Of Angels

The first few times I flew in an airplane I was not exactly the bravest of fliers, especially if any turbulence was involved. A major step in alleviating my fears took place on one flight when a pilot in transit seated next to me saw me white-knuckling. He said to focus my attention on what was in front of me and not what was out the window. Although prayer was involved during the turbulence, what he said did work. In the years since then, I have overcome flying fears by adopting the practice of praying at take-off that we might arrive safely at our destination, invoking the angels to surround the plane at all times. Happily, this prayer no longer arises from fear, but rather from faith accompanied by the understanding that we all have a guardian angel which belongs to the larger ‘company’ of angels. Our guardian angel is a spiritual being with whom we should not only be familiar, but with whom we should have a continually developing relationship. Not only that, but we should acknowledge and relate with all the angels.* As part of God’s creation, they have an important function in worship as well as to battle the forces of evil that assail the world, to guide us through life and home to Heaven. 

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Ancient Jewish tradition taught that there are nine choirs of angels and that the angels were created by God in the beginning; some chose obedient service to Him and others refused to do so. (My remarks will be limited to the good ones who serve God.) There are numerous passages in the Bible in which they are mentioned, and of these, many are detailed. Of significance are the named archangels that have a major role and are described in some way: Michael, prominent in the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation; Gabriel, prominent in the gospel of Luke; and Raphael, a main figure in the book of Tobit.** There are also important references that appear in the Gospels such as when Jesus cast out demons, (fallen angels), and when He spoke of angels in some of His teaching such as when He said: “See that you despise none of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” (Matthew 18:10). It was later in Church history that St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Gregory elaborated upon these choirs and their unique functions.***

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Church teaching is that each person is given a guardian angel at conception and that this angel will accompany us throughout our life. Weekly we affirm this teaching, professing our belief in them every time we say the Nicene Creed: “I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible….” It is important, then, to take the gift of the angels seriously and not neglect our guardian in any way. Remember, there is more to the gift of our guardian angel than only invoking them for protection or guidance. We must also recognize that they love us, and therefore, given their constant friendship and companionship, we need to love them in return. Perhaps we have not thought of loving angels before, so this would be a good time to consider our guardian angel and who that angel is to us. It would also be good to foster an attitude of love toward angels in general, (that is, all of them), who often interact on our behalf quite unseen; they are present and active in the world at all times. Acknowledging the presence of the angels as we approach the Lord in our personal prayer can help in fostering our relationship with them. As St. Ambrose once said, “The angels are part of God’s glory. When He enters our heart, the angels will also enter as they are always with Him.”

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I suggest reflection on the role of the angels, and also that we pray specifically to our guardian angel, offering thanks for their constancy and love. It might also be helpful to consider the role of the angels in the lives of the saints, and especially in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary who also had a guardian. (Perhaps many accompanied her once she responded “yes” to the archangel Gabriel, sent as God’s messenger.) This is not a flight of fanciful imagination, but rather, we can consider all of Mary’s life with its joys and sufferings as a result of her role as the mother of Jesus. We can consider how Jesus needed the angels, too, especially after He was tempted in the desert and again during His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Reflecting or meditating in this way can help our understanding that when we suffer, we are not alone; our angel is by our side to offer companionship, comfort, and love. 

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​It is part of our faith and spirituality to be mindful that we are always accompanied by a guardian angel that carries out the will of God: our angel is there to protect us in every way, to guide, be ministers of graces sent by the Holy Spirit, and to carry our prayers to the Father. And it is good to prayerfully address them, especially with words of gratitude. To neglect them would portray a perhaps unintended disposition of ingratitude for such a wonderful gift. Therefore, let us adopt an attitude of heart which fosters growth in friendship with the angels, and especially with the one who is our special friend, our Guardian.

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May we acknowledge the presence of our guardian angel with gratitude and love! May we become more aware of the ways in which the angels are active in the Church and in the world! And may we grow in reverence of all that the Lord has created, that which is seen and unseen! Let us meet at prayer in the presence of our angels! Peace!

​                                ©Michele L. Catanese

* Of course, when I say we should have a relationship with all the angels, I mean the ones who serve God, that is, the good ones. The fallen angels (demons) permanently chose to disobey; we want nothing to do with these and should avoid them at all costs.
** References of the archangels in Scripture:
-Michael – Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:1; Jude 1:9; Revelation 12:7-8
-Gabriel – Daniel 8:16; Daniel 9:21; Luke 1:19; Luke 1:26
-Raphael: Almost the entire book of Tobit involves Raphael who does his work in disguise until he reveals himself in chapter 12:15-18
https://ucatholic.com/saints/archangels/
*** Christian teaching also attests to 9 choirs of angels. The 9 are angels, archangels, principalities, thrones, dominations, powers, virtues, cherubim, and seraphim. You can find more on the 9 choirs of angels here: https://www.catholic.org/saints/angels/angelchoir.php

Note: There will not be a post on August 12. If you want something to tide you over until my next post on August 26 you can go to my post from August 10, 2020 which is called Lessons from Mary: www.catanesesd.com/micheles-blog/lessons-from-mary

Images:
1. My photo; taken from the plane window as we were flying into Dubrovnik, Croatia.
2. Icon; Archangels. From left to right: St. Gabriel, St. Michael, St. Raphael. Their identifying symbols: Gabriel is holding a medallion of Mary and Jesus, Michael is standing on a demon he has subdued, and Raphael is standing on a fish, (a reference to his actions in the Book of Tobit).
3. My photo; the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass, Colorado.
4. Icon; Our Lady of Perpetual Help, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. (Notice the angels surrounding Our Lady and Jesus; He is attentive to the one to His left and Mary looks to the one on her right.) If you are interested in obtaining a copy of this beautiful icon in one of a number of mediums you can find it at fineartamerica.com/featured/our-lady-of-perpetual-help-318-william-hart-mcnichols.html
5. Painting; Flower Carrier by Diego Rivera. This is a wonderful example of the assistance given by a friend. (Or perhaps an angel in disguise?)
6. My photo; taken from the plane window as we were flying over the Alps crossing into Italy. 
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Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time.

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