I'm working on my reflection on the scriptures for our communion service at our intercommunity novitiate program next week. The first reading is about what I call an "Angel jailbreak" - one of those stories in the Acts of the Apostles where Peter and his apostle buddies get arrested and put in jail but the angel of the lord breaks them out of jail. Which has me wondering what I think about angels in the first place.The Cathechism of the Catholic Church has this to say about angels:
Angels have been present since creation and throughout the history of salvation, announcing this salvation from afar or near and serving the accomplishment of the divine plan: they closed the earthly paradise; protected Lot; saved Hagar and her child; stayed Abraham's hand; communicated the law by their ministry; led the People of God; announced births and callings; and assisted the prophets, just to cite a few examples. Finally, the angel Gabriel announced the birth of the Precursor and that of Jesus himself. ...I'm wondering ... what do my bloggy friends think about angels? Please share your thoughts in the comments, keeping in mind of course my last post about bloggy manners! ;-)
They protect Jesus in his infancy, serve him in the desert, strengthen him in his agony in the garden, when he could have been saved by them from the hands of his enemies as Israel had been. Again, it is the angels who "evangelize" by proclaiming the Good News of Christ's Incarnation and Resurrection. They will be present at Christ's return, which they will announce, to serve at his judgement.
3 comments:
I'm not sure what I think about angels. I think they exist, but I don't think they're as prevalent as all the pseudo-self-help and newagey books on the subject would like to have us think.
Hi Susan,
I've gotta say that Angels have always belonged in that group of 'beliefs' of the church that I find it easier not to think about! The whole history of them being another real being in the ladder of beings between human and God has always made me think that it's a bunch of fooey (like the way I toned down the language?) So, in that sense I'm not a believer... but if you mean something belonging to the ethereal world, not of this world but somehow maybe around... maybe
Hmmmmmmmm...............something tells me that they have to be out there doing God's leg work to protect us. I have had many close calls in the car and somehow I end up coming unscathed...almost like something or someone stops time for a moment to allow the danger not to happen. Now..can I say for sure what physical form I think they take..probably not. But, I also think that God's angels can be as simple as those people who come into our life for a season to guide us through something and help us get back on track and then slowly fade out into the background of our lives, leaving us missing them....but, forever greatful for what they taught us or gave us.
Post a Comment