Northern Virginia Catholic Bible Study & Apologetics
Every Tuesday, 7PM-8PM
This meeting format is lecture and Q&A. It is free.
House rules/notes…
Our meeting/classes are In-Person at St. John Neumann Catholic Church 11900 Lawyers Road, Reston, VA 20191 https://saintjn.org/ (usually held downstairs in Room 5), or ONLINE via Zoom (see #2).
To sign up for Zoom notifications and to receive the Meeting Recaps, go to www.meetup.com/catholicbiblestudy and join us! The Zoom Logon is the same every week: Zoom ID: 861 1782 2081 Password: 406952.
After each meeting, I send out Meeting Recaps of what we discussed. Please remember these recaps are unedited and without the pictures. The edited version with pictures will be posted on our website before the next class at www.catholiccatacombs.org. Taylor will notify everyone at that time and provide a link.
Questions encouraged. If you have questions, we ask that you keep them on topic and brief. You can ask in the chat box during the class, or email through Meetup.com, or email me at ron@hallagan.net afterwards.
Respectfulness. We will be discussing differences between religions and between Christian denominations, and we agree to be respectful at all times. Protestants especially are our friends and brothers-in-Christ; in fact, I personally owe part of my return to the faith to them!
No politics. It would be easy for us to self-destruct, but that’s not our goal. Our goal is to learn/understand/apply the Bible and our Catholic faith.
Catholic Prayer & Fellowship. Are you interested in praying the rosary, etc. with other Catholics during the week? Follow fellow member Jason Goldberg at https://www.meetup.com/online-catholic-prayer-fellowship-and-spirituality/. Daily/weekly prayer is saintly!
“The Chosen” TV series. All of us seek a relationship with Jesus Christ, which is not always easy. It can help if we have seen and heard Him. The Chosen captures Jesus better than any show I have ever seen. Highly recommended.
RSVP Reminder: Please RSVP whether you are attending the meeting or just reading the Recaps afterwards. The more RSVPs, the more Meetup will give exposure to “Catholic Bible Study” – a good thing!
Catholic Catacombs website: www.CatholicCatacombs.org
Bible Study Format: Each week of the month has a repeating topic, as noted below.
Each meeting: 5 min greet, prayer, 10-15 min Catholic topic, 40-45 min main topic.
Week 1: Gospel Week
Week 2: Bible Week (Gen to Rev): We are in The Book of JUDGES.
Week 3: Survey Topics Voted on by Members:
x 1) Jesus’ Greatest Parables x 2) Hell, Purgatory, Heaven x 3) Comparative Religions
4) Great Women in the Bible 5) Book of Revelation 6) Fathers, Heresies, and Church Councils
Week 4: Member Questions:
How do I live my Christian faith at work when my faith is not accepted there?
What should our response be to those who ask us about priestly sex abuse?
What about the atheist who leads a good life? Can I be a person be good apart from God?
Miracles since the NT
What’s the difference between Charity and Love? What are the highest forms of charity?
How can I get more excited by the Mass?
Was King David good or bad? Was Emperor Constantine good or bad? Was he even Christian?
Why does God allow suffering? What is the Christian idea of falling down to move up? 2 steps, 1 step…?
What do you think a day in the life of God is like to Him?
What is a prophet? What is Tradition? Is Tradition equal to Scripture in importance?
How can you have a Mass said for someone and what are its effects?
Opening Prayer
As you taught us to pray…
Our Father
Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily Bread;
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Upcoming major holy days in the Church:
Feb 14 – Mar 28: Lent (ends on Holy Thurs/Last Supper)
Today
Gospel Reading for this Sunday, Feb 5 – The Cleansing of the Temple, John 2:13-25
Angels & Demons
Quote of the Week:
Both Thomas Aquinas and C.S. Lewis taught that evil isn’t going to appear in red with horns and a tail and entice us to follow him. For evil to succeed, it must disguise itself as good, which is much easier than we imagine. In fact, attractive, eloquent, and “claiming to represent justice” are the first requirements of almost any successful heretic or cult leader. To add to the problem is the changing moral landscape. What each generation calls evil, the next generation says, “not so bad,” and then the next, “not bad at all.” You tell me, is the devil successful?
Apologetics and Exegesis Terms
“A lie travels all the way around the globe while the truth is still putting on its shoes.” – Mark Twain
Apologetics – to defend a belief.
Catholic Apologetics– to defend the Catholic faith using reason, tradition, & scripture.
Exegesis – the study and interpretation of Scripture (it’s what we do here every week; you are all exegetes).
Eschatology (Greek, eschaton=last/end): the study of the End Times: the Second Coming of Christ (called Advent in
Latin, Parousia in Greek), Judgement Day, Heaven & Hell. In exegesis, you will hear Parousia more than Advent.
Typology – The study of Old Testament events that are completed or fulfilled in the New Testament.
“The Old Testament is revealed in the New; the New Testament is hidden in the Old.” – St. Augustine
Bible = The OT = The Torah (Pentateuch, Books of Moses), the Prophets, the Writings (Wisdom, Novellas). 46 books.
The NT = The Gospels and the Epistles (Epistles: New Test Letters (Paul), Catholic Letters, and Revelation). 27 bks.
Best Bibles – The Didache Bible, Ignatius Edition; Ignatius RSV 2nd Catholic edition; Augustine Bible; Douay Rheims (Jerome). Starters: Bible Basics for Catholics-Ave Maria press.
Church – The whole body of Christian believers. Also, Greek kyriakon “house of the Lord”/building for Christian worship.
Ark of the Covenant: a) The golden chest holding the 10 Commandments; b) Mary’s womb holding the Word of God
Tabernacle - the portable sanctuary used by the Israelites in the wilderness during Exodus the from Egypt and then in the Temple in Jerusalem by Solomon (and again later by Herod). Latin tabernaculum – tent; temporary dwelling place.
Temple – Latin templum - space set aside for sacrifice/worship; replaced the Tabernacle; the Temple in Jerusalem.
Synagogue – Jewish house of worship often w/facilities for religious instruction. Greek synagogue: assembly/gathering.
Church Authority – The Church is the only authority given by Jesus Christ to interpret the Word of God: "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven" (Mt 18:18-20). Otherwise, there could be a different interpretation for every Scriptural passage for every person who ever read them, resulting in division vs unity (which is why there are 17+ Eastern Orthodox churches and 10,000 Protestant churches). Catholic Church teachings are nothing more than the Church’s interpretation of that which has already been revealed by God, either through Scripture or what has been handed on from Apostolic Tradition. This body of the Church’s interpretation is called the “Magisterium” and it is not superior to the Word of God, but its servant. The Church cannot make up anything outside what has been handed to it, but rather guards and teaches it (CCC#86, 890). In fact, the Church believes that Divine Revelation ended with the Apostles.
Church Doctrine refers to all of the official teachings of the Church. There are several levels of teachings:
“Theological Opinions” are teachings that express a pope’s views in a subject but are not doctrine/not binding.
Doctrine: Those that the Church teaches authoritatively but not infallibly. Elements within these can change.
“Ex cathedra” means when the pope “speaks from the chair of Peter.” Infallible doctrine, indirect revelation.
Dogma: Those teachings which the Church has infallibly taught to be divinely revealed.
Heresy – the rejection of dogma (category d only).
Epiphany – Epiphany means a sudden appearance, revelation, or manifestation from above. In Christianity, it refers to the revelation of Jesus Christ as Savior of the World to the gentiles (Magi) 12 days after Christmas.
Theophany means the appearance of God, such as Yahweh to Moses on Mt. Sinai, or at the Transfiguration. Note “phany” in both words, from the Greek phainein = to appear. [Theo=God + phany=appear]
Eucharist –the Lord’s Supper. The bread & wine become Jesus’ body/blood. From Greek eucharistia = thanksgiving.
Mass – the celebration of the Last Supper/Eucharist. “Mass” is from the Latin missa meaning “to send (out).”
Evangelize – to make the Kingdom of God present in our world.
Forgiveness – letting go of past harm to God or others. When Jesus forgives, there is a presumption of repentance, which also presumes changes in behavior – i.e., when he forgives the prostitute, he says, “Go and sin no more.” When we forgive, we mainly forgive the person because “judgment” belongs to God. The other person’s bad behavior is a separate matter.
Mercy – withholding harsh treatment or judgment that is justified.
Repentance – to turn away from a Self-centered life and towards a God-centered life; each time we sin and turn to God for forgiveness; repentance presumes heartfelt regret for sin and heartfelt desire to do better with God’s help.
Humility – the quality of being continually open to God and others, a requirement for gaining wisdom; the opposite of arrogance (full of oneself). “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” Mt 11:28-29. As C.S. Lewis said, “Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less often.”
God as Father/He/Him – scriptural tradition (God is not a gender); God does set the gold standard for fatherhood.
Man – generic for mankind, humanity.
Deism – belief in a supreme being/creator who does not intervene in the universe, or who is indifferent to it.
Theism – belief in the existence of God or gods, especially the believe in one God who is creator of the universe and is actively engaged in some way, intervening in it and sustaining a personal relationship with his creatures.
Atheism – the belief that gods or spirituality of any kind do not exist.
Agnosticism – the belief that God may, or may not, exist – we don’t know, we can’t know.
Preternatural – means “outside the natural”; refers to a unique state of grace Adam & Eve were in before the Fall.
The “World” – as used in the Bible, this term pertains to the nonreligious/secular world, or our temporary, material lives. In fact, the word “secular” (Latin seaecularis) = worldly/temporal. Biblically, “this world" often has a negative meaning, i.e., “The fall of man resulted from our choosing this world over God.” This physical world is not bad as God made all things good. But figuratively speaking, it refers to materialism, selfishness, and greed, i.e., “worldly temptations.”
Patristics, Matristics, Tradition, Revelation, Concupiscence, Octave, Love, Justice, Righteous, Patience, Righteous, Hyperbole, Soteriology, Apostolic Succession, Polytheism, Pantheism, Mystery, Anamnesis, Eucharistia: Thank you, Lord, I am grateful for your saving presence in my life. Kenosis: Lord, I will try to empty my “self” as you did, to be present to others. Metanoia: Today, Lord, I will yoke my mind, my heart, and my soul to You. Maranatha: Come, Lord, enter, and make your home with me/us!
Gospel reading for Sunday, Feb 5 – The Cleansing of the Temple, John 2:13-25
John 2:13-25
Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and the money of the changers he poured out and overturned their tables. And to those who sold doves he said,
“Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, “The zeal for thy house shall consume me.”
At this the Jews responded and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this thing?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But Jesus was speaking of the temple of his body.
When, therefore, he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believe the words that Jesus had spoken.
While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. But Jesus did not trust himself to them because he knew all men, and did not need anyone to testify to him about human nature; for he knew it well.
Q: What was the holy Jewish festival going on?
Passover was near.
Q: What was this festival celebrating?
The night that the Angel of Death “passed over” the Jews in Egypt the night before they escaped, by putting the blood of the sacrificed, unblemished lamb on their doorposts.
Also, their “pass over” out of slavery into freedom.
Q: What time/season of the year was this?
The passage says “preparing for Passover” – Passover was in the Springtime.
Q: What time is it for us now?
We are preparing for the Easter/Passover, which the purpose of Lent.
Q: Typology: How does our Easter Passover parallel the first Passover?
First Passover meal - unblemished lamb to be sacrificed 🡪 escape death 🡪 3 days later the Israelites cross the Red Sea to 🡪 freedom from slavery.
Last Supper Passover meal - unblemished Jesus to be sacrificed 🡪 3 days later Jesus passes over death by rising on Easter Sunday 🡪 our freedom from sin and eternal freedom reopened to us (Heaven).
Q: Why does Jesus use a whip and overturn the tables? Was this because of the presence of “money changers”?
Jesus made a whip to drive out the animals —the sheep and cattle— not people. People did get a tongue-lashing, but no people were struck.
As for the money changers, some believe they were cheating people and this may be true, although it doesn’t say that. They actually performed a needed service since there were literally tens of thousands of people who came to the Passover in Jerusalem from all over the Mediterranean to offer worship, even pagans, and it was more practical to purchase your sacrifice once you got there. However, that was not the purpose for the “Court of the Gentiles.” The Court of the Gentiles existed because saving the Gentiles was part of God’s plan, and now their only sacred place had been turned into a marketplace. Jesus, who came to offer God’s salvation to all nations, was having none of it.
Q: Is there such a thing as positive anger?
Anger is an emotion which itself is neither good nor evil (CCC 1767). It’s only a sin by reason of excess or defect.
It should be for the justice of others, and it must be measured (controlled and not in excess). Too often, anger is for oneself and quickly turns selfish or self-justifying. Anger is the devil’s playground because it has the power to overtake people in the moment and can be used quickly to destroy others.
Also, when anger is only managed on a symptom level it remains unresolved and tends to resurface. When that happens, we’re more likely to overreact.
Q: A member asked this follow up question: If Jesus is God, then wasn't he using anger to defend justice for himself?
Anger guidelines apply to humans because of our selfishness and general inability to apply anger justly. Jesus was sinless and never guilty of selfishness so that restriction did not apply to him. Also, if any man or woman thinks they are as just and humble as Jesus, then I would say they are also exempted from this rule.
Q: What does the reference to 46 years mean?
Herod the Great began expanding and beautifying the Temple when Rome made him king around 16 BC. He wasn’t a valid king in Jewish eyes because – he was not from David’s line and not even fully Jewish (Edomite), Investing in the temple was Herod’s way of trying to win the people over. He had an ego the size of Dead Sea and was paranoid about his position, even killing his wife, mother-in-law, and three of his sons whom he considered a threat. He’s the same guy who told the Magi to come back and let him know who the Messiah was, and then went and killed all the children in the area of Bethlehem 2 years old and under.
In any event, Herod said he would make the Temple even greater than Solomon’s temple, which was the very first temple in 980 BC. The Babylonians destroyed that in 587 BC and it was rebuilt (2nd Temple) by Ezra and Nehemiah after the Exile, but it wasn’t half as great as Solomon’s. Indeed, Herod’s Temple surpassed Solomon’s.
Q: What did Herod’s Temple look like?
Since we are moving closer and closer to the Passover/Last Supper/Passion/Easter, its time we looked at Jerusalem and the Temple again to get a lay of the land. It will help your understanding of Jesus’ events.
Jerusalem – City of David, 1000 BC
Jerusalem – Time of Jesus, 30 AD
City of David
Towards the end of today’s passage, when they ask Jesus what sign he can show to demonstrate his authority, He replies, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” Of course, he is referring to the three days from his passion and death till he is raised on Easter morning, meaning he is referring to the real temple, the temple of his body, which he “celebrated” beginning with the bread and wine at the Last Supper. God dwells in HIM, so He becomes the Temple, the Church, from here on out, for all peoples. And when we consume the bread at the Mass exactly as instructed, we consume him and become one with him in the Body of Christ, just like he gave himself to the Apostles in the bread and wine at the Last Supper.
When, therefore, he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believe the words that Jesus had spoken.
Spiritual nature apologetics
The idea of a spiritual realm has been a part of the human race since the origins of our modern human species (~10,000-50,000 years ago?). Many religions attribute this to our having spirits, and that our spirits are connected with a larger spiritual realm. This actually makes more “sense” than humans just happening to evolve from bacteria to all of us seeking the same imaginary thing, something that never existed.
Judeo-Christianity has held that our spiritual natures are the reason for our high ideals of love, justice, truth, charity, and goodness. Our lower, animal natures instead hold fast to the intellectual versions of survival of the fittest, which we now call the spiritual vices of ego, selfishness, and pride.
If there is a spiritual world, the obvious next question is, “Are we the only ones who know about it and the only ones in it?” Of course, that sounds silly as soon as we say it. It would be the height of anthropomorphic arrogance.
Given that our “higher” natures are our spiritual natures, it is likely that if there are spiritual beings out there, they are higher as well. And if they are higher, then what’s the chance they would be able to communicate with us since we have spirits too? … 100%?
So far, I have just used logic and reason, not religion, to discuss the reality if spirituality.
Someone might counter with, “But, Ron, science doesn’t support the idea of the spiritual.”
That is true, but you must also consider that science for the last 200 years has redefined itself to be the study of the material universe only – all that which we can see, touch, smell, etc., with microscopes, scales, telescopes, and all kinds of experiments. But the spiritual realm isn’t subject to physical observation, measurement, and experimentation – it’s not physical at all – so you see, modern science has ruled itself out the running when it comes to having any informed opinions on the subject.
Don’t get me wrong, science is fantastic and cool – I’m personally absorbed with it – yet, it is simply the study of the universe God created; and God gave us inquiring minds to do science. However, modern science straitjackets itself when it comes to subjects beyond its chosen expertise. Because it limits itself to the material universe, then asking a biologist or astrophysicist comment on spiritual matters is like asking a car mechanic their opinion on whether you should get open-heart surgery.
The fact is that all human civilizations have pursued spiritual nature, both internally and externally, which, if science just ran the numbers, would be like betting on a sure thing at the racetrack. If 100% of test cases show the same result, perhaps we should be more open to some other reality besides that of physically advanced bacteria.
ANGELS… Do they exist? How do they exist? How many are there? What do they do?
Now that we’ve discussed science, reason, and logic, let’s turn to religion. The most influential religious (or even nonreligious) book in history is the Bible, which mention angels, directly or indirectly, about 300 times between the New and Old Testaments. There’s just no getting away from them.
Q: What does Christianity teach about angels?
God, in His infinite power, created multitudes of angels, thought to have occurred at the time of the creation of the universe. In Genesis 1:3, the “first day” of creation, we see that God said, “Let there be light,” yet the sun and the stars don’t show up until “day three.” It is thought that the first light was the light of goodness in the universe and of the angels.
Angels are extremely intelligent spiritual beings who were given heavenly grace to move towards their spiritual destiny – God. They did not receive knowledge gradually like humans, but at their creation. Combine Aquinas, Newton, and Einstein and you might get half their intelligence.
Q: Can we estimate how many is “multitudes”?
Not really. Thomas Aquinas, who is called the Angelic Doctor because he is the world’s expert, says it is an “incalculable” number. However, I will take a stab at it (haha). One tradition says that Satan has at least one demon assigned to every human being. If there are currently 8 billion people on the planet, then there would be at least 8 billion demons (there have been a 100 billion humans over all time, but I’m assuming Satan recycles his demons). Now, since we know that a third of the angels Fell (Rev 12:4), there would have to be three times the number of good angels to bad angels, so… 8 billion demons x 3 = 24 billion good angels. Add the two together and we have 32 billion. This is minimum, just saying!
The only other reference I could find was one time a well-known exorcist, Father Candido Amantini, asked a demon: “How many are you?” The demon responded: “We are so many that if we were visible, we would block out the sun.”
Remember, that’s just demons, and that’s a lot especially considering they are spiritual and have no size. Have I answer the questions about numbers satisfactorily?
How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
Most well-known angel sightings in Scripture
Angels guarding the way back to Paradise after the Fall of Man.
The angels Abraham meets outside his tent and later helps Lot escape from Sodom.
Jacob’s vision of angels ascending and descending the ladder that extends from Heaven to Earth.
Gabriel appearing to Zechariah at the Temple to inform him that Elizabeth will have a child (John the Baptist).
Gabriel appearing to Mary with news of the incarnation of Jesus (The Annunciation).
The angel who helped Peter escape prison in Jerusalem.
Michael the Archangel throwing down Lucifer in Revelations.
Guardian Angels
When we hear about Guardian Angels, we almost instinctively conjure up images found in children’s books: a golden-haired, white-winged “being” floating beside a young child, rushing to catch the child from falling and bringing him to safety. We smile at these pictures and move on.
Perhaps we shouldn’t be so quick to discount these angels.
Q: When do we first hear about “guardian angels?”
Immediately after the fall of man, we read:
“He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life (Gen. 3:24).
Today we classify these beings as angels but notice that the word ‘angel’ isn’t used. The word ‘angel’ is actually translated as “messenger.” In the passage above, they’re not delivering messages and are called “cherubim.” FYI, cherubs weren’t little babies with wings—those are known in Italian as putti. Cherubim are usually depicted as frightening animal-human hybrids (Ezekiel 10). Together with the flaming sword, these cherubim serve as the first angelic guardians in the Bible. But they’re not guarding humans. They’re guarding “the way to the tree of life.”
The “tree of life” will only be made available to humans again through the cross. The cross represents both the flaming sword and the Tree of Life.
Q: When is the first time we see angels guarding a human?
In the story of Lot, God sends messengers (using the term “angel”) to warn him and his family of the destruction of Sodom (Gen. 19:12-22). When he delays leaving, they even grab him and force him out of the city. Thus, we see angels being assigned to guard human beings.
We also see this in Psalm 91:11:
“For He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways…”
Q: Does Jesus refer to guardian angels?
He does...
“Their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father” (Mt 18:10).
“Their angels” suggests to us that they are assigned to us at a young age (i.e., birth).
One might also consider how the angels came to minister to Jesus after his 40 days in the desert and engaging Satan. If Jesus needed ministering to, what are the chances we need some ministering to?
To this point, Mark adds…
“Lift up your head! Your angel is with you to minister to you in times of temptation and loneliness, just as angels cared for Jesus during his time in the wilderness (Mk 1:13).
Q: We already pray to the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and we ask Mary and the saints for their intercessory prayers. Do we pray to the angels also?
The reason we ask Mary and/or the saints to pray for us is because prayer for others is an act of love, and all of them – Mary, the saints, others in Heaven, and Christians on earth – are all part of the Body of Christ. Like the rays of the sun, love is supposed to reign at all times as we pray for each other. Well guess what? The angels are also part of the Body of Christ, so we may ask them for their prayers, too, although one can be pretty sure that your guardian angels is already doing that. But if you ask him/her to pray for you, they will probably trip over themselves to quadruple your request!
The Church celebrates the “Feast of Guardian Angels” every Oct 2. At its heart, it tells us that the veil between heaven and earth is thinner than we often assume. It shows us that even “here on earth,” we believers can share “in the blessed company of angels” (CCC 336). Just by their being present to us, our guardian angel surrounds us with the life of heaven.
So, we ought to be very happy, since we have an angel who looks upon the face of our heavenly Father and is constantly interceding for us. When you think of it, can you imagine if we removed all your angel’s intercessions, we weren’t even aware of? Where might we be, then? Fortunately, that is not the case, and we have a “messenger” from heaven that reminds us about God, whether we recognize the messenger or not.
When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you.” – Judges 6:12
We probably won’t see or hear our guardian angel in this lifetime—angels are pure spirits, after all. But we can find great comfort in knowing that God has sent a bit of heaven down to earth just for us, in the form of this hidden spiritual companion. That’s another example of how much God loves us and cares for us.
Q: Can angels read our thoughts?
No, only God can know our thoughts. However, we can communicate mentally with angels. Think of “mental telepathy.” When you intentionally communicate with them, they can understand you. They can also send thoughts back but remember their one and only job is to assist us with the salvation of our souls. This includes protecting us if they can (if we let them).
Q: How important is it to have a devotion to the angels?
Honor paid to the angels has always been very important in Christian history. The Church celebrates two feasts in their honor – the first on Sept 29 – the feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael – and the second on October 2 – the feast of our Guardian Angels. There are several reasons to consider:
The first is quite fundamental, especially in recent times as mankind has tended to focus more and more on this visible world – on the here and now – and to forget our spiritual/eternal destiny. The realm of the spiritual where God himself is – and Heaven – is far more important, and our recognition of angels is part of that ever-present reminder.
A second reason is that the angels have a devotion to us – to help us lift our thoughts above and be heavenly- minded, not so earthly-minded (cf. Col 3:1-2). The least we could do is show some gratitude to them.
Third, as St Thomas Aquinas writes, “Both men and angels are ordained to one end, which is the glory of the divine. Hence the Mystical Body of the Christ consists not only of men but also of angels.” This makes angels a part of the Church and our comrades in arms.
I once heard it said that when we cannot be with the Lord ourselves, we can ask our Guardian Angel to keep the Lord company on our behalf, until we can get back to Him.
Lastly, during the celebration of Mass, the angels surround Our Lord when he becomes present in the bread and wine. Simple awareness of this helps us to be more supernatural – more spiritually-minded – when we are at Mass.
St John Vianney once wrote this about St. Remigius:
“St Remigius, being questioned by a father of the desert how he managed to be always in an even temper, replied, “I often consider that my guardian angel is always by my side.” Regarding judgment day, when Satan will provide a list of our wrongs to the Father in trying to convince Him to give us to the devil, He said, “The devil may write down our sins, but our guardian angel records all our merits.”
Next month – the Fallen Angels, their powers, demonic possession, and exorcisms.
Closing Prayer
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God,
Thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who
wander through the world for the ruin of souls.
Hail Mary…
Full of grace, the Lord is with thee
blessed are thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
댓글