Brave New World

"At that time," the author of the Book of Daniel writes, "at that time, there shall be a time of anguish, such has never occurred since nations first came into existence." Jesus’ words in Mark are equally dire. "For in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, no, and never will be." Both of these passages are a style of Biblical writing called apocalyptic writing. Much of Daniel is apocalyptic, as is the Book of Revelation. And in the synoptic Gospels, we have these little bits of apocalyptic placed near the end of Jesus’ ministry. Apocalyptic writing is a very stylized form of prophecy, a stylized form of writing that can be very difficult to interpret within the context of our modern reality.

And yet, as one commentator has written about the Book of Daniel, "This book was written for a time like ours." A time when the end of time seems possible. I recently read an interview with Barbara Rossing, a New Testament scholar whose particular expertise is the Book of Revelation. She says, "We are facing an end right now in our culture… Very likely the supply of oil is going to end in my lifetime… What may be ending is our unsustainable way of life." the end looms for what she calls the "imperial world" (The Christian Century, November 14, 2006). Going back to Daniel, "The fear of the future loomed large in the minds of the people to whom the Book of Daniel was written." Writing for our time, indeed. Daniel and other apocalyptic writings describe a fearful time ahead. A time of anguish and tribulation. As we read these passages, it’s very important to remember that for Daniel, and for Mark, this description of a dire future was not a threat. The future is not conditional They do not say that hardship will come if the people do not shape up. This is not an attempt at behavior modification. For the apocalyptic writers, the coming time of anguish and tribulation is a certainty.

We hear these apocalyptic passages in our lectionary every year as the church year draws to a close. Today is the second to last Sunday in the church year. At the very least they remind us of two things. One is that the stakes are high for us and for our world. Denial is not an option for Christians. The stakes are high. And the future is always uncertain. For all of us all of the time. The future is uncertain.

But the primary message of Daniel, and really of all of the apocalyptic writers… the primary message, if you focus on it, is one of assurance and hope for people who stand facing the future. Remember the first lines of this morning’s reading, "At that time…" that future time of anguish and tribulation… "at that difficult time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise." Michael, the great archangel. Michael, the great protector of the people. Daniel says to the people: When the going gets tough, really, really tough, Michael will show up. Michael will be in your future when you need him.

Which reminds me of a very famous line from Shakespeare’s play The Tempest. You probably know the line, if not the full context in which it is spoken. The Tempest is set on a remote, totally isolated and mystical island. A young girl Miranda has been raised there by her father the magician Prospero, who is loving, but rather imposing and distant. On the island Miranda has known only her aging father and half beast of a slave named Caliban. That is all she has ever known, that has been her whole world, until a shipwreck brings other human company to the island. And that day is the beginning a new and previously unimaginable future for Miranda. When she first sets eyes on a handsome man her own age, her first words are, "O brave new world, that has such people in it."

O brave new world that has such people in it. That’s really what Daniel is saying to us. In the midst of all of your fear and anxiety about an uncertain and threatening future, know that a brave new world lies ahead with Michael in it. Unimaginable as it may seem based on the world you think you know, a brave new world lies ahead with the great archangel Michael in it.

The stakes are high. The future is uncertain. Always. In our personal lives, in our national life, and in our global ecology and economy. But as we face that future, Daniel assures us that Michael will be a part of it. Michael, the great archangel.

Angels seem finally to have dropped at least a bit out of the eye of popular culture. That’s probably good, because it allows us to consider angels as they are described in the Bible and how the church understands them, rather than how they have been portrayed by Hallmark.

Michael is not a Hallmark angel. Michael is not a smiling, pudgy, infantile "angel on your shoulder pin" sort of angel. Michael is not so much comfortable as powerful, an awesome figure blazing with all the power of heaven. Which in the end is really what we need as we face the future—all the power of heaven allied with us.

One of our hymns describes the archangels. The words come from the 8^th century, certainly a time of uncertain future. Michael is described as "peacemaker blessed" who will drive from us mortals every striving and hatred. A power of peace, mighty and strong enough to still the human powers of violence, enmity and ambition that rage within our hearts and within our world. Peacemaker blessed.

In describing angels in general, the church teaches us that angels are "healthful spirits." Not "helpful", but healthful, bringing the true health of God’s presence. They are perceived as swift, powerful, and enlightening. Thus they are often depicted in Christian art with wings to signify their swiftness and spacelessness, with swords to signify their power, and with dazzling raiment to signify their ability to enlighten (Lesser Feasts and Fasts). Swift, powerful and enlightening. In the midst of whatever the future may bring to us, the angels will be with us. "In that time," whatever that time is that lies ahead, Daniel says, "Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, will arise." O brave new world that will have Michael and all of God’s angels in it.

That’s the promise of the Old Testament apocalyptic writers. The New Testament writers also offer assurance and hope. Barbara Rossing stresses that the message of Revelation is ultimately one of transformation, not destruction. The promise of a world transformed.

In this morning’s Gospel, Jesus spoke to people whose future would include the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and intense personal persecution. And he says to them: In that time, beware of those who would manipulate your fear. Beware of false prophets who feed on fear, who promulgate hysteria. Remember, Jesus says, what I have taught you. Over and over again, throughout the Gospels, from beginning to end, Jesus preaches one message: peace. When he first appeared to the disciples after the resurrection, Jesus told them: "Peace be with you." Peace—not chaos and confusion. Peace—not fearfulness or trembling. The Prince of Peace came among us bringing the hopeful message that we can have peace in the midst of strife and hardship. When confronted and threatened by the evil in the world, Jesus brings us peace (Keith Herron, The Christian Century, November 14, 2006).

O brave new world, whatever that world may bring… o brave new world that has the peace of Christ in it.

Every Sunday when we gather as a community for worship, we pass the peace. The passing of the peace is a sign, a practice, that the church has lovingly shared through the harshest of times. When we enact this ritual, we may forget its power and it history: it has been practiced in times of great duress and suffering. When one of us takes the hand of another and says, "May the peace of Christ be with you…" "The peace of the Lord be with you," and the other replies, "and also with you," we offer testimony to Christ’s peace. And we make the peace of Christ real in this brave new world that lies before us today.