Join your heart with the angels; Angels: Day 299

Even when you work at earthly things, says St. Augustine, you’re a citizen of Heaven if you have your heart there and not on Earth.

Look and see the two kinds of people. One kind works, and the other they work among. One kind weighs their hearts down, the other joins their hearts with angels. The one trusts in the earthly things that are so common in the world, but the other puts their confidence in heavenly things that have been promised by God, who never lies.

But these two kinds of people are all mixed together. The citizen of Jerusa- lem, of the kingdom of Heaven, may have some position here on earth. One is a senator, or a judge, or a mayor, or a governor, or even the emperor, directing the earthly republic. But if he’s a Christian—if he’s a believer—if he is godly—if he despises the things of the world he lives in, and trusts in the things of the world he hasn’t reached yet—then he has his heart above.

So we shouldn’t despair of the citizens of the kingdom of Heaven when we see them involved in Babylon’s business, doing earthly things in the earthly repub- lic. And we shouldn’t rush to congratulate everyone we see involved in heavenly business: even the sons of pestilence sometimes sit in the seat of Moses, of whom Jesus said, “practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice” (Matt. 23:3).

So long as everything is still mixed together, let us hear our voice, the voice of the citizens from Heaven—for we should aspire to put up with evil men here, rather than to be put up with by good men. Let us join ourselves to that voice, both with our ears and with our tongues, and with our hearts and with our work. –St. Augustine, Exposition on Psalm 52, 2

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

When I look honestly at my life, does it seem as though my heart is more with the angels, or down on earth? What changes could I make in my life to put my heart in the right place?

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, I join my heart with the angels in praising you. As long as I keep their light com- pany, I will not be weighed down by earthly troubles.

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