Lord, who is like you?; Angels: Day 139

Lord, who is like you?; Angels: Day 139 December 7, 2016

angels_augustine_3Dont listen to anyone who tells you to worship idols, or nature, or even angelssays St. Augustine. God alone made all these things and they are nothing without him. Instead of worshiping angels, we should worship God  as Creator of the angels.

“All my bones shall say, O Lord, who is like you?” (Ps. 35:10).

Who can say anything worthy of these words? I think they can only be pronounced, not explained.

Why do you seek this or that? What is like your Lord? You have him right in front of you. The unrighteous have shown me delights, but nothing like your law, O Lord!

There have been persecutors who have said, “Worship Saturn” or “Worship Mercury.” I do not worship idols, he says: “Lord, who is like you?” They have eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear. Lord, who is like you, who made the eye to see, the ear to hear?

But I do not worship idols, he says, because a workman made them. “Wor- ship a tree or mountain; did a workman make them, too?” Here too, Lord, who is like you? They show me earthly things, but you are Creator of the earth.

Then they might turn from these to the higher creation, and say to me, “Worship the moon, worship the sun, who with his light, as a great lamp in the heavens, makes the day.” Here also I plainly say, “Lord, who is like you?” You made the moon and the stars; you set the sun alight to rule the day; you put the heavens together.

But there are many better things that are invisible. Perhaps someone will say to me, “Worship angels, adore angels.” And here also will I say, “Lord, who is like you?” Even the angels you have created. The angels are nothing except by see- ing you. It is better to possess you with them, than to fall from you by worshiping them. –St. Augustine, Exposition on Psalm 35, 6

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Do I make time in my prayer to praise the Lord for the wonder of creation—begin- ning with the angels? Do I recognize that praise is the purest form of prayer and the surest protection against idolatry?

CLOSING PRAYER

Let me be yours, O Lord of all the angels, for I worship no other God than you, and name no other name than yours.

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