Who are the Angels?

Who are the Angels?Who are the Angels?

    The Holy Angels were God's first creation. Before them God was
alone in His Divine Majesty. But His infinite love prompted Him to
create other beings to share His happiness and His glory, and He made
the Angels in His own image and likeness, and gave to them gifts which
should prepare them for their glorious destiny. It is the mark of true
love, that it desires that its happiness should be shared by others.
Have I this love to all around me?
    The Holy Angels are the beings who approach in their nature most
nearly to God Himself. They have no corruptible bodies to drag them
down. They are thus immeasurably superior to ourselves in natural
gifts. They have a knowledge altogether surpassing the highest
knowledge to which men can attain, and a control over the natural
world compared with which man's puny efforts to control it are mere
feebleness. In every part of his nature man is inferior to them. Yet
one day, by God's mercy, we shall escape from the bondage of
corruption and share all the privileges which they enjoy.
    The Holy Angels from their first creation reflected in themselves
God's infinite perfections in a way that no other created beings ever
did. This was because they were so near to God, on the very threshold
of His Presence. They were like courtiers trained up from childhood in
the ante-chamber of their king, and learning gradually to share in His
royal prerogatives from their very nearness to Him. If I desire to be
like to God, I must live in a continual remembrance of Him, with the
thought of Him continually present in my heart.
--by the Rev. R.F. Clarke, S.J. 

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September 13th - St Maurilius, Bishop of Angers

(336-426)
Saint Maurilius, closely associated with the early history of the
church of France, was born near Milan, of an illustrious Christian
family, in the year 336. He was later drawn to Tours by the virtues of
Saint Martin, who had built a monastery in Milan, where he had
undertaken to form young men to virtue and sacred studies. Maurilius
was among them; but when the Arians drove Saint Martin, a stranger in
Italy, from the city, he lost his beloved master. He remained for a
time as cantor for Saint Ambrose, bishop of Milan, but after the death
of his father renounced his patrimony and went to Tours to rejoin
Saint Martin; there the Apostle of Gaul ordained him a priest.

He devoted himself to the salvation of souls; his zeal led him to a
site near Angers where, by his prayers, he brought down fire from
heaven on a pagan temple, and afterwards built a church of Jesus
Christ at the same site. Alongside it he had a monastery constructed,
and soon many souls came to dwell in the shadow of the cross, thus
forming the city of Chalonne. When the bishop of Angers died,
Maurilius was chosen by Saint Martin to succeed him. On the day of his
consecration, a dove entered the church and came to rest on his head.

A few years later, a strange episode occurred. During the consecration
of a Mass celebrated by the bishop, a dying child was brought in great
haste to the church, to receive Confirmation. The Saint waited for the
end of the Holy Sacrifice, but during this time the child died.
Maurilius was so grieved by this that he fled without advising anyone
and embarked for England, where in great humility he took employment
as the gardener of a nobleman. His diocesans at Angers were
inconsolable, and sought him out so well that they discovered his
retreat. He refused, however, to return as bishop, stating that he
could not do so because during his voyage he had lost at sea the keys
to the cathedral, and had vowed not to return until he found them.
“But see,” said the messengers, “what we have here; during our
crossing a fish was cast up by a wave onto the deck of the ship, and
in its stomach we found these keys!” Maurilius obeyed the Will of
Heaven. When he returned he asked to be taken to the tomb of the
child, and with tears streaming from his eyes asked God to restore him
to life. The resurrected child was given the name of René for this
reason, which in French means reborn, and he became the successor to
Maurilius as bishop of Angers.

Reflection: When we discover in our lives the mysterious ways of God,
we must express to Him in prayer our humble submission, despite our
lack of understanding. “I believe in order to understand,” said Saint
Augustine.

Sources: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on
Butler’s Lives of the Saints.


Saint Quote:
The trouble is that everyone talks about reforming others and no one
thinks about reforming himself.
--St. Peter of Alcantara

Bible Quote
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides
that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema.  As we said
before, so now I say again: If any one preach to you a gospel, besides
that which you have received, let him be anathema. (Galatians 1:8-9)


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Imitate Christ

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live
a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a
fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality,
or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for
God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse
joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you
can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an
idolater - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no
one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath
comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with
them.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all
goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.
Have nothing to do with fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose
them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in
secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is
light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:

"Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise but as wise,
making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do
not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with
the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to
God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.