Roma Locuta Est

October 2, 2023 (Edward J. Barr) – Modern culture has gradually destroyed the reality of the intimate relationship between the visible and invisible world.  While every culture sees itself as the focus of Salvation history, there are many spiritual luminaries who believe we are at a precipice with regards to the soul of humanity.  In 1976 the future Pope St. John Paul II stated,

“We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has gone through. I do not think that wide circles of the American society or wide circles of the Christian community realize this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-Church, of the Gospel versus the anti-Gospel….”

Time has proven Pope Saint John Paul the Great correct.  Confusion abounds both inside and outside of the Church as society moves further and further away from God.  In a previous series we discussed how the enemy seeks to destroy God’s children (see “How Demons Recruit” ).  In this series we will investigate friendly forces that are on the side of the Almighty.  The first group we turn to is the Angelic Army, a supremely powerful force that supports us in the divine plan of salvation.

The Angels are a reality that has been affirmed from before the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Church at Pentecost.  We know of the dispute about belief in angels between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the latter who did not believe angels existed.  However, they are in the minority; most world religions recognize spiritual beings.  The bible is replete with references to angels, both in the Old and New Testament.   The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes the reality in paragraph 328: “The existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls ‘angels’ is a truth of faith.  The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of tradition.”

St. Augustine notes the distinction between their name and their nature.  Angel is the name of their office, what they do.  Spirit is their nature, what they are.  While the specifics of the angelic realm is primarily one of theological opinion, it is an opinion tested by time and experience and offered by some of the greatest minds in the Church.  St Basil, Dionysius, St. Gregory the Great, and St. Thomas Aquinas can be added to Augustine as preeminent contributors to our understanding of angels.  They provide an organizational structure that can assist us in understanding the power and goodness of the heavenly host.  This melding of Scripture and tradition results in the generally accepted view that there are nine choirs (ranks) of angels divided into three hierarchies.  Each hierarchy has a major focus, and each choir a specific focus regarding duties and responsibilities.

For our purpose the mission of the angelic realm is of utmost importance.  The Church teaches that the ‘primary task of the good angels is the glorification and the service of God.’  Note that we share the same primary task.  The secondary task of the good angels is the protection and care of man’s journey to salvation.  The two tasks are related.  God knows the challenges mankind faces in a fallen world.  Divine justice requires that due to Adam’s sin the Devil possesses a certain dominion over mankind.  Luckily, God is so generous that through His divine mercy he has granted us the gift of the angels.  It is one we should embrace as if our lives depend on it, because they do!

  
The powers of angels are significant.  They are closer to God in the order of nature.  They are Christ’s angels.  He is their king as He is our king.   They were part of every significant event in His life, from the Annunciation to His Ascension.  Their closeness to Jesus and existence from the beginning of creation make them uniquely suited to assist man throughout salvation history.  They possess superior intelligence to man (a challenge to us we explored in relation to the fallen angels).  The angelic intellect learns through infused knowledge, immediately comprehending all aspects of a topic when they move their intellect to consider the topic. They understand us and our world far better than we can through our natural faculties.  

Man has a unique role being both body and spirit.  This means that we bring our material experiences into the spiritual world.  What we do affects the spiritual realm and what happens in the spiritual world affects us here on earth.  Today, the decline in believe in God and the growth of agnosticism, atheism, and satanism is as troubling for the good angels as it is for Christians.   This is why we must unite with the angels to engage in battle with the demons.   

Angels do battle for us daily.  It is warfare on a higher plane, in essence, a battle of wills between the angels and demons.  Mankind, being the only creation that lives in both worlds, can do much better combatting evil through uniting with the angels.  It is part of divine providence.  We ignore these magnificent friends at our own peril.  In coming articles, we will examine specific aspects of angels and how to better utilize this great gift.   Next, we will discover the role of their queen in the cosmic battle.

 Edward J Barr earned a Master of Theology degree from the Augustine Institute. He has consecrated to his guardian angel through Opus Sanctorum Angeloram and is in formation for consecration to all the Holy Angels. His novel, The Gray Apostle: Mission of the Messiah is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other bookstores. Mr. Barr is a contributing writer for the Roma Locuta Est blog (www.RomaLocutaEst.com)