Lots of 'stuff' affecting lots of people just now.

Those who knew Kerr Spiers will know he often quoted Julian of Norwich (though ascribing it to someone else, I can't recall who) that "all will be well, and all will be well and all manner of things will be well."  I find this quote, if basically comforting, rather confusing... but then mystic I'm not.  However, I do like the sentiments that, ultimately, all will be well.

For me, these sentiments are echoed in the lovely hymn set to the Welsh tune Ar Hyd Yr Nos (All through the night) ...

Through the love of God our Saviour
all will be well.
Free and changeless is his favour;
all, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
perfect is the grace that sealed us,
strong the hand stretched forth to shield us;
all must be well.

Though we pass through tribulation,
all will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
all, all is well.
Happy still in God confiding,
fruitful, if in Christ abiding,
holy, through the Spirit's guiding;
all must be well.

We expect a bright tomorrow;
all will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow
All, all is well.
On our Father's love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
or in living or in dying,
all must be well.

Mary Peters (1813-1856)

If you're a reader affected/afflicted by 'stuff' then I do pray that you will be assured that 'all is well, and all will be well'

Post editted to correct my error in wrongly ascribing the Julian quotation!

Two festivals today, for those who keep festivals.

Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year, which heralds a ten day time of reflection ahead of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

Michealas, the day of St Michael and All Angels, a day that was introduced to the church calendar to 'Christianise' the pre-existing pagan rituals that surrounded the autumn equinox.

I'm not much into angelology, and since I learned the word simply means 'messenger' and that the Bible (NT) translates the word differently in differnet contexts, I've always been extra wary.

But these four 'arch-angels of the Lord', three of whom are named in the OT, and are probably part of a bigger group, traditionally numbering seven, who are they?

Michael - the head honcho angel - whose name means "who is like the Lord?"

Gabriel - the Christmas angel - whose name means something like "God is my strength" or "strong one of God"

Raphael - no, not, so far as I am aware a teenage mutant ninja turtle angel, nor yet an artist - whose name means "God heals"

Uriel - the one who is only named in the aprochrypha - whose name means something like "Light of God" or "Flame of God"

Just wondering if maybe messenger and message can in some way be conflated :

There is none like God -

God is my strength

God is my healer

God is my light

A busy day ahead, with zillions of pastoral things involved, so good to start with a few moments beign reminded of God's promises.  PAYG today centred on the encounter of Jesus with the very human Nathaniel, whose name means 'gift of God'.  I guess the thing for me to take with me into the day is, 'how can I be a gift of God (ie from God) to those I meet today?'