ANGELS
 Magnificent Servants of God

What Is An Angel
How We Know Angels Exist
The Nine Choirs Of Angels
Guardian Angels
The Fallen Angels
Prayers To Angels
Bible References To Angels

WHAT IS AN ANGEL

An angel is a pure spirit created by God. The Old Testament theology included the belief in angels: the name applied to certain spiritual beings or intelligences of heavenly residence, employed by God as the ministers of His will.

HOW WE KNOW ANGELS EXIST

The Scriptures give us no indication of the precise time of the creation of angels; their existence is assumed at the earliest times.

In the New Testament seven orders are mentioned: Angels, Powers, Principalities, Dominions (ations), Thrones and Archangels. The Old Testament specifically mentions two others Seraph (im) and Cherub(im).

The New Testament and Old Testament refer also to the fallen angels. The Temptation of Adam and Eve presupposes the existence of bad spirits who were cast into hell from which they have no hope of redemption.

Angels are purely spiritual or bodiless persons (Mt 11:30), some of whom behold the face of God and thus are in bliss (Mt 18:10). These spiritual beings comprise the celestial court and are called angels (from the Greek for "messenger") because, according to the Bible, they carry out missions at God's command. In order to complete these missions, they can at times assume bodily form. According to the Bible, their missions are sometimes of great importance - eg, the Annunciation (Lk 1:26; 2:9-14).

The angels are the objects of God's grace and love. But because, they are non-bodily creatures, their response to God's love did not require time and reflection to grow and mature. As soon as they were created and received grace, they had the opportunity to respond to God's love and be welcomed into bliss. While many did so, some did not.

The Church teaches that everyone has a guardian angel, based on references to them throughout the Bible.

CHOIRS OF ANGELS

Angels are ranked in the celestial hierarchy of Nine Orders:

  • Seraphim:

      • These are the highest order or choir of angels. They are the angels who are attendants or guardians before God's throne. They praise God, calling, "Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts". the only Bible reference is Isaiah 6:1-7. One of them touched Isaiah's lips with a live coal from the altar, cleansing him from sin. Seraphim have six wings, two cover their faces, two cover their feet, and two are for flying.

  • Cherubim:

      • Cherubim rank after the seraphim and are the second highest in the nine hierarchies or choirs of angels. They are manlike in appearance and double-winged and were guardians of God's glory. They symbolize God's power and mobility. In the New Testament, they are alluded to as celestial attendants in the Apocalypse (Rv 4-6). Catholic tradition describes them as angels who have an intimate knowledge of God and continually praise Him.

  • Thrones:
  • Dominions:
  • Virtues:
  • Powers:

  • Principalities:

      • In the New Testament Principalities refers to one type of spiritual (metaphysical) being which are now quite hostile to God and human beings. (Rom 8:38; 1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 3:10; 6:12; Col 1:16; 2:10, 15) Along with the principalities are the powers (Rom 8:38; 1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 1 Pt 3:22; 2 Thes 1:7); and cosmological powers (1 Cor 15:24; Eph 1:21; 3:10; Col 2:15);Dominions (Eph 1:21; Col 1:16) and thrones (Col 1:16). The clarity of the New Testament witness helps see that these beings were created through Christ and for Him (Col 1:16). Given their hostility to God and humans due to sin, Christ's ultimate rule over them (ibid) expresses the reign of the Lord over all in the cosmos. This is the Lordship of Christ, which reveals God's tremendous salvation in conquering sin and death at the cross, and now takes place in the Church. (Eph 3:10)

  • Archangels:

      • Archangels are generally taken to mean "chief or leading angel" ( Jude 9; 1 Thes 4:16), they are the most frequently mentioned throughout the Bible. They may be of this or other hierarchies as St. Michael Archangel, who is a princely Seraph. The Archangels have a unique role as God's messenger to the people at critical times in history and salvation (Tb 12:6, 15; Jn 5:4; Rv 12:7-9) as in The Annunciation and Apocalypse. A feast day celebrating the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael is celebrated throughout the Church September 29. A special part of the Byzantine Liturgy invokes the "Cherubic Hymn" which celebrates these archangels and the guardian angels particularly. Of special significance is St. Michael as he has been invoked as patron and protector by the Church from the time of the Apostles. The Eastern Rite and many others place him over all the angels, as Prince of the Seraphim. He is described as the "chief of princes" and as the leader of the forces of heaven in their triumph over Satan and his followers. The angel Gabriel first appeared in the Old Testament in the prophesies of Daniel, he announced the prophecy of 70 weeks (Dn 9:21-27). He appeared to Zechariah to announce the birth of St. John the Baptist (Lk 1:11). It was also Gabriel which proclaimed the Annunciation of Mary to be the mother of our Lord and Saviour. (Lk 1:26) The angel Raphael first appeared in the book of Tobit (Tobias)Tb 3:25, 5:5-28, 6-12). He announces "I am the Angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand before the throne of God."

  • Angels (Regular)

GUARDIAN ANGELS

No evil shall befall you, nor shall affliction come near your tent, for to His Angels God has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways. Upon their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
Psalm 91: 10-12

A heavenly spirit assigned by God to watch over each of us during our lives. The doctrine of angels is part of the Church's tradition. The role of the guardian angel is both to guide us to good thoughts, works and words, and to preserve us from evil.

THE FALLEN ANGELS - DEMONS

These beings did not return God's love. God permits them a limited scope of activity. Their condition is permanent for no creature can turn away from the perfect good of the beatific vision once he has come to enjoy it, and no additional reflection could change the mind of a purely spiritual being who has turned away.

PRAYERS TO ANGELS

Guardian Angel
A Mother's Prayer To The Guardian Angels Of Her Children
Prayer To Our Holy Guardian Angels

GUARDIAN ANGEL

    Angel of God,
    my Guardian dear,
    to whom His love
    commits me here,
    ever this day (or night)
    be at my side,
    to light and guard,
    to rule and guide.
    Amen.

A MOTHER'S PRAYER TO THE GUARDIAN ANGEL OF HER CHILDREN

I humbly salute you, O you faithful, heavenly Friends of my children! I give you heartfelt thanks for all the love and goodness you show them. At some future day I shall, with thanks more worthy than I can now give, repay your care for them, and before the whole heavenly court acknowledge their indebtedness to your guidance and protection. Continue to watch over them. Provide for all their needs of body and soul. Pray, likewise, for me, for my husband, and my whole family, that we may all one day rejoice in your blessed company. Amen.

PRAYER TO OUR HOLY GUARDIAN ANGELS

Heavenly Father, Your infinite love for us has chosen a blessed angel in heaven and appointed him our guide during this earthly pilgrimage. Accept our thanks for so great a blessing. Grant that we may experience the assistance of our holy protector in all our necessities. And you, holy, loving angel and guide, watch over us with all the tenderness of your angelic heart. Keep us always on the way that leads to heaven, and cease not to pray for us until we have attained our final destiny, eternal salvation. Then we shall love you for all eternity. We shall praise and glorify you unceasingly for all the good you have done for us while here on earth. Especially be a faithful and watchful protector of our children. Take our place, and supply what may be wanting to us through human frailty, short-sightedness, or sinful neglect. Lighten, O you perfect servants of God, our heavy task. Guide our children, that they may become like unto Jesus, may imitate Him faithfully, and persevere till they attain eternal life. Amen.

BIBLE REFERENCES TO ANGELS

Old Testament References:

    Cherubim at entrance to Garden of Eden Gn 3:24
    Appear to Abraham Gn 18:1-33
    Saved Lot and his family Gn 19:1-22
    Intervened with Isaac Gn 22:11-18
    Heavenly vision of Jacob's Ladder Gn 28:12
    Accompanied Israel through the desert Ex 23:20 And Nm 20:16

Aided The Prophets:

    Isaiah IS 6:2-7
    Ezekiel Ez 1:4-28
    Daniel Dn 7:9-10
    Zechariah Zec 1:9-19

New Testament References:

Appeared In Connection With The Birth Of Christ:

    Mt 1:20
    Lk 1:26-38

Appeared To:

    Paul Acts 27:23
    Peter Acts 12:7-11
    Cornelius Acts 10:3-6
    Sadducees didn't believe in angels Acts 23:8
    12 Legions of Angels Mt 26:53

Mentioned By Name:

    Raphael Tb 12:15
    Michael Dn 10:13
    Rv 12:7
    Gabriel Dn 8:16
    Lk 1:19

Fall Of The Angels:

    Dt 32:17
    2 Pt 2:4
    Jude 1:6
    Rv 12:7-9