Angels saw Christ in the flesh; Angels: Day 208

Theodoret of Cyrus imagines a dialogue between Orthodoxos, the champion of orthodox Christianity, and Eranistes, whose name we might translate as “Mish– mash,”  because he takes his opinions from all the heresies, and explains that angels cannot see God directly, but when Christ rose they did see him in the flesh.

Eranistes: Then the substance of God was not seen by those who beheld those revelations?

Orthodoxos: No! Who is mad enough to dare to say so? Eranistes: Yet it is said that they saw.

Orthodoxos: Yes, it is said; but using reverent reason, and relying on the divine Scriptures, which exclaim distinctly, “No one has ever seen God” ( John 1:18), we say that they did not see the divine Nature, but certain visions adapted to their capacity.

Eranistes: That is what we say.

Orthodoxos: And we should understand the same thing of the angels when we hear that they “always behold the face of my Father” (Matt. 18:10). What they see is not the divine substance—which cannot be circumscribed, comprehended, or understood, and which embraces the universe—but some glory made compa- rable with their nature.

Eranistes: We acknowledge that.

Orthodoxos: After the Incarnation, however, he was seen also by angels, as the divine Apostle says—not, however, by similitude of glory, but using the true and living covering of the flesh as a kind of screen. “God,” says the Apostle, “was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels” (1 Tim. 3:16). –Theodoret of Cyrus, Dialogue 1

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Angels saw Christ in the flesh after the Incarnation. Where do I look to see Christ in the flesh today?

CLOSING PRAYER

Guardian Angel, you saw Christ in the flesh when he came to us in the Incarnation. Teach me to recognize Christ in the flesh in the poor, the sick, and the distressed everywhere.

___________________________________________________________________________________________
Remember to subscribe to my feed so you will not miss a day! This recurring feature at The Catholic Blogger is possible through the cooperation of author Mike Aquilina and publisher Saint Benedict Press. To get your own copy of this book, click below.