St. Matthew 18:1-11
September 29, 2019
St. Michael & All Angels
Dear Saints of Our Savior~
Listen, I tell you a mystery. A wonderful and glorious mystery is hidden in plain sight today. The catechism teaches us to pray concerning this mystery—every morning and every evening: Let your holy angel be with me that the evil foe may have no power over me. What are we asking for in that mysterious sentence? I asked the young people in my confirmation class about that sentence last
The simple, plain and obvious meaning is provided by Jesus in today’s holy gospel. There Jesus—almost as an afterthought—lets us in on a profound mystery concerning His holy angels. In Matthew 18 Jesus isn’t even teaching about angels. He’s teaching about the importance of humility—the importance of having a faith that is child-like and “giveable to.” Then He says: See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
Did you catch that? Concerning those little ones with a child-like faith, Jesus used the phrase, “their angels.” “Their” is a possessive pronoun. It often implies possession or ownership. But that’s not what it means here. These little ones with a child-like faith—they don’t “possess” or “own” angels. But rather, an angel has been assigned to each one of them. Their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. Or, as it says in Psalm 91: He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways (91:11).
And Jesus says that this angel assignment—it goes, first and foremost, to little ones—not to those who already possess a faith that can move mountains—not to those with big, bulging with spiritual muscles—but to those who are little and weak. The disciples wanted to overlook those weak and frail followers of Jesus as being rather unimportant. But Jesus makes it clear that they are so important that each one of them has an angel assigned to them. The same angels who delight to gaze upon the face of the Father in heaven, also delight to look out for the little ones here on earth.
So be careful not to look down on those little ones in the kingdom of God. Don’t despise those who are apparently not part of the top-tier of disciples—those who are not “movers and shakers” in the church—those with special needs, the children, the poor, those who aren’t super smart, those who struggle with mental illness, the aged, the widow, the weak and the frail, those who don’t have popularity or persuasive powers or friends in high places. Don’t despise them. Don’t look down on them. Don’t make fun of them. For they are so important in the kingdom of God that they have an angel—a holy angel—assigned to them. You must learn to see them as God sees them—as so precious and so important to the King of Heaven that He has assigned one of heaven’s finest soldiers to guard them in all their ways.
But there’s more. There’s more to this mystery! For when Jesus speaks of “little ones” in Matthew 18 He doesn’t just mean children—but also those adults who have become like children in the kingdom of God. To be a child in the kingdom of God means that you depend on God as a little child depends on his parents—that you trust God like a child—that you expect God to tend and care for you—and that you are gladly and joyfully ready to receive whatever God gives you.
Listen, I tell you a mystery. You became such a little one—you became such a child—when you were baptized into Christ. Baptized, He forgave you all your sins. Baptized, He gave you His Holy Spirit to fill you with joy and peace. Baptized, He clothed you in His own perfect righteousness. And yes, baptized, He has assigned to you an angel to watch over you and keep you—to guide you and guard you in all your ways. Angels are no myth from the world of fiction, but a solid promise of Jesus: Their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
And this, beloved in the Lord, is why we pray: Let your holy angel be with me that the evil foe may have no power over me.
Your angel is as real as “the evil foe” is also real. The evil one wants to destroy your child-like faith in Christ by drawing you into his hatred for God and railing against how unfair He is. The evil one wants you to share in his misery not just here in this life, but eternally in hell. He hates you with a passion because God thinks you are so important that He has assigned His holy angels to guard and protect you—because God sent His own Son to earth to be like you—to become a humble and weak human being—frail flesh and blood—to bear your sin and be your Savior. The evil one rages and rails at the thought that you—a sinner like you!—are so precious and valuable to the God of heaven. In truth, he is jealous of you!
You may never see the angel assigned to you; but you can learn from your angel. See what the angels see. Look at what they look at. Gaze with them at the face of the Father. Sing with them as they sing their praise for the Lamb who was slain. Delight with the angels to celebrate the Savior’s love for us when He took on our flesh and blood in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary and came and lived among us. Stand in awe with the angels at the Holy Supper of our Lord’s precious body and blood. Remember and rejoice with the angels at how Jesus humbled Himself and allowed Himself to be crucified for us, trampled down by death, and how He rose again to destroy the power of death for all who are joined to Him by faith.
Learn from your angel to adore the Lord Jesus Christ. His is the story they delight to tell. His is the praise they delight to sing. And in Him they have found the source of endless joy and perfect peace.
Listen, I tell you a mystery.
Your angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
Lord, let at last Thine angels come.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Based on a sermon by the Rev. William Weedon
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