Good people are worth more than bad angels, Angels: Day 240

Just as you’d rather have gold than fleas, even though fleas are higher on the scale of creation than gold, it’s far better to be a good person than a bad angel, says St. Augustine.

Among existing beings that are not of God the Creator’s essence, those that have life are ranked above those that have none; those that have the power of generation, or even of desiring, above those that lack it. And, among things that have life, those that feel are higher than those that have no feeling, as animals are ranked above trees. And, among the ones that feel, the intelligent are above those that do not have intelligence, as people (for example) are ranked above cattle. And, among the intelligent, the immortal, such as the angels, above the mortal, such as people.

These are the gradations according to the order of nature; but according to the usefulness each one of us finds in a thing, there are various standards of value, so that it turns out that we prefer some things that have no sensation to some sen- tient beings. And so strong is this preference, that, if we had the power, we would abolish the latter from nature altogether—either because we don’t understand the place they hold in nature, or, though we know it, we would sacrifice them to our own convenience. For example, who wouldn’t rather have bread in his house than mice, or rather have gold than fleas?

But there is little to wonder at in this, seeing that even when valued by hu- mans themselves (whose nature is certainly of the highest dignity), more is often given for a horse than for a slave, for a jewel than for a maid.

But will and love matter so much in intelligent beings that, though in the order of nature angels rank above humans, yet, by the scale of justice, good people are worth more than bad angels. –St. Augustine, City of God, 11.16

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Am I honestly worth more than a bad angel? Am I working in that direction?

CLOSING PRAYER

My Guardian Angel, keep me away from every occasion of sin, and make me worthy of the aid you so generously give me.

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