PREPARING FOR MICHAELMAS

The calendar that shapes the Christian’s year guarantees that none of the radical truths about God, his creation and the incarnate bridge between the two is overlooked. The Feast of St. Michael and all the Angels is the day on which the church asks that we think about the nature, place and doings of our elder fellow servants, the angels.

We’re planning to mark Michaelmas (pronounced Mickelmus) with special food and activities. Traditional fare features roast goose, but our culinary salute to the Archangel’s victory will center on Roasted Dragon’s Tongue (not the most choice cut, but the least expensive by far) and Dragon Slime Bread. We’ll be going with a more traditional desert, though.

According to one legend, when Michael and his warriors threw Satan from heaven, the old serpent landed in a patch of blackberry briars. Furious at his defeat and sore from the stickers, he stomped and spat and…um, “messed up” the poor plant. Understandably no one wanted anything to do with blackberries picked after Sept 29th. So Blackberry Cobbler and Vanilla Ice Cream will finish off the meal.

Being a good modern, I'm rusty on my angelology. I believe it would help to have someplace to lay out what I want our family to learn or recall during this season. I think I’ll put some tentative thoughts up here, so that they can begin to congeal before the family starts talking next Sunday.