20211002 ANGELS ARE MINISTERING SPIRITS
02 October, 2021, Saturday, The Holy Guardian Angels
First reading | Exodus 23:20-23 © |
I myself will send an angel before you
The Lord says this: ‘I myself will send an angel before you to guard you as you go and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Give him reverence and listen to all that he says. Offer him no defiance; he would not pardon such a fault, for my name is in him. If you listen carefully to his voice and do all that I say, I shall be enemy to your enemies, foe to your foes. My angel will go before you.’
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 90(91):1-6,10-11 © |
The Lord has commanded his angels to keep you in all your ways.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
and abides in the shade of the Almighty
says to the Lord: ‘My refuge,
my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!’
The Lord has commanded his angels to keep you in all your ways.
It is he who will free you from the snare
of the fowler who seeks to destroy you;
he will conceal you with his pinions
and under his wings you will find refuge.
The Lord has commanded his angels to keep you in all your ways.
You will not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the plague that prowls in the darkness
nor the scourge that lays waste at noon.
The Lord has commanded his angels to keep you in all your ways.
Upon you no evil shall fall,
no plague approach where you dwell.
For you has he commanded his angels,
to keep you in all your ways.
The Lord has commanded his angels to keep you in all your ways.
Gospel Acclamation | Ps102:21 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Give thanks to the Lord, all his hosts,
his servants who do his will.
Alleluia!
Gospel |
Matthew 18:1-5,10 © |
Anyone who welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me
The disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ So he called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, ‘I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
‘Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.’
ANGELS ARE MINISTERING SPIRITS
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [EXODUS 23:20-23; MATTHEW 18:1-5,10 ]
In the letter to the Hebrews, the author wrote, “Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” (Heb 1:14) Today the Church commemorates the place of Guardian angels in their role to help us to attain salvation in Christ. Angels are ministering spirits and they lead us to God and assist Christ in the work of redemption of humanity. The letter of Hebrews reminds us that Jesus as the Son of God is superior to the angels. (Heb 1:5-13)
Indeed, as Pope St Gregory the Great said, “You should be aware that the word ‘angel’ denotes a function rather than a nature.Those holy spirits of heaven have indeed always been spirits. They can only be called angels when they deliver some message.” St Augustine also says: “‘Angel’ is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is ‘spirit’; if you seek the name of their office, it is ‘angel’: from what they are, ‘spirit’, from what they do, ‘angel.'” Angels therefore define their office, the role they play in the history of salvation. But their nature is spirit. They are purely spiritual beings created by God who possess intelligence and will. They are personal and immortal creates of God.
What, then, do angels do? They are ministering spirits whom God sent to help humanity on earth to attain salvation. Angels are defined as servants and messengers of God. But they do more than just being postman. They often come with a message which might be verbal, a warning, an exhortation, providing directions. God also reminded Moses in the first reading, “I myself will send an angel before you to guard you as you go and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Give him reverence and listen to all that he says. Offer him no defiance; he would not pardon such a fault, for my name is in him.” That was what happened to Balaam when he refused to listen to God. So God sent an angel to block his path to warn him not to curse Israel contrary to what Balak wanted him to do. Instead, he blessed Israel. (Num 23) The three angels also brought the news to Abram and Sarah that they would have a son. (Gn 18:9-15) In the New Testament, the Angel Gabriel brought the great news of salvation to Mary and that she would be the mother of the Messiah. (Lk 1:26-38) They were the ones who announced the Good News to the shepherds when the Lord was born.
But angels are also protectors and guides. In the first reading from the Book of Exodus, the Lord told Moses, “If you listen carefully to his voice and do all that I say, I shall be enemy to your enemies, foe to your foes. My angel will go before you and lead you to where the Amorites are and the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, the Jebusites; I shall exterminate these.” In the book of Psalms, it says, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” (Ps 91:11f) When Daniel’s enemies conspired with each other to coerce the king to have Daniel thrown into a den of lions, an angel protected him from harm. (Dn 6:22) Daniel then said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no wrong.” (Dn 6:21f) In the book of Revelation, we read of how St Michael defeated the Dragon and cast them out of heaven. (Rev 12:7-9) Indeed, St Michael is known as the Protector. The Church often invokes St Michael for protection against the snares of the evil spirits, especially when exorcism is performed. Most of all, the Lord assured us, that even the little ones have “their angels in heaven” who “are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.”
Angels, in the final analysis, are called to manifest to us the presence of God and His support for us especially when we are going through great trials in life. When Jesus was in the desert facing the Temptations of the Evil One, “he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.” (Mk 1:13) This was so in the case of Jesus when He was in the garden of Gethsemane going through His agony as He struggled to do the Father’s will. “Then An angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength.” (Lk 22:43) God also sent an angel to strengthen Peter and to rescue him from prison. He released him from his chains and led him out of the prison whilst the soldiers were asleep. Initially, Peter thought he was dreaming, then when Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” (Acts 12:11)
Consequently, on this feast of the Guardian Angels, the Lord is inviting us to submit in faith to the reality of the angels in our lives,particularly so when modern man, living in this scientific, technological world, seeks empirical evidence to believe. To believe in the existence of angels requires a childlike faith. This is what Jesus is asking of us in the gospel. “I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” We need to have the simplicity of a child to recognize our limitations and knowledge of life and the universe. Like a child, we are called to be humble and submit in faith to things beyond our minds. A beautiful psalm comes to my mind and this should be our prayer too. “O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvellous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.” (Ps 131:1f)
Faith in the angels is critical not just because we need the help of the angels in living the gospel life but it is an affirmation of the spiritual and material realities of the world. In the creed, we profess, “I believe in one God…, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all that is visible and invisible.” Without faith in the spiritual beings, we will lose our identity as creatures created in God’s image and likeness. We are not just bodily beings but we also have a soul as well. The existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition teaches is a truth of faith. Otherwise, we cannot speak of salvation of the body and the soul, the incarnation of our Lord and our resurrection. Once we eliminate the spiritual nature of the human being, we lose our identity and our calling.
Furthermore, without affirming the reality of angels who are pure spirits, we cannot also affirm the reality of the Devil and his angels because they are fallen angels. Whilst we do not worship or pray to the devil and the demons, we must be watchful that they do not tempt us to sin. They are so real today in our modern world, as we see the evil trends that are developing, when evil is deemed to be good. This is because Satan is our adversary, as this is the definition of the word, “Satan”. Jesus taught, “He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (Jn 8:43f) St Peter exhorts us, “Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.” (1 Pt 5:8f)
As we celebrate the memorial of the Guardian Angels, let us therefore be conscious of their presence, turn to them for help, for prayers and guidance. Just like the saints, they too are creatures of God and so whilst we do not worship them, they can intercede for us as they are intermediaries between God and humanity, reflecting the presence of God. We too must also be guardian angels to each other by being messengers of Good News, of hope and of love by what we say and what we do, always reflecting God’s presence in our lives.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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