A Chapel Angel

Several years ago, a group of like-minded people were building a chapel. About midway through the construction, I joined with a gathering of other people to perform a blessing of the new building. I was asked to pick the place where we were going to stand. I chose a spot by the chapel’s fountain. I was also asked to lead the blessing. As we all stood, heads bowed, I began to speak about what I was feeling, and of my hopes for the new chapel. I more or less just tuned in and spoke what I was feeling inside. 

I don’t remember what I said really, but when it was over, one of the other people approached me. This was a man who had been able to see angels all his life. He said that when I was standing there doing the blessing, that a tall angel had appeared behind me. He said that as the tall angel came, a whole band of angels came and surrounded the grounds of the building. He told me that the tall angel had come specifically to assist me in my work there. Her message to me was that I should not worry any further about any of it. 

Much later, after the building was completed and had been dedicated, another indicated that she, too, could see an angel in the chapel. She said that an angel appears behind the fountain, whenever anyone approaches it. The fountain squirts twin sprays of water which arch up into the air, then spread apart and fall back into the basin. When the angel appears, she positions herself so that she is in the center of the fountain. The water cascading down to either side of her completes the image of her wings. Whenever someone approaches the fountain, the angel’s face lights up as if she was giving the person a blessing. This woman has been to the chapel four times and each time she says that the angel of light is always there. 

Sometime after all this, an artist was visiting our church. He is very famous for his paintings of angels. He came to speak at the chapel. This was after the death of my husband. As I spoke to the artist afterwards, I noticed that he was about the same size as my husband. I told him that there might be some of my husband’s clothes which would fit him. Sure enough, when he tried them on, they fit perfectly. 

He said, “I’ve just got to do something for you!” 

I told him that was no need, that I enjoyed giving the clothes to him. He insisted. He said that in repayment, he would go to the chapel and meditate. If a vision of an angel came to him, he would do a painting of it for me. 

When he completed his work, he presented me with a painting, which he said was of “the angel which overshadows the chapel.” That painting is now framed and hangs in my entry hall. It was so lovely that I have since had Christmas cards, and even posters, made of it. 

Billye Jones 

Excerpt from Angel Power, Angel Love. Other books by Billye are The Essence of Loving and Women Pioneers in 12 Step Recovery.