Posted on 09/29/2007 3:35:01 PM PDT by NYer
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This coming week we approach two feast days in the Church's liturgical calendar that remind us of the significant role of the angels in the providential plan of God, and the day to day challenges of man. September 29 is the Feast Day of the Archangels: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, and October 2 is the memorial of the Guardian Angels.
There are hundreds of references in the Sacred Scriptures (Old and New Testaments) to these special beings, created by God as cooperators in the work of salvation. The Compendium of the Catechism teaches us about angels: "The angels are purely spiritual creatures, incorporeal, invisible, immortal, and personal beings endowed with intelligence and will. They ceaselessly contemplate God face-to-face and they glorify Him. They serve Him and are His messengers in the accomplishment of His saving mission to all." (n. 60)
The word angel means "messenger" and God uses them in many instances to communicate to mankind His saving interventions on earth: whether it is the Archangel Gabriel announcing the births of John the Baptist and Jesus, or the choirs of angels announcing the birth of the Savior to shepherds near Bethlehem. In the Old Testament the "angel of the Lord" presents to the holy Patriarchs the will of God and even delivers God's punishment for the people's infidelity. St Raphael guides the journey of Tobias to completion in accord with God's plan.
From the Scriptures the Church gleans its understanding of the different "ranks" or "choirs" of angels, giving us a sense of the myriad tasks they continue to carry out.
Scripture says we are given an angel as a guardian to watch over us and guide us. Blessed Pope John XXIII had a deep devotion to the Guardian Angels, grasping how they could be called upon to help us in our work for God in the Church. When the future Pope served in the Vatican's diplomatic service, he was often assisted by the angels. Whenever he was approaching what he thought would be a contentious meeting or negotiation, he would pray not only to his Guardian Angel, but also to the angel of the person he was meeting. Together Blessed John and the two angelic helpers would constitute a three-to-one majority, capable of winning over the heart of his would-be adversary.
For generations, Catholics in the United States concluded the celebration of Holy Mass with the prayer to St. Michael for the conversion of Russia. In the Book of Revelation, St. Michael is presented as the leader of God's heavenly host for the overthrow of Satan. The demons are fallen angels whose prideful free choice against God cost them their status in heaven. Rightly called "the father of lies," Satan never ceases to mislead souls away from the living Truth, Jesus Christ. The devil and his minions are infinitely less powerful than God, but one of the most vicious ways they harm man is by deceiving us with half truths and false gratifications that give us only passing pleasure.
Human beings are not demons but we can be seduced, and we must never fail to turn to the angels to help us. I ask you to join me in praying this prayer frequently to seek God's protection and help for our families, our diocese, and our world.
"St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host cast into hell: Satan, and all the evil spirits who roam about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
All you angels, come to our aid! Mary, Queen of angels, Pray for us!
END
I am always asking my Guardian Angel to help me. In fact, I did that today. Do you have a problem with that?
By whom were the angels created?
By God, of course, so it is OK to ask for help!
Who spoke to Joesph?
Who spoke to the prophets in many instances? Was it God or was it an angel?
Who are we told in Luke, announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she was to conceive a Son through the power of the Holy Spirit?
The Angel Gabriel!!
Read your Bible — the angels are everywhere in it! (Maybe you just don’t recognize them?)
**The word “angels” is written less than 100 times in Scripture
How many times does God have to say something before you actually believe it?
When angels came to minister to Jesus, did he send them away with a stern warning that he was the only mediator he needed with the Father?**
Excellent! Needs to be repeated.
Have you ever read the Gospel account of the Incarnation?
Probably, but you've obviously not appreciated it.
Was the angel Gabriel (that's right, they have names) an obstacle between man and God or an intermediary? How did the work of our salvation begin? Through the message of an angel, of course! If there were no other references to angels in all of Scripture, this event by itself should clue you in to their importance. It was an angelic messenger that announced God's favor to man in the form of his Incarnate Son.
This is what Calvinism does for you, friend. It's joyless misery paralyzes you and deprives you of the ability to embrace and appreciate God's messengers whom he sends to assist us in our need.
When Lucifer and his followers were cast out of heaven, who do you think did that?
God, of course! He is the person in charge.
God Created the Angels as Individual, Immortal Spirits with Intelligence and Free Will
The Angels in Sacred Scripture
Angels in the History of the Church
Angels - in Heaven, on Earth and in Hell
Catholic Q&A: Angels and Demons (Fr. Thomas J. Euteneuer)
Question: “Are there really such things as guardian angels?”
We are told in scripture not to worhip angels. Your idea of worhip and mine are at odds. I would never pray directly to an angel or to a person,living or dead. They are created things, and scripture says not to worship them. What you do is your own business.
Like the co-reedemer, Mary? Or the minister who is "another Christ?"
No, thanks. I'll stick with Jesus Christ alone and the Gospel message in Scripture.
But you are half-right. A deeper understanding of Biblical Christianity, which can be called Calvinism, does prevent me from recognizing anyone as a mediator between God and men but Christ Jesus.
For that, I am eternally grateful...and most joyful.
Amen.
He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god. They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?" -- Isaiah 44:15-20"Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
Attain salvation? God gave the Israelites the Law to help them attain salvation,and by everyone's account, it didn't work. Do you have something better than the Law?
Is Jesus Christ the only mediator between God and men?
There wasn’t any “mediation” going on, was there?
I don't think we can go wrong if we keep our eyes on Christ alone. Our depth of field is then greatly increased.
I believe this will be of interest to you. God’s blessings on you and your family.
Here's a look at the broader picture. Hope it is helpful.
Throughout the Bible we find it repeatedly implied that each individual soul has its tutelary angel. Thus Abraham, when sending his steward to seek a wife for Isaac, says: "He will send His angel before thee" (Genesis 24:7). The words of the ninetieth Psalm which the devil quoted to our Lord (Matthew 4:6) are well known, and Judith accounts for her heroic deed by saying: "As the Lord liveth, His angel hath been my keeper" (xiii, 20). These passages and many like them (Genesis 16:6-32; Hosea 12:4; 1 Kings 19:5; Acts 12:7; Psalm 33:8), though they will not of themselves demonstrate the doctrine that every individual has his appointed guardian angel, receive their complement in our Saviour's words: "See that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say to you that their angels in Heaven always see the face of My Father Who is in Heaven" (Matthew 18:10), words which illustrate the remark of St. Augustine: "What lies hidden in the Old Testament, is made manifest in the New". Indeed, the book of Tobias seems intended to teach this truth more than any other, and St. Jerome in his commentary on the above words of our Lord says: "The dignity of a soul is so great, that each has a guardian angel from its birth." The general doctrine that the angels are our appointed guardians is considered to be a point of faith, but that each individual member of the human race has his own individual guardian angel is not of faith (de fide); the view has, however, such strong support from the Doctors of the Church that it would be rash to deny it (cf. St. Jerome, supra). Peter the Lombard (Sentences, lib. II, dist. xi) was inclined to think that one angel had charge of several individual human beings. St. Bernard's beautiful homilies (11-14) on the ninetieth Psalm breathe the spirit of the Church without however deciding the question. The Bible represents the angels not only as our guardians, but also as actually interceding for us. "The angel Raphael (Tob., xii, 12) says: "I offered thy prayer to the Lord" (cf. Job, v, 1 (Septuagint), and 33:23 (Vulgate); Apocalypse 8:4). The Catholic cult of the angels is thus thoroughly scriptural. Perhaps the earliest explicit declaration of it is to be found in St. Ambrose's words: "We should pray to the angels who are given to us as guardians" (De Viduis, ix); (cf. St. Aug., Contra Faustum, xx, 21). An undue cult of angels was reprobated by St. Paul (Colossians 2:18), and that such a tendency long remained in the same district is evidenced by Canon 35 of the Synod of Laodicea.
Thanks for post...you’re very kind.
“angels” 92 verses, 94 hits
“angel” 194 verses, 203 hits
“messenger” 32 verses, 34 hits
From searches of the KJV
I believe it is quite a stretch for the Bishop to say: "Scripture says we are given an angel as a guardian to watch over us and guide us." I wish it were true, but we have no way of knowing.
No one worships angels.
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