Angels--Their Nine Choirs--The Seraphim

Angels--Their Nine Choirs--The Seraphim

The Seraphim are the highest of the Angelic Choirs. Their
distinguishing mark is their burning love for God. They have a greater
capacity for love than any of the choirs beneath them. They are more
like to God, who proclaims Himself to be above all a God of Love. God
does not identify Himself with any of His perfections as He does with
His love. St. John tells us that God is love. God has given me a
capacity for loving. Do I employ it in loving God?

The Seraphim, in consequence of this love, are more closely united to
God, and enjoy a larger share of His infinite happiness than any other
of the Angels. Their nobler nature gives them a more powerful will,
and this will is wholly sacrificed to God. Do I thus sacrifice my will
to His, or do I cling to my own, and fancy that my perverse obstinacy
is firmness and strength of will?

This union of their wills with God makes them more like to Him than
the rest of the Holy Angels. If we desire to be truly godlike, we must
sacrifice our own will out of pure love of God, and not for the sake
of any reward accruing to ourselves. We must do His will simply
because it is His will and because that will is dearer to us than all
the world, far dearer than our own. Then we shall be made like Him.
Then we shall be joined to Him in intimate friendship.

by the Rev. R.F. Clarke, S.J.

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September 29th - SS Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels (Feast)

There are few explicit references to angels in the earlier books of
the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament). The word =E2=80=98angel=E2=80=99 come=
s from the
Greek angelos and simply means a =E2=80=98messenger=E2=80=99.

They begin to appear in the later books, for instance, in the Book of
Daniel and seem to date from after the Babylonian exile. However, in
the Book of Genesis (Gen 18 and 19) there are the three men who visit
Abraham, who gives them hospitality. One of them seems to be Yahweh
and the other two angels. While Yahweh stays with Abraham, the other
two go on to Sodom. There they are received by Lot and while in his
house, the people of Sodom come and demand to have intimacies with his
visitors. The next day, the visitors urge Lot to leave Sodom with his
wife and two daughters. The city with Gomorrah is then destroyed.

Again there is mention in the story of Jacob, who had a dream of
Yahweh=E2=80=99s messengers going up and down on a ladder which reached to =
the
heavens (Gen 28:12). And in chapter 33 Jacob wrestled with a =E2=80=98man=
=E2=80=99 all
during the night and when the =E2=80=98man=E2=80=99 could not win he struck=
 Jacob=E2=80=99s
hip in its socket. Before leaving him, the =E2=80=98man=E2=80=99 said that =
Jacob from
now on would be called Israel, the name that would be given to God=E2=80=99=
s
people. This =E2=80=98man=E2=80=99 is often called an angel.
According to some Jewish texts, there were seven archangels, three of
whom we remember in today=E2=80=99s feast--Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.

Angels are mentioned frequently in the New Testament. Angels brought
messages to Mary, Joseph, Zechariah (father of John the Baptist), the
shepherds at Bethlehem, angels ministering to Jesus during his fasting
in the wilderness, consoling him during his Agony in the Garden, at
the tomb of Jesus after his resurrection, and the angel who freed
Peter from prison in the Acts of the Apostles.

Only two references are made to =E2=80=98archangels=E2=80=99 in the New
Testament--Michael in Jude 1:9, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, Revelation
12:7-9, and Gabriel in Luke 1:26ff.


Michael: In Jude the author is speaking against false teachers. He
says they behave immorally and revile God=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9Cglorious being=
s=E2=80=9D, perhaps
a reference to angels. But, unlike them, Michael in his dispute with
Satan over the body of Moses never spoke judgement against him but
left it to God=E2=80=99s own decision.

In the First Letter to the Thessalonians Paul is speaking about the
Second Coming of Christ which he believes will come in the lifetime of
the present believers. At that moment, =E2=80=9Cthere will be the shout of
command, the archangel=E2=80=99s voice, the sound of God=E2=80=99s trumpet =
and the
Lord himself will come down from heaven=E2=80=9D (4:16). The archangel here=
 is
understood to be Michael.

In the Book of Revelation chapter 12 , in a passage speaking of the
power of evil in opposition to God and his people, we are told that
war broke out in heaven between Michael and his angels and the dragon,
representing the powers of evil. Evil could not prevail and was driven
from the presence of God.


Gabriel is mentioned just once in the whole Bible, in the New
Testament. It is in the lovely scene in Nazareth where he visits the
virgin called Mary and tells her that she will become pregnant, that
she will bear a son who will be called Jesus and that he will be the Son
of the Most High God. Mary, who is betrothed to Joseph but not yet
living with him as his wife, is alarmed. But she is assured that the
Child will be born by the power of the Holy Spirit. Mary then submits
completely and unconditionally to God=E2=80=99s will: =E2=80=9CI am the sla=
ve girl of
the Lord; let it happen to me just as you say.=E2=80=9D (Luke 1:26-38)


Raphael appears in the lovely Book of Tobit (not found in the Hebrew
Testament or many Protestant Bibles). The archangel is the
unrecognised friend of Tobit who goes in search of his inheritance and
a bride. The girl he finds is Sarah. Alarmingly, he discovers that all
her previous husbands died on the wedding night. But God=E2=80=99s blessing
was on this relationship. Raphael also helped Tobit catch the fish
whose gall would cure his father=E2=80=99s cataracts and restore his sight
(Tobit passim).

Michael in the Hebrew language means =E2=80=9CWho is like unto God?=E2=80=
=9D or =E2=80=9CWho
is equal to God?=E2=80=9D Michael has been depicted from earliest Christian
times as a commander, who holds in his right hand a spear with which
he attacks Lucifer, Satan, and in his left hand a green palm branch.
At the top of the spear there is a linen ribbon with a red cross.

Gabriel means =E2=80=9CMan of God=E2=80=9D or =E2=80=9CMight of God=E2=80=
=9D. He is regarded as the
herald of the mysteries of God, especially the Incarnation of God and
all other mysteries related to it. In art he is depicted holding a
lantern with a lighted tape in his right hand and, in his left, a
mirror of green jasper.

The mirror signifies the wisdom of God as a hidden mystery.

Raphael means =E2=80=9CGod=E2=80=99s healing=E2=80=9D or =E2=80=9CGod the H=
ealer=E2=80=9D (Tobit 3:17, 12:15).
Raphael is depicted leading Tobit, who is carrying a fish caught in
the Tigris in his right hand and holding a physician=E2=80=99s alabaster ja=
r
in his left.


Saint Quote:
God has promised pardon to the one who repents, but He has not
promised repentance to the one who sins!
-- Saint Anselem of Canterbury

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Prayer Before The Crucifix
(The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass)
By St Vincent Strambi (1745-1824)

Jesus, by this Saving Sign,
bless this listless soul of mine.
Jesus, by Thine feet nailed fast,
mend the missteps of my past.
Jesus, with Thine riven hands,
bend my will to love=E2=80=99s demands.
Jesus, in Thine Heart laid bare,
warm my inner coldness there.
Jesus, by Thine thorn-crowned head,
still my pride till it is dead.
Jesus, by Thine muted tongue,
stay my words that hurt someone.
Jesus, by Thine tired eyes,
open mine to faith=E2=80=99s surprise.
Jesus, by Thine fading breath,
keep me faithful until death.
Yes, Lord, by this Saving Sign,
save this wayward soul of mine.
Amen