The above icon is a representation of the three angels who visited Abraham and Sarah at the oak grove of Mamre; sometimes it is called the "Old Testament Trinity". They aren't named in the Biblical account of Abraham.
Gabriel is named several times in Luke's Gospel. Raphael is named in the book of Tobit. When he finally reveals his true identity, he says he is "one of seven". But so far as I know, we are never told the names of the other four. Michael is named in Revelation. The mysterious Angel of the Agony, who comforts Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, isn't named. Though some traditions say that it was Gabriel.
The guardian angels have their own feast day, and are mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 18:10, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven ever behold the face of my Father."
The little flowers in the photo above are what we used to call Michaelmas Daisies; they always appear about this time of year. They are actually little wild asters, the last wild flowers of the year. My sister snapped this picture out at the home place.
Here is the Baltimore Catechism on angels. I'm presenting this rather than the more recent Catechism of the Catholic Church because, frankly, the former is a good deal more colorful on this topic than the latter. Not completely sure what to make of that.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.baltimore-catechism.com/lesson4.htm
Q. 216. What are angels?
A. Angels are pure spirits without a body, created to adore and enjoy God in heaven.
Q. 217. If Angels have no bodies, how could they appear?
A. Angels could appear by taking bodies to render themselves visible for a time; just as the Holy Ghost took the form of a dove and the devil took the form of a serpent.
Q. 218. Name some persons to whom Angels appeared.
A. Angels appeared to the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph; also to Abraham, Lot, Jacob, Tobias and others.
Q. 219. Were the angels created for any other purpose?
A. The angels were also created to assist before the throne of God and to minister unto Him; they have often been sent as messengers from God to man; and are also appointed our guardians.
Q. 220. Are all the Angels equal in dignity?
A. All the Angels are not equal in dignity. There are nine choirs or classes mentioned in the Holy Scripture. The highest are called Seraphim and the lowest simply Angels. The Archangels are one class higher than ordinary Angels.
Q. 221. Mention some Archangels and tell what they did.
A. The Archangel Michael drove Satan out of heaven; the Archangel Gabriel announced to the Blessed Virgin that she was to become the Mother of God. The Archangel Raphael guided and protected Tobias.
Q. 222. Were Angels ever sent to punish men?
A. Angels were sometimes sent to punish men. An Angel killed 185,000 men in the army of a wicked king who had blasphemed God; an Angel also slew the first-born in the families of the Egyptians who had persecuted God's people.
Q. 223. What do our guardian Angels do for us?
A. Our guardian Angels pray for us, protect and guide us, and offer our prayers, good works and desires to God.
Q. 224. How do we know that Angels offer our prayers and good works to God?
A. We know that Angels offer our prayers and good works to God because it is so stated in Holy Scripture, and Holy Scripture is the Word of God.
Q. 225. Why did God appoint guardian Angels if He watches over us Himself?
A. God appointed guardian Angels to secure for us their help and prayers, and also to show His great love for us in giving us these special servants and faithful friends.
Q. 226. Were the angels, as God created them, good and happy?
A. The angels, as God created them, were good and happy.
Q. 227. Did all the angels remain good and happy?
A. All the angels did not remain good and happy; many of them sinned and were cast into hell, and these are called devils or bad angels.
Q. 228. Do we know the number of good and bad Angels?
A. We do not know the number of the good or bad Angels, but we know it is very great.
Q. 229. What was the devil's name before he fell, and why was he cast out of heaven?
A. Before he fell, Satan, or the devil, was called Lucifer, or light-bearer, a name which indicates great beauty. He was cast out of heaven because through pride he rebelled against God.
Q. 230. How do the bad Angels act toward us?
A. The bad Angels try by every means to lead us into sin. The efforts they make are called temptations of the devil.
Q. 231. Why does the devil tempt us?
A. The devil tempts us because he hates goodness, and does not wish us to enjoy the happiness which he himself has lost.
Q. 232. Can we by our own power overcome the temptations of the devil?
A. We cannot by our own power overcome the temptations of the devil, because the devil is wiser than we are; for, being an Angel, he is more intelligent, and he did not lose his intelligence by falling into sin any more than we do now. Therefore, to overcome his temptations we need the help of God.
Perhaps the more recent catechism backed off a little on the "colorfulness" of the Baltimore version because it made some assumptions which aren't actually supported very well. In fact I'm wondering if it didn't take more from John Milton than Scripture. Gotta give Milton literary creds for making the devil more interesting than the good guys.
ReplyDeleteI can't buy the part about God using angels to smite 185K people to punish a wicked king. My older son took the slaying of the firstborn sons of the Egyptians very personally when he was a kid. I tried to steer him in the direction of not being too much of a Biblical literalist.
It is interesting that the OT Mass readings for this week are from the book of Job, and feature another literary version of Satan. One homilist called Job "the Shakespeare of its time".
DeleteOur celebrant today named the Big Three as St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael. Angels aren't saints. While I as muttering, my wife contributed, "But what about 'St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle ...?' While were grumping about that, the celebrant ended his homily in a burst of how the angels were singing their heads off at the "great Amen" of the Mass, but that's more likely a job for one or more of the other choirs.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with angels is that God doesn't need them. But He doesn't need us, either.
"...He doesn't need us, either." True statement!
DeleteWhen we lived in another town, we belonged to a parish called St. Michael's. Saint just means holy. Which apparently some angels aren't.
We have a seriously goth and disturbing picture of St. Michael in our basement, which our younger son, the art major, did in high school. Should be enough to scare the mice away.
Are we sure God doesn't need us? What is the point of being the Creator if you don't, you know, create?
DeleteI guess it can be said that he wanted us. Maybe that's the same as needing us? If he didn't want us, he wouldn't have created us.
DeleteI notice that there is a New Age fascination with angels also.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the psychic fairs teem with psychics claiming to be able to channel the angels.
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