I stubbed my toe on an angel this morning. I had smoothed out the blankets as I made the bed, and was fluffing the pillows when I got careless. There is an angel under my bed. He is about five feet tall, counting his “Glory to God In the Highest” banner. He wears a bright blue robe and his face reflects exaltation and joy. I forgot that he was there. My big toe is now various hues of black, blue and purple.
So, I am trying to decide what to do with my heavenly messenger. He resides under my bed, covered with a sheet, for ten months out of the year. I pull him out from under the bed in mid-December to proclaim his “Gloria” to all visitors who come through the front door during the Christmas season. He is so magnificent that I also give him sentry duty for part of March and/or April, since his exaltation is equally appropriate for Easter. But, what do you do with an angel the rest of the year?
Why can’t I leave him by my front door all year instead of hiding him under my bed? Are the messages that angels bring–of God’s peace and joy and love–only valid once or twice a year? Apparently they are not, according to all of the talk about angels in recent months. Even general interest magazines and book publishers have jumped on the bandwagon, increasing production of articles and books about angels for year-round marketing. Ceramic, wooden and cloth angels are being mass-produced and are present on merchant’s shelves from January through December. Television executives who are continuing reruns of “Touched By An Angel,” are evidently still convinced that regardless of the television viewer’s religion or belief system, he or she is fascinated with the idea of God’s messengers being personally involved in people’s lives–even when it is not Christmas.
Angel stories have replaced ghost stories in many circles of conversation. Even among many atheists, there is an interest in the possible existence of angels. Perhaps God is still using His Heavenly host to announce the Good News of Grace to those who will listen, much like the first Christmas. “….For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord…”
We all hunger for goodness, purity, beauty, protection, forgiveness and love. Angels may seem to represent these virtues, but in reality are the heralds of Jesus, the Christ, for whom we truly hunger.
My throbbing toe reminds me that angels aren’t meant to be hidden under the bed. Why not acknowledge angels among us every day? Let us release our angels from the attics, closets, basements, crawlspaces and from under our beds. Let’s dust them off and set them on our shelves, our front porches, and our rooftops. Perhaps the real angels will be so delighted that they will open our eyes and our hearts to see them every day, inviting us to join them in proclaiming God’s Good News. Doesn’t that make every day, if not exactly Christmas day, a Hallelujah day?