Pursued by the angel of the Lord; Angels: Day 127

A terrifying image from Psalm 35 provokes St. Augustine to meditate on how God punishes. When God sends his angel to pursue the wicked, it’s not out of anger, but simply  the nature of righteousness at work.

“Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driv- ing them on! Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!” (Ps. 35:5-6).

A horrible way! Everyone is afraid of darkness alone, and everyone avoids a slippery way alone. How will you go in a dark and slippery way? Where will you find a foothold?

These two evils are the great punishments of humanity. Darkness is ignorance. A slippery way is luxury.

“With the angels of the Lord pursuing them”: so that they will not be able to stand. If you were in a dark and slippery way, and you see that you will fall if you move your foot, and there is no light in front of you, you might decide to wait until light came. But here is the angel of the Lord pursuing you!

The Psalmist predicted that these things would happen to them—not as though he wanted them to happen. But even though the prophet says these things in the Spirit of God, in the same way God does, with sure judgment, with a judgment good, righteous, holy, tranquil—not moved with anger, or with bitter jealousy, or with a desire to make enemies, but of punishing wickedness with righteousness—nevertheless, it is a prophecy. –St. Augustine, Exposition on Psalm 35, 6

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Am I in danger of falling into the “dark and slippery way,” with the angel pursuing me? What am I doing to overcome ignorance and luxury?

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, send your angels to pursue those who mistreat me, to win them over to your cause, to inspire their conversion, to give them true peace.

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