The Church above; Angels: Day 345

We are the Church on Earth, says St. Augustine, but the angels are the Church in Heaven. The wonderful and amazing thing is that God, served by all the angels, came down to serve us on Earth.

“For God’s temple is holy,” says the Apostle, “and that temple you are” (1 Cor. 3:17). But surely it’s obvious that God dwells in the angels. Therefore when our joy, being in spiritual things, not in earthly, takes up a song to God, to sing before the angels, that very assembly of angels is the Temple of God, and we wor- ship toward God’s Temple.

There is a Church below, and there is also there a Church above. The Church below is all the faithful; the Church above is all the angels. But the God of angels came down to the Church below, and angels served him on Earth (Matt. 4:11) while he served us. For, as he says, “the Son of man came not to be served but to serve” (Matt. 20:28).

The Lord of angels died for humanity. –St. Augustine, Exposition on Psalm 138, 3

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Christ came to serve us, though he had all the angels to serve him. What might I give up to serve my neighbors better?

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, teach me to imitate Christ in His renunciation, and the angels in their service.

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