Angels Unaware

I stood on the shores of the Red Sea at its most northern tip, the city of Eilat at the southern border of Isreal with Egypt. That October morning, the beach at Eilat was crowded with sunbathers and swimmers, a familiar sight for a resort city.

But a whole other world existed that I was about to observe.

Donning a snorkel mask, I put my head underwater to witness the most beautiful otherworld.

Tropical fish, ranging from fishbowl size to twelve inches, filled the water with colours of the rainbow spectrum.

Later, onshore, as I looked out over that body of water, I realized that beneath the waters of any sea or ocean exists a wide variety of species: fish of all shapes, sizes and colours, octopuses, turtles, dolphins, coral and other invertebrates. Not all of God’s creations are visible to our above-water-eye.

Jean and I experienced another wonderful event just recently.

It was a beautiful October morning. Strong south winds kept the sky blue and the temperatures warm. Jean and I were on a mission to take the boat for repairs to a shop called the Boat Guys about fifty kilometres south of the city. I drove prudently, aware that the strong south wind could easily tear off the snap-down boat cover. Glancing in the rear mirror, to my horror, I saw that the cover was gone. I brought the car and boat to a stop to consider our situation.

Turning the car and boat around on such a narrow road was impossible. It would have meant unhitching the boat and driving back in search of the cover.

A car drove slowly beside us and stopped. His message was, “The man behind driving a pickup has your cover.” I turned to look back down the road and saw a white pickup approaching. I walked toward him. He reached into the back of his truck and handed me the cover.

I had the cover back in my possession within seven minutes of discovering it had blown off.

We continued our journey, marvelling at our good fortune but now aware we had trouble locating the Boat Guys. This was southern Manitoba's open prairie. Crossroads were not marked, and the directions we had been given seemed inadequate. We stopped to Google the location when, again, a half-ton truck pulled up beside us. His message, “If you’re looking for the Boat Guys, which I assume you are with that boat behind, they are just two lanes back. See that’s their yard.”

He pointed to a group of tall spruces.

Within one-half hour, two problems had been solved by the arrival of strangers – Angels or just friendly Manitobans?

Some years ago, Jean and I travelled by train in India. We were required to change trains at one location, which meant acquiring other tickets. The queue of people waiting at that ticket counter was long. Thirty minutes later, it was my turn to purchase tickets, only to be informed I was in the wrong line for tickets to our destination. Tired and discouraged, I returned to where Jean had waited to tell her my frustration.

Travelling in India was not easy.

The crowds, the language barrier, and the pushing and shoving had worn me to exhaustion. Just out of nowhere, a man approached and asked where we wanted to go. He offered to purchase the ticket if I gave him the money. Now, wasn’t that the classic con to take advantage of strangers?

But this man appeared different, with a kindly smile and a gentle manner. I gave him sufficient money for the tickets, trusting my instinct. Within minutes, he returned with the tickets and the change. I turned to hand the tickets to Jean and then back to offer him an award, but he was gone—angel or friendly local?

I recently read in a book entitled Belief in Angels that just as the waters of oceans, seas, and lakes are filled with species not visible above water, the atmosphere around us is filled with spiritual species, most often not visible but there to guide and protect.

The Catholic church has a defined theology of angels known as angelology. Angelology describes a hierarchy among angels, from those administering to God to personal angels for the protection and assistance of individuals.

Mormons, too, declare that angels are real. According to Joseph Smith, founder of

the Morman faith, the angel Moroni guarded the golden plates buried near Smith’s home. Those plates became the source of information for the Book of Morman.

Individuals have reported dramatic experiences with otherworldly forces, some have heard a voice giving them directions, and others experienced a timely visit, an alert leading to a rescue, avoidance of an accident, or an unexpected stranger’s help.

Do I trivialize the idea of angelic help with our recent roadside assistance or our help in India?

Like the abundant variety of species beneath the ocean waters, a sphere of divine presence surrounds us but is not visible. Whether referred to as angels or divine presence, can we, by putting on the right “glasses” with prayer, meditation, or centring, become more aware of a whole other world of spiritual beings?

While we do not deny the presence of divine, unseen ministering agents when someone takes the time to pick up a lost item, stop and inform, or offer a helping hand, the human community is strengthened and united.

Timothy Schmalz, a Canadian, created a bronze sculpture entitled Angels Unawares. It is installed in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, inaugurated by Pope Francis ‘to remind everyone of the evangelical challenge of hospitality.’

The six-meter-long sculpture depicts a group of migrants and refugees on a boat wearing clothes that show they originate from diverse cultures and historical moments. One individual depicts a Jew fleeing Nazi Germany, another a Syrian departing the Syrian Civil War and a Pole escaping the communist regime.

The work includes angel wings, through which the author suggests that a migrant is secretly an angel in our midst. Schmalz took his inspiration from the biblical text, Hebrews 13:2: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels.”

Many of us live in countries of prosperity and free from war. During the past decade, we have witnessed millions of migrants and refugees taking enormous risks to flee tyranny, war and poverty. Many countries in Europe have opened their borders to accept these strangers. Others have not.

We live on a continent where everyone except our Indigenous brothers and sisters are immigrants or the descendants of immigrants. Today, both Canada and the USA struggle with the influx of immigrants. It is sometimes difficult to think of sharing our wealth, land, and traditions with strangers, yet others have done it for us.

God created us capable of loving one another. Jesus is the supreme example of loving and lifting others. The three individuals did that when they stopped to pick up a blown-off tarp, paused to inform, and, recognizing fatigue and despair, offered an honest helping hand.

We must be open to the nudge, the thought, or the impulse that leads to assisting a brother or sister and, in so doing, become angels unaware.

The angels are not sent

Into our world of pain

To do what we are meant

To do in Jesus’ name

That falls to you and me

And all that are made free

Help us, O Lord, we pray

To do your will today.

Refrain from the hymn, The Lord Now Sends Us Forth

Have you had an "angel event" of the divine or human variety? Please share in the comments - I'd love to hear about it.