Asking Our Angels for Help

Fr. Ripperger tells us in one of his talks on our guardian angels, as a friend reminded me yesterday, that we can and should ask our angels for help in growing more perfect.

Specifically, one can ask one's angel to humble one and make one see one's predominant fault.

I am praying this prayer-Dear Angel, humble me interiorly and show me my predominant fault. Then, show me how to destroy this fault, for the glory of God and His Church.

I made up this prayer, but it works for me. Your angel wants you to become perfect. I am asking mine more directly to help me on the way to illumination and union with God.

On Graces Abounding

When Our Lady appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in 1830, she foretold long years of turmoil and even persecution of the Church in France. The 19th century saw some of the worst rebellions against Catholicism since the French Revolution. Our Lady wanted the French, and, indeed, all Catholics, to be protected from apostasy and even death. The Miraculous Medal remains a gift for all Catholics.

What is forgotten are the rings which Mary wore on her fingers in the visions. Some of the rings emanated great light, which represented graces coming upon the earth, but some were dim. When Catherine asked Our Lady why some rings were dim, she replied that those were the graces for which no one asked.

I have wondered lately what those graces are. One can only guess.. remember that St. Catherine is one of the many, over 100, incorruptibles.

However, seeing the times of which Mary warned, times of turmoil in France, revolutions against Catholicism and western values, the coming of the great tyrannies and all the isms of Modernism, I shall surmise what some of these graces could be for which we should ask of Mary.

Here is a list of graces which we may forget to ask of Mary:

1. The grace of final perseverance, a special grace given to the dying, as death can be a fearsome time.
2. The grace of detachment from family, so that we learn to love family members in Christ and not to become hooked into their problems which lead us away from God. Many things which families face are not of God and need to be left to God, and not our activities.
3. The grace of forgiveness towards our enemies, even those enemies inside the Church. The grace of forgiving ourselves and not being preoccupied with past sins.
4. The grace of generosity and flexibility with regard to God's Will in our lives. Only those who are generous of heart become perfected.
5. The grace to become perfected on earth, and to not aim for purgatory but sainthood.
6. The grace of daily courage to stand up for the Faith in all circumstances.
7. The grace to desire mortifications, suffering, and humility.
8. The grace of complete detachment not only from things, but from people.
9. The grace of self-knowledge and to see the predominant fault.
10. The grace to love Christ above all people and things of this world.

Notes on Mortification Again

Not a popular subject, but one I need to share before the persecution begins in earnest. Rodriguez is brilliant on this subject, being a spiritual director for Jesuits. I would like to make a few bullet points from his second volume of The Practice of Christian and Religious Perfection.

And, please note, that mortification is for all of us, not just nuns and priests. For many of us, it just comes into our lives without asking and this is a great grace. See this post...http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/2015/04/consolation-in-desolation.html

• Those who do not feel any interior war or struggle are in trouble. It means they have given up following the road to holiness. Rodriguez writes that this means the person is only following his own will, and giving in to sensual desires. 
• People in the world accept suffering in order to get ahead, make money, be comfortable; so, too the suffering of those seeking perfection through mortification is to gain eternal life.
• Those who have certain temperaments (see my previous posts on this) cannot use their temperaments as excuses for avoiding mortifications. However, some people who are more docile may not need as strict penances as those who have strong wills and strong characters.
• St. Ephraim writes that war for the soldier lasts a certain time, but the war of the soul lasts until one dies. St. Teresa of Avila notes this as well.
• The angel given to us at birth guides us like a governess guides children to obey and form character. Listen to this guardian angel daily.
• Sometimes one must tell the devil that a problem is his, a temptation and sin is his, not one's own. One can address the individual devil who follows us around and tell him that these belong to him, not the one under attack. 
• One must absolutely turn away from evil thoughts, fantasies, imaginations in order to combat sin and this is part of interior mortification. Interior mortification strengthens the will for choosing God's ways.
• One may think of the Passion and Death of Christ as part of turning away from sin and accepting mortification interiorly. Patiently accepting suffering and not complaining are part of interior mortification.
• Thinking on one's sins is also dangerous. Once forgiven, forget these. If not forgiven, go to confession asap. The devil can bring a person back into sin through the dwelling on sins. Those who live in the present moment are less likely to be attacked interiorly.
• Fear binds up the interior life and weakens the will. Fear creates problems in the imagination,leading to distractions and more sin. Fear must be combated by mortifications and the acceptance of suffering.
• We must not make decisions in times of great spiritual temptations and turmoil. God speaks to us in peace and tranquility, not in torment. Rodriguez notes that it is very dangerous to follow ideas and "lights" which come to us in times of great spiritual struggle. Stay quiet and focused, 

more later...

Met Another Angel

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/2013/07/on-meeting-angels.html

I moved to a place because I was offered this house while, and because I met an angel.

Being in the state of New Jersey, I attended Mass and was invited to morning prayer with a group of men, (in this church, there was no morning prayer with women). On this particular day, I was mulling over moving to this empty house offered for seveal months, not wanting to go somewhere temporary yet again, and having to most likely move again in the future.

After Morning Prayer, this one young man came up to me and asked me if I would be at future prayer times, and I said no, I was moving to S..... He looked at me intensely and said "I will be there until the end of the month working in the health industry." He seemed to want to speak with me more, but another person came up and began speaking with him. Then, we all left.

No one has seen that man again in that church. No one knows who he is . He has not come back to Morning Prayer.

When he looked at me, I thought I was looking at purity and innocence, rarely seen in younger people.

He was my encouragement to come here.

My stay here is limited, but God has instructed me to continue working on the chapel and getting chapel things. No matter where I am, this chapel will exist, open to any who want to come.

God is in charge and He has a plan. His angels watch over us.

Of course, remember, the name of this chapel is St. Mary of the Angels and Martyrs, in Ephesus.

On Tobit Again, And Authority in Disobedience

Adding to the meditations on the book of Tobit, one of my favorite books in the Bible, these few thoughts continue a theme on the family.

Tobias' journey with the Archangel Raphael is a walk into manhood. He must leave his parents, meet people he has never met, and in the process, kills a huge fish which would have eaten him, (no small feat), delivers a woman from a demon and becomes a new head of household by redeeming money and inheriting much from his new father-in-law.

Now one part of this tale, which I have never heard discussed or preached, is that the demon, Asmodeus, had control over the girl, Sarah, because of her father. 

Here is the key passage. Raphael is explaining the situation in the kinsman's house, including the fact that Tobias is destined by Jewish law to marry Sarah. From Chapter 6:

10 When he entered Media and already was approaching Ecbatana,[c] 11 Raphael said to the young man, “Brother Tobias.” “Here I am,” he answered. Then Raphael[d] said to him, “We must stay this night in the home of Raguel. He is your relative, and he has a daughter named Sarah. 12 He has no male heir and no daughter except Sarah only, and you, as next of kin to her, have before all other men a hereditary claim on her. Also it is right for you to inherit her father’s possessions. Moreover, the girl is sensible, brave, and very beautiful, and her father is a good man.” 13 He continued, “You have every right to take her in marriage. So listen to me, brother; tonight I will speak to her father about the girl, so that we may take her to be your bride. When we return from Rages we will celebrate her marriage. For I know that Raguel can by no means keep her from you or promise her to another man without incurring the penalty of death according to the decree of the book of Moses. Indeed he knows that you, rather than any other man, are entitled to marry his daughter. So now listen to me, brother, and tonight we shall speak concerning the girl and arrange her engagement to you. And when we return from Rages we will take her and bring her back with us to your house.”

14 Then Tobias said in answer to Raphael, “Brother Azariah, I have heard that she already has been married to seven husbands and that they died in the bridal chamber. On the night when they went in to her, they would die. I have heard people saying that it was a demon that killed them. 15 It does not harm her, but it kills anyone who desires to approach her. So now, since I am the only son my father has, I am afraid that I may die and bring my father’s and mother’s life down to their grave, grieving for me—and they have no other son to bury them.”

16 But Raphael[e] said to him, “Do you not remember your father’s orders when he commanded you to take a wife from your father’s house? Now listen to me, brother, and say no more about this demon. Take her. I know that this very night she will be given to you in marriage. 17 When you enter the bridal chamber, take some of the fish’s liver and heart, and put them on the embers of the incense. An odor will be given off; 18 the demon will smell it and flee, and will never be seen near her any more. Now when you are about to go to bed with her, both of you must first stand up and pray, imploring the Lord of heaven that mercy and safety may be granted to you. Do not be afraid, for she was set apart for you before the world was made. You will save her, and she will go with you. I presume that you will have children by her, and they will be as brothers to you. Now say no more!” When Tobias heard the words of Raphael and learned that she was his kinswoman,[f] related through his father’s lineage, he loved her very much, and his heart was drawn to her.

Here are the plain facts: one, the father of Sarah is the cause of the deaths of the seven young men; two, this is because Raguel has disobeyed the laws of kinship by giving Sarah's hand in marriage to men who are not in the extended family line with the legal right to marry her-they are not from the same tribe; three, the demon, Asmodeus, enters into the picture because of the disobedience of the father--if the father was in obedience, Asmodeus would have no power over Sarah; four, Raguel knows this, which is why he has a burial hole dug in the middle of the night--he is ashamed of his own part in the attacks of Asmodeus, but wants to cover this fact up; five, Raguel does not trust in God, as he forgets or purposefully sets aside the idea that Tobias would be protected from a demon, as he, Tobias, is in order, is the real husband of Sarah; six, Raguel would have incurred death, but the death penalty fell on the seven young men instead without Raguel repenting-these men "wore" his sin; seven, Raphael, who is teaching Tobias about the sacredness of both the law of kinship according to Moses, and the laws of marriage, tells the young man how to release Sarah, who has been blamed unjustly for the presence of this demon, Asmodeus. She is freed when a real protector takes over her life in the order of the Jewish law and allows God, through Raphael, to enter into this spiritual warfare.

I shall write more on this later, but it is clear that Asmodeus is allowed to attack Sarah because she is not protected by her own father. 

This ties in with my previous post on the synod. The attack of this devil, who hates marriage and works when those in authority ignore the laws of marriage, is now attacking the very institution of marriage in the Church because of the disobedience of those in authority-some bishops and some cardinals. Raguel reminds me of those kings and generals before and during WWI who did not care how many of the best and brightest men of Europe went out of the trenches into death. In fact, Raguel thanks God in his prayer after the discovery that Tobias is alive, that he, Raguel, did not incur what was going to happen to him! What a selfish man....see verse 16 of Chapter 8.

Like Tobias, we need to learn how to be obedient in order for the Church, the Bride of Christ, to be healed. When the heads of our families, including our Church family chose disobedience, we all suffer. When the laws of marriage as set up by Christ are ignored, the entire Church suffers.

I repost the link to my thoughts on the demon here named and the synod, from last October.

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/2014/10/for-synod-members.html

Too bad about the wings on the angel in some art, but I like the little white dog here--either a Westie, or Maltese, or a Poodle...

To be continued....

On Today's Readings part three

Mary is called "highly favored" in some translations by the Archangel Gabriel, the messenger. In the Judaic tradition, Gabriel is not only the messenger of God, but the destroying angel at the Passover in Egypt.

That Gabriel, who caused, in God's will, the last plague, which led directly to the freeing of the Hebrews from slavery, is the angel who tells Mary she will be the Mother of the Messiah, the Son of God, seems to be a happy non-chance.

I do not see in my imagination a soft, cuddling, feminine image of Gabriel. I see strength, a spirit of power and grace. Gabriel bursts into history again, as he did in the Old Testament.

He who paved the way for Moses to lead the people to freedom comes to announce to Mary that she leads us to freedom through her Son, Jesus Christ.

Mary is highly favored, she is blessed. She, alone of all humans, from conception, is full of grace. Gabriel knows this. He would not only be full of love, but awe at the call of this woman. Mary, as the Theotokos, the God-Bearer, now becomes Queen of all angels.

Her call reminds us of the long salvation history of the Old Testament. Gabriel comes to this lowly Hebrew young woman, explains God's will for her life, and waits for her answer. He who destroyed the first born of the Egyptians, brings news of the First Born of all creation, the Incarnate One, the Son of God, prefigured in Moses. Christ is the Savior, the real freedom fighter of all mankind. Gabriel waits.

Fiat voluntas Dei.

Gabriel returns to God and history is never the same. God enters the world through the womb of a young daughter of the Jewish people. All history points to this moment and all history moves away from this moment. Human life would never be the same again. Praise God!

Using Angels

Several years ago, a wise woman told me that we do not use our guardian angels enough. Also, the truth is, that if we do ask our angels for help, they respond in love, as they exist to guard and aid us.

Almost daily, I follow the same pattern and have for the past two months.

I take the bus, get off, walk to the church where I attend Mass, then walk to a cafe for coffee and sometimes breakfast, as I have fasted from the day before...then, I walk to the Adoration chapel.

In order to get to the chapel, almost daily, I have to walk on a pavement where several non-Maltese men congregate. Sometimes they let me pass and sometimes I have to walk in the street to get around them. Most of the time, they just stand in the way and I have to walk around them.

As it is raining and dirty now, I decided I did not want to brush up against cars, or step into the street.

So, I did something rather daring. I asked angels to go before me and clear the sidewalk, moving the men away so I could walk on the pavement.

When I reached the first group, they stepped aside quickly as I was coming. Now, I usually look at the ground when I walk, being modest and trying to have custody of the eyes. But, it was so obvious that something new was happening, I had to look up.

As I approached the second group of men, they all scattered in different directions.

I just smiled to myself. We do not use our angels as often as we should.

I shall let you know if this happens again when I ask angels to go before me on the sidewalk. Angels respect this unworthy little woman even if some men do not.

Are We Old Testament or New Testament People? Perfection Series III Part Seven

Reading St. Bernard's Sermon 2 on the Song of Songs, one is caught by the movement of the Spirit which enabled Bernard to feel grief at the lukewarmness of most Catholics. He exhorts his listeners to think of the "kiss" from the canticle, the kiss which is the Word of God, and which was hoped for in the long centuries before Christ.

We, the New Testament People have the Incarnate One daily. We have the fullness of Truth, the answer to all the prophecies, the One Who Saves. We too quickly lose heart, lose Faith, lose Hope and then Love, because we forget Who Christ really is. We complain, we fuss, we fall into anxiety. Why?

The Dark Night is the time of Faith, when we cannot see where God is leading us and when He removes His immediate Presence because we are in sin. He waits, and gives us Hope when we turn to Him in that Faith.

Love is inspired by the grace of the Illuminative State. But, St. Bernard scolds us for not turning to Christ, for whom all those righteous people waited and held Faith for so long.

Another point the saint makes in this sermon is the fact that the angels came to the shepherds because they were "men of good will". The Good News comes to those who really want peace.

He quotes the Scriptures: this is from Luke 2.

⁸ And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night watches over their flock.

⁹ And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear.

¹⁰ And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people:

¹¹ For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David.

¹² And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.

¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying:

¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.

¹⁵ And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath shewed to us.

¹⁶ And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.

¹⁷ And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child.

¹⁸ And all that heard, wondered; and at those things that were told them by the shepherds.

Notice that the angels do not say peace to all men. Bernard notes that they speak to those who were not evil, like Herod, who did not have "good will" towards men.

This is one of the mysteries both of Divine Providence and predestination, as I referred to in early posts last month. God knows to whom He can share His Good News, Himself.

He comes to the humble, which is why the Illuminative State follows the Dark Night. Christ came at night. He brought His Light into the Darkness. And the first to see Christ in the manger were those humble ones.

to be continued.... 

On The Angels of The Churches

This is a continuation of the last posting. Again, one starts with Scripture. Here is Revelation 1:11-20.
Revelation 1:11-20 DR

¹¹ Saying: What thou seest, write in a book, and send to the seven churches which are in Asia, to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamus, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.

¹² And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks:

¹³ And in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, one like to the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

¹⁴ And his head and his hairs were white, as white wool, and as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire,

en:User:Jonadab thanks to wiki 

¹⁵ And his feet like unto fine brass, as in a burning furnace. And his voice as the sound of many waters.

¹⁶ And he had in his right hand seven stars. And from his mouth came out a sharp two edged sword: and his face was as the sun shineth in his power.

¹⁷ And when I had seen him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying: Fear not. I am the First and the Last,

¹⁸ And alive, and was dead, and behold I am living for ever and ever, and have the keys of death and of hell.

¹⁹ Write therefore the things which thou hast seen, and which are, and which must be done hereafter.

²⁰ The mystery of the seven stars, which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. And the seven candlesticks are the seven churches.

Here is Christ revealing to St. John that there are angels over the seven ancient (now ALL gone) churches of the Middle East. 

Each church had an angel. Each church was being given a message by Christ. This passage shows us that there were guardian angels over the churches.

Do we have guardian angels over our Catholic dioceses or churches?

I wonder at the spiritual warfare in some dioceses, like my own, which had one of the biggest sex-scandal settlements after Los Angeles and Boston. I wonder why I can never work in the churches there. 

These angels of the seven now extinct churches, were they sent somewhere else?

These angels seem to be addressed as good angels. But, all those churches are now gone. 

Those seven stars, could they have been driven out, or hindered, like Gabriel?

Nothing is an accident.

However, in a window of York Minster in England, the angels are interpreted as bishops. St. Augustine seemed to have this idea according to the Catholic Encyclopedia. But, the word angel in the Scriptures specifically means "angel" not bishop. The word star, according to this article, underlines the interpretation of bishop. But, angel means angel. This is interesting.

Andrewrabbott on wiki

St. John in the Apocalypse is shown seven candlesticks and in their midst, the Son of Man holding seven stars (Revelation 1:13, 20). The candlesticks represent the seven Churches of Asia; the stars, the angels of those Churches. He is bidden to write to the respective angels of those Churches and distribute to each his meed of praise or blame. Origen (Hom., xiii in Luc., and Hom., xx in Num.) explains that these are the guardian angels of the Churches, a view upheld by Dean Alford. But St. Epiphanius (Hær., xxv) explicitly rejects this view, and, in accordance with the imagery of the passage, explains it of the bishops. The comparison of a teacher to a star is quite Scriptural (Daniel 12:3). St. Augustine's reason for interpreting angels of the Churches as the prelates of the church is that St. John speaks of them as falling from their first charity which is not true of the angels [Epistle 43, n. 22].

One may see St. Augustine and others as the more "conservative" and ecclesiastical interpretation of the angels of the churches. One would like to know if churches have guardian angels, or if the bishops are being addressed. 

A Small Reminder

Please do not forget your guardian angels. They so much want to be acknowledged and asked for help. That is why they exist-to watch over and serve us, to help us get to heaven. Do you think of your angel? Your angel thinks of you.

On Guardian Angels

St.Therese, the Little Flower, and St. Padre Pio, tell us that we can send our Guardian Angels to other people in order to speak words of consolation to them.

St. Therese wrote a lovely poem about her angel and bid him visit those friends of hers who needed comforting. She even mentioned that the angel should whisper her name to that friend.

St. Padre Pio told people to “send their angels” to him and that he would listen to the intercessions brought by the angel. One source indicates that St. Padre Pio would send one’s angel to another person to whisper thoughts, inspirations, and consolations to that person.

This teaching is not doctrine or infallible teaching, but one can see that two of the greatest saints of the last century believed and, indeed, had personal experience of sending angels to those they loved or who were entrusted to them.

I do this more and more, especially with friends or family members experiencing depression, unemployment, confusion, lack of confidence.  I send a guardian angel to St. Padre Pio and ask him to speak to the angel proper words of intercession for another person and then send the angel to that person. I trust in St. Padre Pio’s discernment more than my own, of course.

One of my spiritually mature friends uses her angel to send messages of consolation to others through Padre Pio. If any of the readers have any experiences concerning the employment of guardian angels, feel free to comment.

We do not use those loving companions of the angelic hosts enough. They are waiting for us to acknowledge their love and care.

I have had one experience of being awakened in the middle of the night with a message from far-away country. I did immediately pray for this person. Respond to such inspirations. Someone, through Padre Pio, could be asking you for prayer, as we are all connected in Christ.

Does Everyone Have A Guardian Angel?

In recent times, it has been brought to my attention that the Church has not made a definite statement as to whether all humans have a guardian angel, or whether just the baptized.

The CCC states this:

The angels in the life of the Church

334 In the meantime, the whole life of the Church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of angels.²⁰¹

335 In her liturgy, the Church joins with the angels to adore the thrice-holy God. She invokes their assistance (in the funeral liturgy's In Paradisum deducant te angeli. . .["May the angels lead you into Paradise. . ."]). Moreover, in the "Cherubic Hymn" of the Byzantine Liturgy, she celebrates the memory of certain angels more particularly (St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, and the guardian angels).

336 From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.²⁰² "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life."²⁰³ Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.

The footnote is to a work by St. Basil, which indicates that only those who are baptized have an angel.

203 St. Basil, Adv. Eunomium III, I: PG 29,656B.

St. Thomas Aquinas, as well as St. Jerome, write that all humans have a guardian angel.

Each man has an angel guardian appointed to him. This rests upon the fact that the guardianship of angels belongs to the execution of Divine providence concerning men. But God'sprovidence acts differently as regards men and as regards other corruptible creatures, for they are related differently to incorruptibility. For men are not only incorruptible in the common species, but also in the proper forms of each individual, which are the rational souls, which cannot be said of other incorruptible things. Now it is manifest that the providence of God is chiefly exercised towards what remains for ever; whereas as regards things which pass away, the providence of God acts so as to order their existence to the things which are perpetual. Thus the providence of God is related to each man as it is to every genus or species of things corruptible. But, according to Gregory (Hom. xxxiv in Evang.), the different orders are deputed to the different "genera" of things, for instance, the "Powers" to coerce the demons, the "Virtues" to work miracles in things corporeal; while it is probable that the differentspecies are presided over by different angels of the same order. Hence it is also reasonable to suppose that different angels are appointed to the guardianship of different men.

Reply to Objection 1. A guardian may be assigned to a man for two reasons: first, inasmuch as a man is an individual, and thus to one man one guardian is due; and sometimes several are appointed to guard one.

Secondly, inasmuch as a man is part of a community, and thus one man is appointed as guardian of a whole community; to whom it belongs to provide what concerns one man in his relation to the whole community, such as external works, which are sources of strength or weakness to others. But angel guardians are given to men also as regards invisible and occult things, concerning the salvation of each one in his own regard. Hence individual angels are appointed to guard individual men.

And here....

Article 5. Whether an angel is appointed to guard a man from his birth?

Objection 1. It would seem that an angel is not appointed to guard a man from his birth. For angelsare "sent to minister for them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation," as the Apostle says (Hebrews 1:14). But men begin to receive the inheritance of salvation, when they are baptized. Therefore an angel is appointed to guard a man from the time of his baptism, not of his birth.
Objection 2. Further, men are guarded by angels in as far as angels enlighten and instruct them. But children are not capable of instruction as soon as they are born, for they have not the use of reason. Therefore angels are not appointed to guard children as soon as they are born.
Objection 3. Further, a child has a rational soul for some time before birth, just as well as after. But it does not appear that an angel is appointed to guard a child before its birth, for they are not then admitted to the sacraments of the Church. Therefore angels are not appointed to guard men from the moment of their birth.

On the contrary, Jerome says (vide A, 4) that "each soul has an angel appointed to guard it from its birth."

I answer that, as Origen observes (Tract. v, super Matt.) there are two opinions on this matter. For some have held that the angel guardian is appointed at the time of baptism, others, that he is appointed at the time of birth. The latter opinion Jerome approves (vide A, 4), and with reason. For those benefits which are conferred by God on man as a Christian, begin with his baptism; such as receiving the Eucharist, and the like. But those which are conferred by God on man as a rational being, are bestowed on him at his birth, for then it is that he receives that nature. Among the latter benefits we must count the guardianship of angels, as we have said above (1,4). Wherefore from the very moment of his birth man has an angel guardian appointed to him.

Reply to Objection 1. Angels are sent to minister, and that efficaciously indeed, for those who shall receive the inheritance of salvation, if we consider the ultimate effect of their guardianship, which is the realizing of that inheritance. But for all that, the angelic ministrations are not withdrawn for others although they are not so efficacious as to bring them to salvation: efficacious, nevertheless, they are, inasmuch as they ward off many evils.

Reply to Objection 2. Guardianship is ordained to enlightenment by instruction, as to its ultimate and principal effect. Nevertheless it has many other effects consistent with childhood; for instance to ward off the demons, and to prevent both bodily and spiritual harm.

Reply to Objection 3. As long as the child is in the mother's womb it is not entirely separate, but by reason of a certain intimate tie, is still part of her: just as the fruit while hanging on the tree is part of the tree. And therefore it can be said with some degree of probability, that the angel who guards the mother guards the child while in the womb. But at its birth, when it becomes separate from the mother, an angel guardian is appointed to it; as Jerome, above quoted, says.

It is interesting that the CCC takes the older definition or opinion and not the latter one of Thomas.

to be continued...

The Matter of Sin, Five

Continuing with an brief examination of St. Thomas on how the angels help humans, one sees in his section on angels that they can affect the senses, as well.

This section is long, but worth reading. Note that all these quotations are found in the same section, found here.  All the bold on these last few posts are my highlights.

As to angels changing the senses, I know for a fact that my guardian angels have helped me to fast and to keep fasting at certain times. This is a subtle movement of the senses regarding food, feeling hungry, or not feeling hungry.

If we really want our angels to help us become holy, they are more than willing. But, they may have to help us overcome the matter of sin, through our cooperation with discipline and prayer. Anything, such a art or a design, a song, or a view, can lead us to holiness or sin. The senses become more sensitive the more we pray, and for the good.

Article 4. Whether an angel can change the human senses?

Objection 1. It seems that an angel cannot change the human senses. For the sensitive operation is a vital operation. But such an operation does not come from an extrinsic principle. Therefore the sensitive operation cannot be caused by an angel.
Objection 2. Further, the sensitive operation is nobler than the nutritive. But the angel cannot change the nutritive power, nor other natural forms. Therefore neither can he change the sensitive power.
Objection 3. Further, the senses are naturally moved by the sensible objects. But an angel cannot change the order of nature (110, 4). Therefore an angel cannot change the senses; but these are changed always by the sensible object.

On the contrary, The angels who overturned Sodom, "struck the people of Sodom with blindness oraorasia, so that they could not find the door" (Genesis 19:11). [It is worth noting that these are the only two passages in the Greek version where the word aorasia appears. It expresses, in fact, the effect produced on the people of Sodom--namely, dazzling (French version, "eblouissement"), which the Latin "caecitas" (blindness) does not necessarily imply.] The same is recorded of the Syrians whomEliseus led into Samaria (2 Kings 6:18).

I answer that, The senses may be changed in a twofold manner; from without, as when affected by the sensible object: and from within, for we see that the senses are changed when the spirits and humors are disturbed; as for example, a sick man's tongue, charged with choleric humor, tastes everything as bitter, and the like with the other senses. Now an angel, by his natural power, can work a change in the senses both ways. For an angel can offer the senses a sensible object from without, formed by nature or by the angel himself, as when he assumes a body, as we have said above (Question 51, Article 2). Likewise he can move the spirits and humors from within, as above remarked, whereby the senses are changed in various ways.

Reply to Objection 1. The principle of the sensitive operation cannot be without the interior principle which is the sensitive power; but this interior principle can be moved in many ways by the exterior principle, as above explained.

Reply to Objection 2. By the interior movement of the spirits and humors an angel can do something towards changing the act of the nutritive power, and also of the appetitive and sensitive power, and of any other power using a corporeal organ.

Reply to Objection 3. An angel can do nothing outside the entire order of creatures; but he can outside some particular order of nature, since he is not subject to that order; thus in some special way an angel can work a change in the senses outside the common mode of nature.

The Matter of Sin, Four

Our guardian angels can help us with the Matter of Sin. Because sin affects our intellects and imaginations, we can ask our guardian angels to enlighten us.

Here is what St. Thomas says. See here.

Natural reason, which is immediately from God, can be strengthened by an angel so that he may obtain from creatures a more perfect knowledge of God.
...

Intellectual operation and enlightenment can be understood in two ways.
First, on the part of the object understood; thus whoever understands or is enlightened, knows that he understands or is enlightened, because he knows that the object is made known to him.

Secondly, on the part of the principle; and thus it does not follow that whoever understands a truth, knows what the intellect is, which is the principle of the intellectual operation. In like manner not everyone who is enlightened by an angel, knows that he is enlightened by him.

If we ask our angels to help illuminate our minds, they will do so.

Here is St. Thomas again on this subject:

The demon cannot put thoughts in our minds by causing them from within, since the act of the cogitative faculty is subject to the will; nevertheless the devil is called the kindler of thoughts, inasmuch as he incites to thought, by the desire of the things thought of, by way of persuasion, or by rousing the passions. Damascene calls this because such a work is accomplished within. But good thoughts are attributed to a higher principle, namely, God, though they may be procured by the ministry of the kindling "a putting in" angels.

The will is moved only by God, but angels aid us in our intellect, our imagination and our senses.

Again, Thomas, and this is a long section on the influence of the imagination by both demons and the good angels:

Both a good and a bad angel by their own natural power can move the human imagination. This may be explained as follows. For it was said above (Question 110, Article 3), that corporeal nature obeys the angel as regards local movement, so that whatever can be caused by the local movement of bodies is subject to the natural power of the angels. Now it is manifest that imaginative apparitions are sometimes caused in us by the local movement of animal spirits and humors. Hence Aristotle says (De Somn. et Vigil.) [De Insomniis iii.], when assigning the cause ofvisions in dreams, that "when an animal sleeps, the blood descends in abundance to the sensitive principle, and movements descend with it," that is, the impressions left from the movements are preserved in the animal spirits, "and move the sensitive principle"; so that a certain appearance ensues, as if the sensitive principle were being then changed by the external objects themselves. Indeed, the commotion of the spirits and humors may be so great that such appearances may even occur to those who are awake, as is seen in mad people, and the like. So, as this happens by a natural disturbance of the humors, and sometimes also by the will of man who voluntarily imagines what he previously experienced, so also the same may be done by the power of a good or a bad angel, sometimes with alienation from the bodily senses, sometimes without such alienation.

Reply to Objection 1. The first principle of the imagination is from the sense in act. For we cannot imagine what we have never perceived by the senses, either wholly or partly; as a man born blind cannot imagine color. Sometimes, however, the imagination is informed in such a way that the act of the imaginative movement arises from the impressions preserved within.

Reply to Objection 2. An angel changes the imagination, not indeed by the impression of an imaginative form in no way previously received from the senses (for he cannot make a man born blind imagine color), but by local movement of the spirits and humors, as above explained.

Reply to Objection 3. The commingling of the angelic spirit with the human imagination is not a mingling of essences, but by reason of an effect which he produces in the imagination in the way above stated; so that he shows man what he [the angel] knows, but not in the way he knows.

Reply to Objection 4. An angel causing an imaginative vision, sometimes enlightens the intellect at the same time, so that it knows what these images signify; and then there is not deception. But sometimes by the angelic operation the similitudes of things only appear in the imagination; but neither then is deception caused by the angel, but by the defect in the intellect to whom such things appear. Thus neither was Christ a cause of deception when He spoke many things to the people inparables, which He did not explain to them.

Each one of us must cooperate with the guardian angels and not ignore each one's own duty to create a disciplined mind.


One can see how important it is for one to control one's eyes, ears, indeed all the senses, and discipline the imagination.

That the angels want to help us is fantastic, but one cannot assume help if one refuses to discipline one's own mind.

Such is the danger and down-side of the matter of sin.

to be continued...

Repost of five most popular posts on the blog

Sunday, 14 July 2013

On Meeting Angels

Twice I have met people who may not have been people but angels. I know this sounds odd, but we do have 

such an encounter in the Book of Tobit and the fruit of such meetings determines truth.

The first was last October, when I was staying in the monastery. A nun who was the superior of her order came 

to stay in my hall on a silent retreat. I was instructed not to speak with her, which was fine, as I was being 

obedient, quiet, and not inclined to speak with guests.

I shall not give all the very interesting details, but after 24 hours, she came to me and said she was at the 

monastery for me, and that she would speak with me daily. As I was getting no feedback at the time, I was 

delighted but puzzled.

After the ten days, much advice and counselling from her experience as a superior, and after many prayers for me, plus notes and letters, she left. She had a sense of humour and at least once, we had a great laugh.

She did not want me to join that order. She gave me a book she just happened to have about a priest whose 

ministry is writing.

When I finally left the convent, I phoned the order where she was superior. I phoned two of their houses. The 

order has no such sister of that name and no superior of that name.

I had a hard time understanding this. I began to review her contacts with me. She never ate or drank anything in 

front of me. She only talked of sensible and pastoral things, such as me getting more sleep and not pushing myself. She also taught me how to approach God in Adoration. She also gave me two cards with angels on them.

I think she was an angel.

Today, I may have had another encounter with an angel. I went to a local coffee house for an iced chai, which for 

some reason I was craving. I sat outside and an Irishman started talking to me.

He talked sense about everything political, obviously being a real Catholic, not a socialist, and one who could see 

the signs of the times. He was the first older Irishman bar one I have met who understands the way of the world. 

And, he told me Ireland has lost her identity, which was the point of two of my recent posts, here and on another 

log.

But, what was so strange were two comments he made to me. I asked him what his job was and his reply was this.

"If I told you my job, I would no longer have it." So, naturally, I asked him if he worked for the government, and 

he said no very strongly.

I was puzzled, as this man, who told me he grew up in the country, who does not have a computer or never goes 

on the internet (amazing) could hold a 45 minute conversation on all the levels of moral decay, political ruin, and 

such in Ireland and the EU in detail. He was very strong against Masonic influence here. He was some type of 

genius outside the box.

But, then, a second strange statement came with his strong country accent-"Good luck on your journey." I said I 

was not going anywhere for several months. But, he repeated it "Good luck on your journey".

Now, I suppose angels do not believe in luck, but they do act like normal people, as did Raphael, in the above book, who basically "lied" to Tobit about who he was-one of his first cousins once removed or something.

But, what journey did this person mean today?  I went back and thought about the strange encounter.

Bingo! My journey towards perfection. I have been bogged down in the awareness of sinful inclinations and 

whether I was too evil for God to answer my prayers. I have been in darkness for weeks. My "angel" was 

underlining something said to me in Confession this morning as well. God is in charge and His Divine Providence guides every prayer. All of our desires and prayers are in His Will, if we are allowing Him to guide us. We must 

persist in prayer and on the journey to perfection, even though we cannot see a thing, either physical or spiritual. 

Also, what happens around us is there to help us on our way.

We pray in the Will of God and act in the Will of God daily, if this is our desire and if we are willing to undergo purification. The outcome of this discussion was the welling up of the awareness of God's particular love for me.

I am so fortunate as to have found a holy, wonderful confessor as well. What a treat. He understands the journey 

of perfection, which is rare for priests.

I am fortunate that God encouraged me over chilled chai.  The handshake of this man was so strong I could hardly believe it. One never knows when one is entertained or entertaining angels.

I needed this little encouragement. By the way, this person had such a sense of humour, I was laughing off and on. 

He told me that the only two places which were the real Ireland were Dublin and Cork. He knew Cobh. He said all 

the rest was grass and wind.

He also said that the Irish say that  further west one travels in Ireland, the more one understands why the Wise Men came from the East.

Now, I am much more peaceful on my journey today after this odd encounter. I have been encouraged in my world view, to see the end of Western Civ and the downfall of Europe, which he prophesied, as part of God's Providence, 

and that good will come out of ruin. He also said all the countries would go back to being separate in order to find themselves....I think this is true. He knew all about the current corruptions of Europe and America.

He also said, (what we know on this blog), that the evil has come from poor Catholic education, bad priests, and 

evil politicians, as well as the greed of the banks.  He noted that he never used credit cards and was not in debt. 

(I do not use credit cards and I have no debt.) This person said that now the Irish judge people by a price tag and 

that everyone has one-in the mind of the secularist. He said that Ireland was now a police-state and that people 

had lost their independence. My observations have been supported.

I do not know, but anyone today who is completely au fait and never on line must be inspired. He quoted a book, 

one from the 1940s, which I shall look up.

Odd encounter of a second kind. No third. I forgot another one in Malta. For another day....