Tuesday of the Sixth
Week of Easter
Baruch, Chapter
6, Verse 68
Thus,
is it in no way apparent to us that they are gods; so, do not fear them.
What are the gods in your life that you are afraid of?
To reflect on this let us examine the angels of God who worship HE that IS: the
living God.
The first choir of angels is the Seraphim. Their chief characteristic is great and ardent love. They
were made for one thing alone-----to love the God of Love. Without ceasing they
honor, praise, and love the most Blessed Trinity-----they can do nothing
else-----this is their happiness.
ü
Are you afraid of love? Do you fear
to commit? Do you avoid being vulnerable? Do not fear to love!
The second choir is the Cherubim who continually are employed in contemplating the beauty
and perfections of God. Cherubim are full of zeal for the glory of God and
stand ready at all times to defend His honor. Cherubim should be invoked when
one is troubled with doubts against faith and those who experience temptations
against holy purity.
ü
Has the beauty of art, sex,
idealism, or science been your god; are you afraid to let go and give a fiat to
the will of God in your life? Are you afraid to be a fool for God? Have you
given in and worship at the altar of hedonism? Have you been afraid of others
opinion of you? Be
a temple for the Holy Spirit!
The
third choir is the choir of Thrones.
They are called Angels of Peace, calm, tranquility, and stability. Ask
them for that peace of soul which is the fruit of a good conscience. Invoke
their aid for such as are prone to hatred, passion and impatience; and after
their example, practice being meek, calm, and peaceful with all.
ü
Has competition and fear of being
behind been your constant companion? Are you afraid of being last or worse
average? Has efficiency been your god?
You should rest in God!
The
choir of Dominations is consumed by
their yearning for the interests of God: their principal office is to manifest
His will. We should also beg of God to manifest His will to us by these Blessed
"Intelligences" and then take care to fulfill it scrupulously, as
being the shortest way to perfection and sanctity. We should ask these Angels
to help us to spread God's kingdom upon earth, for the conversion of heretics
and infidels, and for the return of lukewarm and fallen away Catholics to the
practice of the faith.
ü
Has the lack of mastery over the
control of others, or the acquisition of needed skills been your constant
distress? Has the gaining of the things of the material world and its pursuits
left you no time to develop the fear of God in yourself? Have you sought the
god of power or dreaded the loss of it? Have you worshiped at the altar of
materialism? Your
zeal should be for the Kingdom!
The
fifth choir of angels which is the choir of Principalities.
The Principalities watch over Empires, Provinces, and Dioceses. Purity of
intention is the virtue ascribed to them, for in their high functions they
never seek but the honor and interest of God alone.
ü
Have you been anxious about letting
all you do and say allow you to seek the greater glory of God? Have you been
troubled by allowing evil to exist in the workplace? Have you supported the
secular world and been complacent in confronting it? We are all soldiers of Christ!
The
sixth choir of angels is the Powers. These Angels have unlimited
mastery over the wicked Spirits; they are endowed with great intelligence and
are able to discover their schemes and plans for our destruction. Their power
is so incredible that one alone of them would be able to destroy the entire
infernal host. It is well to invoke them in temptation: but to merit their
assistance we must take care to avoid the occasions of sin.
ü
Have you been frightened of the
devil? Have you avoided taking action against evil enterprises? Have you
contributed to evil by use of the internet? Listened to evil inspired music?
Been afraid to look uncool?
True power is often uncool!
The
seventh choir of angels is the Virtues.
Energy and strength are attributed to the Virtues. They have dominion over the
elements; all nature is subjected to their control. Hence they can raise or
appease the tempest. We may profitably invoke them in unforeseen accidents,
sickness, etc. We may also have recourse to them for that strength necessary to
lead a penitential life, and root out the inclinations of depraved nature. All
persons inclined to the contemplative life should call on this choir of Angels
for help, for good thoughts alone do not make holy, one needs also strength to
persevere and to accomplish this great task.
ü
Have you worshipped at the altar of
your natural passions and given into fits of anger, lust and envy? Have you
been afraid of your own passions? Have you avoided controlling the body and
been indulgent?
Prayer and exercise makes us stronger!
The
eighth choir of angels the Archangels. The Archangels are distinguished from the
Angels by the greater importance of their functions: the Guardians of those
invested with authority in the Church and State and are remarkable for their
love and care of men. Let us imitate them, doing our neighbor all the good we
can and invoking in his behalf these Blessed Spirits. Members of this choir are
the holy spirits who stand before the throne of God, ever ready to announce His
commands. St. Michael is the warrior leader of God’s angels. St. Gabriel is the
special messenger of The Holy Spirit. St. Raphael is the angel of Joy.
ü
Have you worship others in
authority or been fearful of them? Have you been apprehensive of your neighbor?
Have you relished quashing others joy? Have you cared less about something you
should? Have you feared taking responsibility or worshipped at the altar of
doing nothingness?
We are all called to service of the Lord!
The
Ninth choir is the angels. They are charged with the execution of the Divine
ordinances, and are appointed the Guardians of men. Humility is the virtue particularly
ascribed to them-----for though the least among the Choirs, yet they see their
celestial companions without desiring their greater, more excellent endowments.
The Guardian Angels exercise continual watchfulness over the souls committed to
their care. Their number is exceedingly great, and it is not necessary when an
Angel has accompanied his charge into Heaven, that he be again assigned to a
soul in any future generation. Our Guardian, who is our companion in life, will
also be forever at our side in Heaven. The joy of these Angels is immeasurably
increased when souls entrusted to their care enter Heaven. The Guardian Angels
of the lost souls are not deprived of their share of joy. God in His justice
increases also theirs with the others, and then assigns them to the special
guard of the Queen of Angels, where they with great joy praise the Infinite
Justice of God. Let us, like the humble Guardian Angels, love the lowest place,
especially when placed therein by Divine Providence, and to behold with joy the
preference given to others.
ü
Have you been full of yourself; had
a little egomania? Have you had the opinion that it is my way or the highway?
Have you watched yourself in the mirror? Imagined you are the center of every
love song? Imitate
your guardian angel and be a seraph of love for others and be a guardian of the
faith of the church!
Information was
obtained from: http://www.catholictradition.org/Angels/angels.htm
The first Christian theologian to outline a specific scheme for guardian angels was Honorius of Autumn in the 12th century. He said that every soul was assigned a guardian angel the moment it was put into a body. Scholastic theologians augmented and ordered the taxonomy of angelic guardians. Thomas Aquinas agreed with Honorius and believed that it was the lowest order of angels who served as guardians, and his view was most successful in popular thought, but Duns Scotus said that any angel is bound by duty and obedience to the Divine Authority to accept the mission to which that angel is assigned. In the 15th century, the Feast of the Guardian Angels was added to the official calendar of Catholic holidays.
In his March 31, 1997 Regina Caeli address, Pope Saint John Paul II referred to the concept of guardian angel and concluded the address with the statement: "Let us invoke the Queen of angels and saints, that she may grant us, supported by our guardian angels, to be authentic witnesses to the Lord's paschal mystery".
In his 2014 homily for the Feast of Holy Guardian Angels, October 2, Pope Francis told those gathered for daily Mass to be like children who pay attention to their “traveling companion.” “No one journeys alone, and no one should think that they are alone,” the Pope said. During the Morning Meditation in the chapel of Santa Marta, the Pope noted that oftentimes, we have the feeling that “I should do this, this is not right, be careful.” This, he said, “is the voice of” our guardian angel...” “According to Church tradition”, the Pope said, “we all have an angel with us, who guards us...” The Pope instructed each, “Do not rebel, follow his advice!”. The Pope urged that this “doctrine on the angels” not be considered “a little imaginative”. It is rather one of “truth”. It is “what Jesus, what God said: ‘I send an angel before you, to guard you, to accompany you on the way, so you will not make a mistake’”. Pope Francis concluded with a series of questions so that each one can examine his/her own conscience: “How is my relationship with my guardian angel? Do I listen to him? Do I bid him good day in the morning? Do I tell him: ‘guard me while I sleep?’ Do I speak with him? Do I ask his advice? ...Each one of us can do so in order to evaluate “the relationship with this angel that the Lord has sent to guard me and to accompany me on the path, and who always beholds the face of the Father who is in heaven”.
There was an old Irish custom that suggested including in bedtime prayers a request for the Blessed Mother to tell one the name of their guardian angel, and supposedly within a few days one would "know" the name by which they could address their angel. An old Dominican tradition encouraged each novice to give a name to their Guardian Angel so that they could speak to him by name and thus feel closer and more friendly with him. The Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments discourages assigning names to angels beyond those revealed in scripture: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.
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