, and a guardian of justice. If we were to consider these attributes in our own spiritual lives, some questions to ask might include: are we protecting out of fear or love? Does guarding justice include the Kingdom of God that seeks justice and inclusion for all? What does a warrior spirit look like– disciplined, restrained, strength that includes flexibility, agility, and presence? Upon being a warrior I think of a post that a friend shared once: “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. The only remedy for lack of love is perfect love” (author unknown, but shared in the context of reflections on the resurrection). What are we fighting for, and how/ with what tools are we fighting with? What does fighting with love look like?
I think more people associate the Goose Fair with rides and fun more than with its agricultural roots and the journey that thousands of geese made for Michaelmas. Turkey roasts are now more popular than goose. I’ve never made other foods associated with the Michaelmas such as St. Michael’s Bannock, but I’m going to a potluck tonight so I think I’ll make some, and reflect on the warrior spirit of St. Michael.
Happy Michaelmas this week!
In Peace,
Pastor Katrina pastorkat@trinityfreeland.org
