The angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man::: Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael

 Year A

29th September, 2020

FEAST OF THE ARCHANGELS MICHAEL, GABRIEL AND RAPHAEL 

Daniel 7:9-10.13-14 or Revelation 12:7-12a

Psalm 138:1-2a.2bcd-3.4-5 (R. see 1b)

John 1:47-51

The angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man 

Let us look at the angels today as we reflect on the Statement of Jesus Christ to the Israel in whom there is no guile. 

"Angel" means messenger; this reflects the office of the angels and their relationship with humans. So it should be realized that the word "angel" describe their function  or what they do in relationship to us but does not properly describe their nature. 

Angels are more properly referred to as "spirits", and this is what they are; incorporeal spirit of great power and intelligence. They are at the very pinnacle of the order of God’s creation. Their spiritual nature is closest to the image of God, so they have great power and intellect.

The Angelic Doctor St. Thomas Aquinas used a synthesis of philosophy and Scripture to speculate on the nature, powers and ordering of the angels.

He believed that angels had three primary roles given to them by God. Their first role was to worship God; thus gazing on the revealed nature of God and contemplate the mystery of the Trinity (cf Psalm 96:7). 

The second major role of the angels is to implement the will of God; to order creation, aid in the spiritual deliverance of man. Aquinas also believed that God assigns a guardian angel to each person, who also pray on our behalf (cf. Matthew 18:10). 

The third is that angels serve as messengers from God; prophets received messages from God through angels ( Genesis 22:11, Isaiah 6:2, Ezekiel 1:4, Daniel 7:16). The Virgin Mary received the good news of salvation from the angel Gabriel.

Based on the readings of St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians 1:16 and to the Ephesians 1:21, St. Aquinas deduced that angels are equal not in power and intellect and surmised that the angels can be divided into nine choirs (groups), where each group has a distinct power and duty that sets it apart from the others.

The first is the Seraphim  (Isaiah 6:2) who are closest to the throne of God. Their only task is to worship God in perpetual adoration. The second is the Cherubim. Depicted like babies with wings in Christian arts, Cherubim have an innocence that surpasses a human infant. They have perfection of knowledge as a result of perfect vision of God, the full reception of the divine light, contemplation in God of the beauty of the divine order and their wiliness to share it with all others. However according to Aquinas this does not guarantee their moral goodness, for Satan the source of evil and prince of darkness is a member of this  group (cf.  Ezekiel 28:14).

The Thrones are the third choir of angels. Grouped with the Seraphim and the Cherubim in the first order of angels, they are the lowest choir of the first order. They are the ways God accomplishes his judgments.

The second order of angels is composed of also three choirs known as the Dominations, Virtues and Powers. They are  charged with governing and ordering the laws of the created universe.The Dominations are given the duty of appointing those things which are to be done by the Virtues and Powers. The Virtues are charged with giving the power with which to accomplish the ordering of Nature. The Powers are given the duty to order out how to execute what has been commanded. 

The last order of angels comprised of the Principalities, Archangels and Angels. Principalities are the leaders of the last order, and direct the actual implementation of God’s will. Archangels and angels actually carry out and execute what is to be done. 

This is why Archangels such as Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are part of the choir sent to communicate with man. 

You may realize that base on the three roles of worshiping God, Ordering Creation, and been messenger of God to man, there are three orders of angels with each order comprising of three choirs making a total of Nine.

The meaning of the name of the three Archangels we commemorate today are as follows;

Michael; Who is like God

Gabriel; God is my Strength 

Raphael; God heals

Now let's reflect on Jesus's statement to Nathaniel. Nathaniel is a true Israelites in two ways; one is base on the fig tree he was under, the order is base on the statement Jesus said about the angels of God descending and ascending upon the Son of man.  The first is about Adam and the second is about Jacob. 

The Bible and some traditions of  Israel suggests that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil may have been a Fig Tree. 

Genesis 3:6-7 

"When the woman saw that the tree was good for eating and a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable as a source of wisdom, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they perceived that they were naked; and they sewed together fig leaves and made themselves loincloths."

Thus after eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam and Eve realize that they are naked and there upon sew together aprons or loincloths made of fig leaves to cover their nakedness.

From the Talmud, Rabbi Nehemiah argues that the tree was a fig tree. For him, because the Torah tells us that after the sin, Adam and Eve "knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves and made themselves girdles," he maintains that "that which caused their downfall, was then used to rectify them."

In this sense Nathaniel under the fig tree was in a battle, either to give in to the temptation of eating it or to fight and overcome it. So to feed his soul with pride, he rather chose to feed his spirit with humility.  

The second one about Jacob is when he battled with  God at Peniel and got the name Israel (cf. Genesis 32). Jacob was returning home to Canaan with his family and properties after many years of service under Laban. He was afraid his brother Esua whom when he Jacob tricked  his father Isaac stole his blessings as the firstborn was still angry with him and will kill him and his family. He sent gifts of appeasement, prayed to God for help, and when he was left alone in his camp, God came and wrestled with him until daybreak. 

Jacob's physical struggle with God is symbolic of his struggle with his inner self. God wanted to enter into a relationship with Jacob, but because Jacob was not admitting his weakness of self-reliance, trickery and deceit, he could not do so. When he refused to surrender to God and stop his trickery, a mere divine touch on his hip led him to surrender and admit that he needs God's intervention. 

But before all of this, in Genesis 28:12-13, while escaping from his brother after stealing his blessings, at Bethel he had a dream that there was a bridge and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it, and the LORD stood above it. This implies that the one who bridges the gulf between heaven and earth is God himself and the angels of God would then be descending and ascending on him, which in today's gospel is Jesus Christ. 

So it was when Jacob surrendered to the bridge between heaven and earth that God gave him the name Israel which means, Triumphant with God. This is why humility is important.  Jesus Christ is the bridge, and when he defeated the devil at his temptation through all his humility angels came to minister to him.

When we live our life as Jesus lived, remember as we are his image and likeness, angels will minister to us. They will aid us in worshipping God, in maintaining creation and give us God's message. Through the three Archangels today, let's remember that no one is like God, God alone is our Strength and our healer.

By Sylvester Amakye-Quayson