Angels

RCIA

12/11/14

Do angels exist?

Do we believe in angels?

Modern science and many

religious dismiss the belief

in angels as naïve and superstitious.

However at every Mass we proclaim the existence of angels. In our Creed, our Profession of Faith, we profess to believe in “one God, the father almighty, creator of heaven and earth of all things visible (seen) and invisible (unseen.)” Some would suggest that this is just a way of saying that God created all/everything, but others throughout the history of the Church see in this the creation of purely spiritual beings, those beings without matter…angels

• Although through our intellect we can reasonably speculate that angels exist, the existence of pure created spirits requires divine revelation to make the fact absolutely certain. The catechism refers to this as “the truth of faith.”

• Some would say that a fair test of Christian orthodoxy is the acceptance of angels as created by God and now living in two states of being: those in heaven who also minister to our needs, and those in hell, who are demons and bent on the destruction of the human race through estrangement from God.

Scripture

There are hundreds of references to angels in Scripture. Here are just a few: • An angel was sent to keep Abraham from sacrificing Isaac (Gen.22:11-12). • The Archangel Raphael (whose name means “God heals”) assisted Tobiah

on his journeys, leads Tobiah to his wife, Sarah, and heals Tobiah’s father, Tobit.

• The Archangel Gabriel (whose name means “God’s hero”) announced the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus

(Lk 1). • The Archangel Michael (whose name means, “Who is like God?” is the

chief angelic warrior for God (cf. Dan. 10, Jude 1:9, Rev. 12) He is also the principal angelic defender of the Church.

• Angels ministered to Christ in the desert (Mt. 4:11), and in his agony in the Garden (Lk.22:43).

• Angels were witnesses to Christ’s resurrection (Jn.20:12-13). • Angels surround the throne of God and give him constant praise and glory

(Dan.6:9-10, (Book of Revelation).

Ecumenical Councils

There are three principal sources of ecclesiastical authority on the angels: the Fourth Lateran Council (1215 AD), the First Vatican Council (1870) and the Second Vatican Council (1964). The 4th Lateran Council taught: • God is the creator of all things, visible and invisible, spiritual and corporeal, who,

by His almighty power from the very beginning of time has created both orders of creation in the same way out of nothing, the spiritual or angelic world and the corporeal or visible universe.

• Afterwards He formed the creature man, who in a way belongs to both orders, as he is composed of spirit and body. • The devil and other demons were created by God good according to their nature, but they made themselves evil by their own doing.

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

• “…The whole life of the Church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of angels.” CCC 334

• “In her liturgy, the Church joins with the angels to adore the thrice-holy God. She invokes their assistance (in the funeral liturgy's “May the angels lead you into Paradise. . ."). CCC 335

• From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life." CCC 336

CCC

Angels are spiritual creatures who glorify God without ceasing and who serve his saving plans for other creatures: "The angels work together for the benefit of us all" (St. Thomas Aquinas, STh I, 114, 3, ad 3). CCC 350

The angels surround

Christ their Lord.

They serve him especially

in the accomplishment of

his saving mission to men.

CCC 351

The Mass

Preface to Eucharistic Prayer (EP) I: And so, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominions, and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven, we sing the hymn of your glory, as without end we acclaim: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts Preface EP II: And so we join the angels and saints in proclaiming your glory Preface EP IV Countless hosts of angels stand before you to do your will; they look upon your splendor and praise you, night and day. United with them, and in the name of every creature under heaven, we too praise your glory as we say EP I Almighty God, we pray that your angel may take this sacrifice to your altar in heaven.

Angelology 101

Let us discuss some “angel” basics

What is the meaning of the word "angel"?

• The word "angel", from the Greek angelos, means "one who is sent" or a "messenger."

What is an angel?

• An angel is a spiritual creature, especially one in heavenly glory, who is superior to human beings and often commissioned by God for certain duties on earth.

• As explained by St. Augustine, "the name angel belongs to his office, not to his nature. You ask what is the name of his nature. He is a spirit. You ask what is the name of his office. He is an angel."

What is the meaning of “Angel" in Catholic theology?

• In Catholic theology the term "angel" refers to all spiritual creatures whether in glory with God or eternally separate from God in hell.

• We may therefore define angels as purely spiritual created substances …

Fact or Fiction?

• All angels are wonderful and will help us humans.

• Some are, some aren't. Some do, some don't. Heavenly angels—"good angels"—are enjoying great popularity these days, but their counterparts—"bad angels"—tend to be forgotten or dismissed as primitive superstition or childish fairy tales.

• The Church teaches that not all angels chose to do God's will. "'The devil and other demons were indeed created naturally good by God, but they became evil by their own doing…"' CCC 391

• Some angels sinned. We don't know exactly what they did wrong, but their "fall" was a result of radically and irrevocably rejecting God and His reign.

• And since the beginning of humanity's time on earth, the devil— immortal and powerful, but not all-powerful like God—has been encouraging human beings to also reject their Creator.

When humans, especially young children, die and go to heaven, they become angels.

• Angels and humans are separate and different beings.

• Angels are 100 percent spirits; humans are both spirit (soul) and body.

• A human being's soul is immortal; his or her body dies. When the soul leaves the body at death, it is not transformed somehow into an angel.

How Many Angels are There?

We don’t know but their number is felt to be exceedingly vast.

Traditionally, angels are said to be divided into various "choirs."

The angels are not all created equally, and based on their degree of knowledge, love of God, and type of service, the angels are categorized into three hierarchies, each containing three different orders, making nine different choirs (Dates back to the 4th Lateran council):

Choirs of Angels

1st Hierarchy

• 1st Hierarchy is known as the Councillors of God.

• These angels have no direct contact with mankind; they are the angels of God's Presence

Seraphim

Cherubim

Thrones

Lucifer

• The highest in the Choir of Seraphim must have been the most brilliant, most perfect and glorious creature of the spirit world, a bearer of light and beauty, the ideal of creation.

• According to Sacred Scripture the apostasy of the fallen Angels must be attributed to one of the most exalted spirits. He sinned by pride and seduced the others by his example and his lies.

Lucifer/Satan/Devil

• Sacred Tradition recognizes Lucifer as the name of the principal fallen angel who must lament the loss of his original glory bright as the morning star.

• In Christian tradition this meaning of Lucifer has prevailed; however, the Fathers maintain that Lucifer is not the proper name of the devil, but denotes only the state from which he has fallen.

CCC and Lucifer

391 Scripture and the Church's Tradition see in this being a fallen angel, called "Satan" or the "devil".

The Church teaches that Satan was at first a good angel, made by God: "The devil and the other demons were indeed created naturally good by God, but they became evil by their own doing."

392 Scripture speaks of a sin of these angels. This "fall" consists in the free choice of these created spirits, who radically and irrevocably rejected God and his reign.

393 It is the irrevocable character of their choice, and not a defect in the infinite divine mercy, that makes the angels' sin unforgivable. "There is no

repentance for the angels after their fall, just as there is no repentance for men after death." St John Damascene

395 The power of Satan is, nonetheless, not infinite. He is only a creature, powerful from the fact that he is pure spirit, but still a creature.

Although Satan may act in the world out of hatred for God and his kingdom in Christ Jesus, and although his action may cause grave injuries to each man and to society, the action is permitted by divine providence ...

It is a great mystery that providence should permit diabolical activity, but "we know that in everything God works for good with those who love him."

Romans 8:28

Second Hierarchy is known as the Governors for they regulate the forces of nature

Dominations or Dominions

Virtues

Powers

Third Hierarchy is known as the Messengers of God for these angels minister directly to Man.

Principalities or Princedoms

Archangels

Angels

Three Archangels

St Michael

St Gabriel

St Raphael

Newest Archangel

Castiel

The Evil One

Guardian Angel

Guardian Angels

It was St. Basil the Great (who died in A.D. 379) who said, "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.”

It is usually from the lower choir of Angels that Guardian Angels are chosen

The angels most pertinent to our spiritual lives is our guardian angel.

Every person is given a guardian angel because as Eusebius puts it: "Fearing lest sinful mankind should be without government and without guidance, like herds of cattle, God gave them protectors and superintendents, the holy angels in the form of captains and shepherds" (Dem. Ev., 4, 6).

We are never without our protector, and the more we request their help, the more he can help us.

Three Roles of Guardian Angels

1) Angel of peace

2) Angel of penitence (or penance)

3) Angel of prayer.

• As an angel of peace, they protect against danger, both bodily and spiritual threats. They also can give peace and comfort to the soul when undergoing tribulations, like Jesus during his agony in the Garden.

• As an angel of penance or penitence, our angel has the office of chastising and correcting us when we stray from God's path. The angel also helps us in restoring our soul to health after we sin, helping us obtaining remission of our sins.

• As an angel of prayer, the guardian angel presents our prayers to God, both liturgical and private prayers.

The angels play a major role in the history of God's dealing with the human race.

From the dawn of creation when the evil spirit successfully tempted our first parents, to the Incarnation announced by the angel Gabriel, angelic spirits are an essential part of Messianic history.

Since the coming of Christ, angels are more than ever the messengers of the Good News, which they first announced to the shepherds at Bethlehem.

Free Will

Our Choice

Good or Evil

How did some of the angels sin?

The Church's tradition tells us they sinned by pride and envy. This was the primary sin of the angels. It was the sin of a spiritual being, since the angels have no bodies. The angels sinned because they refused to God as their Creator.

However, the angels also sinned by envy. They coveted the Divine excellence.

We may also say they envied human beings who, they understood, would also reach heavenly beatitude.

What was the damnation of the unfaithful angels?

Basically it was, and is, eternal separation from God.

What our faith tells us is that the punishment of the angels is the same as that of human beings who die unrepentant of their grave sins.

What then can we say is the summary of the Church's teaching on the existence of the

angels?

• This teaching tells us that the angels did not always exist. They had to be

• created by God out of nothing, by His almighty loving power. They were created before the human race. They were all created good. Some of the angels fell from divine friendship by their disobedience and became demons.

Why did God create the angels?

God created the world for His glory.

He wants to be glorified by intelligent beings endowed with a mind and free will.

• Jesus:

• "With their whole beings the angels are servants and messengers of God. Because they 'always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven' they are the 'mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word' (Mt 18:10; Ps 103:20).

Wings

We must remember that the artistic renderings of angels with wings are not actually what they look like. They are pure spirits, meaning they have no bodies. Wings are depicted on angels because it implies their swiftness and speed in sending messages between God and man.