Feast Day: September 29th
This week we celebrate the three archangels named in scripture: Raphael, Gabriel, and Michael and I’d like to take the opportunity to do a bit more of a theological dive with you into the ministry of the angels rather than just a relating of their story. In our profession of faith, we state that “I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.” Notice that before we even get to Jesus, His resurrection, the Holy Spirit, the Church, our own resurrection … we already have stated that we believe in “all things visible and invisible.” That’s where the angels fit in! Though we do not often see the invisible, we believe in it! And in a world where we spend an awful lot of time just with “the visible”, it’s important to reaffirm our choosing to accept God’s revealing to us that there is an entire invisible world which we are also part of.
That said, to discover more about the archangels, we can simply turn to the prayers for the Mass on their feast-day. The priest, having received the offerings of the people and brought them to the altar, but before beginning the preface and the Eucharistic prayer, prays these words:
We offer you a sacrifice of praise, O Lord, humbly entreating, that, as these gifts are borne by the ministry of Angels into the presence of your majesty, so you may receive them favorably and make them profitable for our salvation. Through Christ our Lord.
If the words ring a bell, it may be because they echo a similar prayer said during the First Eucharistic Prayer, after the consecration:
In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God: command that these gifts be borne by the hands of your holy Angel to your altar on high in the sight of your divine majesty, so that all of us, who through this participation at the altar receive the most holy Body and Blood of your Son, may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing.
During that prayer the priest bows down at the altar, folding his hands because he is not so much leading this prayer as inviting the angels to join our offering, and carry it, and us, into the heavenly liturgy. This part of the Mass, and part of our faith, is worth reflecting on. The Mass is the re-presentation of Christ’s Sacrifice on calvary for our redemption, as well as an encounter with His Body, risen and glorified, which nourishes, sustains, sanctifies, and continues to transform us after His likeness. The Eucharistic sacrifice is for our redemption, our transformation into saints, and our worship of God. Where do the angels fit in?
We’re confronted by an amazing fact here: that though the angels are “purely spiritual creatures” with “intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures, surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendor of their glory bears witness” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 330, emphasis in original), despite their surpassing us in so many ways, they have allowed themselves to be humbly concerned with our salvation. If you recall your Baltimore Catechism, remember what it says about the three Archangels: “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.” (Baltimore Catechism, Question 221) These are the glorious archangels, but they have lowered themselves to helping us out!
Aquinas gives us a deeper insight into this, describing the difference in how the angels and demons (fallen angels) relate to us: “Man can of his own accord fall into sin: but he cannot advance in merit without the Divine assistance, which is borne to man by the ministry of the angels. For this reason the angels take part in all our good works: whereas all our sins are not due to the demons’ instigation.”(Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologicae, Part I, Question 114, Article 3, Reply to Objection 3) All our good works – our prayers, our sacrifices, our acts of charity, our growth in virtue – is linked to the life and work and worship of the angels! This means not only that our lives are intrinsically intertwined with the spiritual (this should not surprise us: we are body and spirit!), but also that there is a personal, relational, reality to this. We are not on our own trying to deepen our spiritual life, grow in virtue, avoid sin, or come to know God … we are befriended and attended to by the angels in that walk with the Lord!
– Fr. Dominic has often turned to Our Lord, and the saints, for inspiration and help in the journey of discipleship, but there is something uniquely comforting to know that the angels too – these tremendously powerful spiritual creatures – are also on our side, walking with us, helping us in big ways and small. This week I am going to try and remember this fact a lot more! When I’m working, or running, or shopping, or forgiving, or praying, or falling asleep … all of these occasions will be better if I recall that the angels are there with me!