By Brea Cannon
Liturgical Rhythm of Life
I love the seasons — as we transition from these last few hot days of summer, I look forward to the cooler temperatures and the beauty of the leaves turning colors. Late September and early October are a pleasant time here in the Midwest and our liturgical calendar gives us so much more to be grateful for.
In late September, we celebrate the feast days of the three Archangels on Sept. 29 and on Oct. 2, the guardian angels. Angels have traditionally been a large part of our Catholic faith and are a large part of our lives. We look back to some of the earliest known writings of the angels in the book of Genesis in the garden, “He drove out the man, and at the east of the Garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24).”
In scripture, we also read, “Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it (Revelation 12:7-9).”
Legend has it, that when St. Michael and his angels kicked the dragon out of heaven, the devil was thrown down and landed on a blackberry bush. To celebrate St. Michael and the archangels each summer, I save enough blackberries in my freezer for an archangels’ blackberry pie. On the feast day, we enjoy a pie and recall the mission of the three archangels: St. Michael the protector, St. Gabriel the messenger of Good News and St. Raphael the healer. The archangels daily offer guidance, protection and intercession for each of us.
We will celebrate the feast of the guardian angels early in October. Art and literature often depicted guardian angels with small children. Though it is great to teach children they have an advocate and friends, we must all be aware that even as adults, we still have the guardian angel God assigned to us at birth. Our guardian angels are always there as advocates for each of us; “How great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from his birth an angel commissioned to guard it (St. Jerome).”
On the feast of the guardian angels, take some extra time for prayer in thanksgiving for the gift God gave us in his angels, and maybe have some angel food cake.
Both the angels and saints are helpers and guides for the faithful on earth. As we look to the angels, it is very fitting that the month of October is filled with a powerhouse of saints.
Be sure to get out your calendar and mark these feast days and some simple ideas for living and celebrating with friends and family:
- Oct. 1: St. Therese of Lisieux — To honor the Little Flower, gather some fresh flowers or purchase a bouquet of flowers to put on a home altar or a special place of prayer
- Oct. 2: Guardian Angels — Make an Angels food cake and pray the Angel of God prayer
- Oct. 4: St. Francis — See if your parish priest has a day for the blessing of animals or give your pet or animal friend a special treat
- Oct. 5: St. Faustina — Pray a chaplet of Divine Mercy and display the image of Divine Mercy in your home
- Oct. 7: Our Lady of the Rosary — Pray a rosary or have a rosary walk with friends or family
- Oct. 13: Start the novena to St. John Paul II
- Oct. 16: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque — Take some time to pray with the Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Oct. 18: St. Luke — Read the Gospel of Luke (You will be reading ahead for Advent!)
- Oct. 19: Start a novena to St. Jude
- Oct. 22: St. John Paul II — He loved hiking and being outdoors; take some time for a walk outside or have a picnic in a park
- Oct. 28: Sts. Simon and Jude — Pray the litany of St. Jude
Brea Cannon is a Diocese of Evansville native and member of St. Peter Parish in Montgomery with her husband, three children and extended family.