for September 29
Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels

I know a Jesuit painter who some years ago worked on a series of paintings of angels. These were not typical or straight forward oil paintings in how figures were presented. These works were partly abstract and required much attention from the viewer. The signs and symbols of angels such as wings for flight, radiance, and other worldliness, were only lightly painted into backgrounds and were not immediately visible to viewers. The artist worked to create an effect such that the viewer had to look long and carefully to see the angelic figures. I remember this artist and this painting series today as the church marks the feast of the Three Archangels.

Today’s passage in John’s Gospel presents a brief conversation rich in meaning between Jesus and Nathanael. The act of “seeing” is woven into the narrative of this encounter. Jesus promises Nathanael that he will see even “greater” things. This encounter is especially striking in that Nathanael does not come to faith by seeing Jesus. The story makes the point that Jesus sees him first and already knows him and invites him to more. Nathanael is drawn into wonder and surprise about Jesus’ knowledge of him—this wonder moves him to make a confession of faith in Jesus.

Wonder, surprise, and faith in God’s protection and care are all part of Christian traditions about angels. Our faith points us toward mystery—to what we can see and also to that which is not seen. But our faith is not grounded upon illusion or mythology—even while angels engage our imagination and inspire centuries of Christian art. How can we not be deeply moved to wonder and joy by Fra Angelico’s multi-colored winged angels at San Marco in Florence or in Rome? Our faith is that Jesus was and is real and human like us—subject to all the wonder, beauty, and joy of life and also vulnerable to its suffering, pain, and tragedy. Our faith comes from real personal encounter with Jesus Christ who lived, taught, preached, healed, suffered, died and rose to new life. Nathanael met him and was accepted by him. So too are we as we try to live and love as he did each day of our lives.
—Francis T. Hannafey SJ

Today’s readings can be found on the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ website.

The image (found on Wikimedia Commons) is Fra Angelico’s Angel of the Annunciation from his Perugia altarpiece.