25th Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday, 9-29-23, Year A
Readings: 1st Reading Dn 7:9-10, 13-14; Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5; Gospel Jn 1:47-51
Feast: Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels
Theme: The Love of Angels
When great leaders are recognized, it usually is with a lot of fanfare and a gathering of those who believe in their message and leadership. The crowds sing the praises of the leader and do whatever they can to help and support him. Great presidents, military leaders, peacemakers, and such, who have done great things for humanity, have this following.
In the same way, but more important, is the heavenly hosts for God. In creation, God created special beings to accompany Him and to love Him. We are one of those special creations set apart from others. Similarly, God created special creatures known as angels. Angels are beings that exist in creation, but not as we would understand it in our humanity. Angels are pure spirits with intellect and free will. They were created to minister, worship, and sing the praises of God. They also have a solemn duty to help us here on earth and keep us safe from evil. They do everything from protecting us against harm, keeping us safe, communicating God’s will to us, and inspiring us into virtuous actions and love for one another and especially for God.
Angels exist in a hierarchy known as the Nine Choirs of Angels. This hierarchy starts with the highest choir being the closest to God and His light and extending all the way to those who are farthest away, yet still very close to that light.
Starting with the highest and closest to God and going to the lowest, the Nine Choirs of Angels are:
Seraphim – Highest Power of God in all things.
Cherubim – Second highest power and the guardian of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, keeping us from entering because of the original sin of Adam and Eve.
Thrones – They govern God’s actions within the material world, keeping order on Earth.
Dominations (Dominions) – Protect and fight for us against addictions, enslavement, and anything that puts chains on our souls and bodies.
Virtues – Power to inspire a virtuous life in us and order us toward God.
Powers – Power to protect us against the attacks of evil, like a dam or rampart.
Principalities – Power to guide us in spiritual development being dedicated to groups, communities, and nations.
Archangels – Power to police heaven and Earth and be God’s messengers (The Great Heralds) to us. They receive their instruction from God through the seven choirs that exist above them and disseminate them to us in special and powerful ways. Three are mentioned in the Bible, Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Each of their names ends in “el” which stands for God.
Angels – This last class of angels are the ones who are closest to us. They are our guardian angels. Pope Benedict XVI said of angels, “The invisible presence of these blessed spirits is a great help and a great comfort to us.”1
Although angels exist on many levels and have special duties and powers, they all worship and minister to God first and foremost. Their entire entity and existence are for God and God alone.
For us here on earth, we owe a great debt of gratitude to these invisible creatures who keep us all from being decimated by the evil one, taking away our path to heaven and leading us on a path to destruction. We can rely on the truth about angels because Jesus promised that we will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.
So, pray to them, thank them, and listen to their message to you. And if you think about it, give a message of thanks back to your angels. Ask them to take your prayers back to God on your behalf. What better way to send a message of love to God than through the very essence of His own creation meant to minister and worship Him unceasingly?
1 – Pope Benedict XVI Homily of 2008
Saint James Catholic Church 