Volume 34, No. 15
All of the Angels
When Amanda was on antepartum bedrest at Baylor University Medical Center in downtown Dallas, our daughters were not allowed to visit her because of restrictions due to COVID-19. The hospital was on lockdown and they could only see her by using FaceTime. They missed her terribly, as did I. So, you can imagine that when presented with an opportunity to be somewhat physically close to Amanda, the girls jumped at it. On May 6th, the Blue Angels executed a flyover of BUMC and other local hospitals to honor first responders and medical workers. I loaded Annaleigh and Bea into the car and headed to the top floor of one of Baylor’s garages to get a good look at the iconic planes while hoping to catch a glimpse of Amanda across the street through her hospital room window. We found the roof of the parking deck and began to gather with the nurses and doctors who had come outside to witness the flyover.
As we parked and exited the car, we called Amanda on the phone to see if she could see us from her window. Surprised and overwhelmed, she saw us on the parking deck and we were able to wave at her as we talked and sobbed on the phone. The Blue Angels eventually made two passes directly over the parking deck, smoke barreling from their tails to salute the medical personnel gathered below. Cheering and clapping ensued! The Blue Angels, the angels of medicine, my angelic daughters, and Amanda, a warrior mama angel, were all messengers of God’s care, concern, joy, and divine love that day. As an added bonus, Amanda’s favorite nurse took advantage of the hustle and bustle at the hospital and was able to race Amanda, tucked safely in a wheelchair, downstairs to the sidewalk outside Labor & Delivery. The girls and I met her there. Those five minutes were the only time Annaleigh and Bea were able to love on their mama during her 6-week in-hospital stay. That amazing nurse, Yolanda, is truly an angel.
The word, angel, comes from the Greek ἄγγελος angelos. The literal definition of angel is messenger. Angels were not only heavenly beings, but earthly messengers as well. From this word we get the word euangelion, or Gospel. Can you see the word angel in there? Euangelion means good news. And as we’ve made our way through Paul’s letter to the Roman church on Sundays, we have witnessed Paul’s attempt to give some type of good news to those suffering under Roman oppression in the first century world. Paul was giving a gospel message. He was giving good news.
As we continue to hear the negative messages of division and arrogance, it is my hope that we choose to be messengers of good news, of the Gospel. We may be isolated, alone, fearful, and frustrated. The news in the world seems as if it is good for some, but not for all. That is not the message of Paul and it wasn’t the good news of Jesus. Let us strive to be messengers of the Divine, bringing not just news, but good news to all of God’s people. Angels are all around us if we open our eyes to their messages of love and hope. And we can even be those angels too.
Pastor Mike