Angels come to the virtuous; Angels: Day 091

Angels come to the virtuous

St. Ambrose recalls the story of Samson’s birth in Judges 13 and rejects one writer’s interpretation that would make Samson’s father merely a jealous husband. Angels would not come to him, says St. Ambrose, if he were full of sinful thoughts.

By this time the spirit of the Hebrews had been so subdued by long oppression that no one dared to rouse them to liberty with a manly spirit. But then Samson, foreordained by the divine oracle, was raised up for them.

His father was of the tribe of Dan, a man fearing God, born of no mean rank, and eminent above others. His mother was barren of body, but certainly not in virtues of the mind—seeing that in the sanctuary of her soul she was counted worthy to receive the visit of an angel, and that she obeyed his command and fulfilled his prophecy. But because she could not stand to know the secrets even of God apart from her husband, she mentioned to him that she had seen a man of God, of beautiful form, bringing her the divine promise of future offspring, and that she, confiding in this promise, was led to share with her husband her faith in the heavenly promises. But he, informed of this, devoutly offered his prayers to God, that the grace of this vision might be conferred on him also, saying, “Lord, let your angel come to me.”

I am of the opinion that he did not act this way out of jealousy of his wife, but rather that he was filled with desire of the divine grace, and sought to partici- pate in the benefit of the heavenly vision. For one whose mind was depraved could not have found such favor with the Lord that an angel should return to his house, who, having given those warnings that the divine announcement required, was suddenly carried away in the form of a smoking flame. This sight, which terrified the man, the woman interpreted more auspiciously, saying that to see God is a sign of good not evil. In that way she made him stop worrying. –St. Ambrose, Letter 19, 10-12

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

What thoughts in my mind are keeping the angels away?

CLOSING PRAYER

Guardian Angel, keep me free of every base desire, every evil imagination, and every unbecoming thought.

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