Angels (and Demons): What Do We Really About Them? (Ignatius Press; 2004, sixth printing) by Peter Kreeft:Posted on 09/28/2009 3:38:37 PM PDT by NYer
As tomorrow is the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels, here is an excerpt from Angels (and Demons): What Do We Really About Them? (Ignatius Press; 2004, sixth printing) by Peter Kreeft:
The Twelve Most Important Things to Know About ThemA free 80-minute lecture,"Aquinas and the Angels," by Peter Kreeft can be accessed here.
1. They really exist. Not just in our minds, or our myths, or our symbols, or our culture. They are as real as your dog, or your sister, or electricity.
2. They’re present, right here, right now, right next to you, reading these words with you.
3. They’re not cute, cuddly, comfortable, chummy, or “cool”. They are fearsome and formidable. They are huge. They are warriors.
4. They are the real “extra-terrestrials”, the real “Super-men”, the ultimate aliens. Their powers are far beyond those of all fictional creatures.
5. They are more brilliant minds than Einstein.
6. They can literally move the heavens and the earth if God permits them.
7. There are also evil angels, fallen angels, demons, or devils. These too are not myths. Demon possessions, and exorcisms, are real.
8. Angels are aware of you, even though you can’t usually see or hear them. But you can communicate with them. You can talk to them without even speaking.
9. You really do have your very own “guardian angel”. Everybody does.
10. Angels often come disguised. “Do not neglect hospitality, for some have entertained angels unawares”—that’s a warning from life’s oldest and best instruction manual.
11. We are on a protected part of a great battlefield between angels and devils, extending to eternity.
12. Angels are sentinels standing at the crossroads where life meets death. They work especially at moments of crisis, at the brink of disaster—for bodies, for souls, and for nations.
Why do people think it's stupid to believe in angels?
One reason is a mistake about themselves: the failure to distinguish between (1) sense perception or imagination (which is a kind of inner sensing) and (2) reason, or intelligence, or understanding. We don't see pure spirits, and we can't imagine them. That doesn't mean we can't know or understand them. We can see and imagine the difference between a five-sided figure (a pentagon) and a six-sided figure (a hexagon), and we can also intellectually understand that difference. We cannot, however, sense or imagine the difference between a 105-sided figure and a 106-sided figure. Both look to us simply like circles. But we can understand the difference and even measure it exactly. So we can understand some things we can't see. We can't see qualities like good and evil either. What color or shape or size is evil? Yet we can understand them. We can imagine our brains, but not our minds, our personalities. But we can know them.
Many who deny angels deny or are uaware of the spiritual half of themselves. Angels are a touchstone of "know thyself". So are animals.
Aren't angels irrelevant today? This is the age of man, isn't it?
Yes, this is the age of man, of self-consciousness, of psychology. And therefore it is crucial to "know thyself" accurately today. The major heresies of our day are not about God but about man.
The two most destructive of these heresies—and the two most popular—are angelism, confusing man with an angel by denying his likeness to animals, and animalism, confusing man with an animal by denying his likeness to angels.
Man is the only being that is both angel and animal, both spirit and body. He is the lowest spirit and the highest body, the stupidest angel and the smartest animal, the low point of the hierarchy of minds and the high point of the hierarchy of bodies.
More accurately stated, man is not both angel and animal because he is neither angel nor animal; he is between angels and animals, a unique rung on the cosmic ladder.
But whichever way you say it, man must know angels to know himself, just as he must know animals to know himself, for he must know what he is, and he must know what he is not.
Thank you for this! October 2 is Guardian Angels Day. I have named my guardian angel Felicity because I need to work on being more cheerful. I ask Felicity to help me with that... and to keep me safe, of course!
Dogs have souls? Where do you find that in Scripture?
Thank YOU
I needed that.....
Again
THANK YOU
I got chills several times while reading your story. Thank you for sharing that with us. I know angels are real too.
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Matthew 25:40-42 (in Context)
This is the scripture where God tells the libs to take a hike!
OK, you’re correct. There are no other animate creatures under God’s creation that have souls. Hope You sleep better.
What if the angles are especially acute?
I was attending college back in the 70's. My wife was also working while I was in school, and we had a split schedule. She has a part-time temp job washing trucks for UPS in Rochester, NY. That's ROCHESTER, NY in the WINTER.
As Christmas approached, one morning she asked what I would like for Christmas Dinner, turkey or ham. I told her ham, and she tried to bring me back to turkey which was cheaper. I went along.
I got home from school just before my sons came home from school that afternoon, and a few moments after, heard a knock at the door. Opening it, there were two nicely dressed ladies who wished me a "Merry Christmas" and walked away from the door. As thjeyn departed, I looked down to see three bags, and two boxes. Inside were gifts for boys the ages of mine, and some food stuffs. At the top on one box, was a big ham.
Hebrews 13: 1 Keep on loving each other as brothers. 2Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. ...
Where do you find in scripture that dogs do NOT have souls? The Bible says to preach the Word of God to “EVERY LIVING CREATURE”
I know I am correct, and I have no sleep problems. God created us special. I love my dog, but he is certainly no angel! I agree he seems "telepathic". Dogs are "learners". They are a special gift, I think, but no souls. All dogs don't go to heaven, though Spot will be sorely missed, and Pedro, Felix, Max, Daisy Mae, or all of the others over the years. They were all great friends...
It must be your “penumbra”...
You missed the answer implicit in the way I posed the question: no.
My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
Psalm 145:20-21
Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
Psalm 148:6-8
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,
Revelation 4:8-10
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
Revelation 5:12-14 (in Context) Revelation 5 (Whole Chapter)
The above scriptures are examples of creatures worshipping God. I know there’s a specific scripture that references preaching the Word of God to every living creature. If you ‘google’ the word ‘creature’ in bible gateway, you’ll see that the references are for animals.
As most people know my first name (and last) on this forum, I'm here to tell you that there are Angels who protect you. I know that fact for sure. How do I know for sure? I'm typing this post.
5.56mm
I know Angels are real too. I have a very similar story that brings tears to my eyes, like right now. Yes, I know, and it’s powerful stuff.
I know Angels are real too. I have a very similar story that brings tears to my eyes when I remember/think about it, like right now. Yes, I know, and it’s powerful stuff. Screens all blurry now.
Just today I was walking and decided to pray for the dead, I just let their names come to me as I walk and my husband’s cousin came to mind. He had estranged himself from all the family and we hadn’t heard anything about him for a long time so I just prayed for him in case he was dead and/or alive.
My SIL just called and another cousin had found out this weekend that he died in January 2008, my SIL called his brother and he had also found out this weekend!
I feel a little guilty that I hadn’t thought of him in such a long time but I’m thinking that a messenger from God certainly might have prompted me to pray.
Hebrews 1:1
God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
Hebrews 1:2
has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
Hebrews 1:3
who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Hebrews 1:4
having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
Hebrews 1:5
For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”?
Hebrews 1:6
But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”
Hebrews 1:7
And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.”
Hebrews 1:8
But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.
Hebrews 1:9
You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”
Hebrews 1:10
And: “You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
Hebrews 1:11
They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment;
Hebrews 1:12
Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.”
Hebrews 1:13
But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?
Hebrews 1:14
Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
(NKJV)
SOLI DEO GLORIA!
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