The great 20th-Century Catholic novelist Hilaire Belloc famously wrote, “Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine, there's always laughter and good red wine. At least I've always found it so. Benedicamus Domino!”
Celebration, far from being an incidental feature of Catholic life, is deeply woven into the fabric of the Church’s life, her spiritual and liturgical traditions. Throughout the Church’s history, the calendar of feast days has served as a tangible expression of her belief in the sanctification of time and the intertwining of the temporal and the eternal. Feast days provide an opportunity for the faithful to participate in the cosmic reality that we, as Catholics, inhabit — a reality where saints, angels, and God Himself are intimately involved in the affairs of the world.
Historically, Catholic Europe, also known as Christendom, exemplified this life of authentic celebration most vividly. The liturgical calendar was not simply a backdrop to daily life; it was life itself. The numerous feast days that punctuated the year were vibrant markers of a shared identity that transcends individual concerns. These celebrations weren’t merely acts of personal devotion, but were public declarations of that shared faith that engaged entire communities, binding them together through a common participation in eternal truths.
The feast of St. Michael the Archangel in particular stands as a testament to the Church’s understanding of cosmic order and divine providence. St. Michael’s victory over Satan, as described in the Book of Revelation, is not merely a singular event confined to the past or to the apocalyptic future; it symbolizes the perpetual battle between good and evil — an ongoing battle that engages every human soul. The celebration of his feast, therefore, is not simply about commemorating an ancient event but about our taking up arms today in the ongoing reality of spiritual warfare. St. Michael’s triumph is the triumph of the Church, the communion of saints. His triumph over Satan is a victory that transcends time and space, affecting all creation and every person, as it signifies the ultimate defeat of evil and the unfolding of God's plan for salvation through time — making it the kind of event that all Catholics can and must celebrate with reverence and gratitude.
The Rich Legacy of Catholic Europe
The rich liturgical life of Catholic Europe of yesteryear offers us a model of what it could mean for us today to celebrate the saints with due reverence and theological depth. Europe of the Age of Faith viewed feast days as much more than mere obligations — they were moments of communal sanctification, expressions of joy, and affirmations of divine truths that penetrated daily life. From grand processions and solemn liturgies to special foods and local customs, these celebrations vividly illustrated the Church’s understanding that the mysteries of faith are not confined to the interior life, but must find complete expression in public acts of worship and festivity.
Celebrating Eternal Truths and Their Ripple Effect
Feast days, then, are not simply quaint customs of a bygone era; they are deeply theological expressions of the Church’s belief in the communion of saints, the sanctification of time, and the ripple effect that holy actions have throughout history and across the entire Church. When we celebrate the triumph of St. Michael over Satan, we are celebrating a truth that reverberates across time — his victory is a foretaste of the ultimate victory of Christ over sin and death, a victory that reaches each and every member of the Church.
The saints, and particularly the angels, act within this cosmic order, serving God’s divine will. When we honor St. Michael, we remember that we are part of the Church’s ongoing struggle to bring about the Kingdom of God. The saints, as members of the communion of saints, participate in the life of the Church beyond their earthly lives. Their intercession continues to impact the Church militant — those of us still engaged in the struggle on Earth. We celebrate St. Michael not just to honor his past and future victory, but to invoke his ongoing protection in the spiritual battles we face in the here and now.
The Need to Reclaim Celebration in Modern Catholic Life
In today’s world, where secular concerns often overshadow the spiritual, it is crucial that we reclaim our complete Catholic identity with the spirit of authentic Catholic celebration. Feast days are not mere obligations to attend Mass or moments of personal devotion; they are communal celebrations of the truths of our faith that remind us of our place in the broader cosmic narrative of salvation.
Our celebration of the solemnity of St. Michael and all the Holy Archangels, therefore, gives us the happy opportunity to remember the reality of spiritual warfare — a reality that is often ignored in the secular mindset. His feast day can stir within us a renewed sense of our need for God’s protection and the assurance that, in Christ, victory over evil is already ours. By celebrating St. Michael, the Archangels, and all the saints with full devotion, we engage in an act of resistance against the materialistic and secular tendencies of our age, proclaiming instead the eternal truths that underlie all of creation.
On the upcoming solemnity of Our Holy Patron and Champion St. Michael, may we begin anew to celebrate as only Catholics can. These wonderful feast days are so much more than mere commemorations for us. They are, rather, living encounters with the divine, moments when Heaven touches Earth, and opportunities for us, the Church, to celebrate well the eternal triumph of good over evil. Benedicamus Domino! Let us bless the Lord!
