"Holy Holy Holy" for the Synaxis of the Holy Archangels

October 06, 2020

"Holy Holy Holy" for the Synaxis of the Holy Archangels

For Sunday, November 8, 2020

The Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers

OT Reading for Vespers of the Feast: Joshua 5:13-15

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”
So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”
Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.”

Trisagion Hymn

Holy God,
Holy Mighty,
Holy Immortal,
have mercy on us.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the names of the Archangels?

2. Do you know any other stories from the Bible about angels?

3. Do you know any stories from your life, or your family's, about angels?

4. What song do we sing that came from the angels?

5. Teach older children about the Nine Orders of Angels.

6. Learn the petition for our guardian angels: "An angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask of the Lord: Lord have mercy."

Lesson:

In icons, we depict the angels with wings and halos, but in the Scripture, they often just appear as regular men. Joshua didn’t know who he this man was until he said he was the Chief Captain of the heavenly host. The Church tells us that the Chief Captain is the Archangel Michael, and he is a leader of spiritual warfare and justice. When Joshua and the Israelites went out to conquer Jericho, they didn’t win with swords and strength, but by the power of God and obedience to him.

You may also know the Archangel Gabriel, who announced the good news to Mary that she would bear the Son of God. Gabriel also told the priest Zacharias about the birth of John the Baptist. He is the herald of God’s mercy.

We also know the Archangel Raphael, many orders of ministering spirits, cherubim, and seraphim, and our own guardian angels. We honor all the holy angels. And they are holy because they serve the Lord our God! The angels taught us to worship God with the thrice-holy hymn: “Holy, Holy, Holy!” By their service and intercessions, O God, have mercy on us!

In Home Craft:

Coloring page at link: Guardian Angel Coloring Page from Paper Dali

Make a Guardian Angel Amagomorph: An amagamorph puts two pictures together to create an illusion. Print and color the picture, then make an accordion fold along the lines to view the two images separately. Your guardian angel is always with you, even when you can't see him! (The one with fewer lines is for younger children.) Pictures below show how it works.