The gospel reading used by many churches today was from Mark (chapter 1, verses 9 to 15). Mark crams a lot of story into very few words. No sooner has Jesus been baptised than the spirit drives him in to the wilderness.
One line in this reading is often overlooked. It tells us that Jesus was waited on by angels. Mark’s account doesn’t tell us what the angels actually did, and in today’s world believing in angels seems to go a bit against the grain. However, their popularity in terms of our language remains undimmed, we refer to angels when we use phrases such as ‘someone was watching over you’ and ‘my guardian angel.’ We often refer to people working in the health service, particularly nurses, as ‘angels of mercy.’
So, what does it mean to allow ourselves to be waited upon by angels? Do we notice those who minister to us, those who are there to catch us or support us when we fall?
Whenever we are in trouble, may we be waited upon by angels and, as we journey into the wilderness of Lent, may we discover where we are needed to wait upon others. Go on, be an angel!