Friday, October 29, 2010

Angels

Many of us associate angels with the Christmas season. When we put up Christmas trees in our homes, or decorate our homes outside, we include angels. And while we’re decorating, we may well be singing carols, some about angels bringing messages, such as “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” or “Angels We Have Heard On High.”


However, in the Abrahamic faith traditions, angels have always figured prominently as messengers to humans. For example, the Old Testament reports many visits by angels, including one to Hagar in the wilderness (Genesis 16:7-14); and two angels appeared to Lot (Genesis 19:1-22); and an angel prevented Abraham from sacrificing Isaac (or Ishmael) (Genesis 22: 11-18).


The angel Gabriel visited Mary, mother of Jesus of Nazareth, to announce her impending pregnancy. Though a virgin at the time, she would bear a son. (Luke 1:26-38).


Gabriel also visited Mohammed, not once but many times, and revealed what would become the Holy Qur’an, with its systems of behaviors and beliefs. These visits continued over 23 years (610 – 632), and resulted in 114 chapters.

It should not surprise us that angels have visited others, perhaps even you. The Writer’s Almanac [September 21, 2010 at http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/] recently reported that, “On September 21,1823, Joseph Smith Jr. claimed to have been visited by an angel named Moroni, who told him how to find golden plates that contained the text of the Book of Mormon. Joseph was visited five separate times during the night and early morning, in his family's log cabin home near Palmyra, New York.”

According to Mormon belief, the angel was seen by others, specifically, Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and David Whitmer. They were “… three early leaders of the Latter Day Saints movement who signed a statement in 1830 saying that an angel had shown them the golden plates from which Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon and that they had heard God's voice testifying that the book had been translated by the power of God.” [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Witnesses] Some 11 or 12 others also claimed to have see Moroni.

In case you haven’t seen an angel recently, here’s Smith’s description of what the angel looked like: "He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen.… His hands were naked and his arms also a little above the wrists.… Not only was his robe exceedingly white but his whole person was glorious beyond description.” [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_Moroni]

While you might not see Moroni, or Gabriel, you will see angels on Christmas trees, and in store-front windows. You might even see some of those angel lapel pins that have become quite popular. Should you see any such angels, pay special attention to the messages they bring us humans, especially those announcing joy, and peace on earth.