Though angels have often come to aid God’s faithful people, says St. Gregory the Great, they could not redeem us from sin. Only God himself could accomplish that. It (wisdom) cannot be gotten for gold” ( Job 28:15). What does “gold” mean here but the holy angels? They are called “gold” because they persist in the original innocence in which they were created. They shine with the beauty of righteousness, and they are stained with no impurity of sins—not in the... Read more
In Revelation, an angel holds a scroll and asks, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” St. Victorinus says that the scroll is the Old Testa– ment, and to open it is to overcome death—something no angel could do. Only Christ could accomplish it. “And I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals” (Rev. 5:1). This book sig- nifies... Read more
In St. Augustine’s time, the Roman Empire was crumbling, and barbarian attacks were the worst fear of every civilized family. (Later, St. Augustine himself would die as the Vandals were destroying his own city.) But Christ, he says, redeemed us from a far worse danger than barbarian captivity. Brethren, if the ancient prophets, our fathers, sighed after the Jerusalem above even before the Lord Jesus Christ came in the flesh, before he rose from the dead, think how much we... Read more
The cross was the most shameful method of execution the ancient world could think of. But angels glory in the Cross of Christ, says St. Cyril of Jerusalem, because it was the instrument of our salvation. We can never get tired of hearing about our crowned Lord—and least of all in this most holy Golgotha. For while others only hear, we can see and touch as well. Let no one be tired! Take your armor against your adversaries in the cause... Read more
Our sin is what keeps us from being fit citizens of Heaven. But the Cross overcomes that, says St. John Chrysostom. Because of the Cross, we are now part of the same community with the angels. The Cross destroyed the hostility of God toward humanity. It brought about the reconciliation; it made earth Heaven, associated human beings with angels, pulled down the fortress of death, destroyed the power of sin, saved the world from error, brought back the truth, destroyed... Read more
In the parable of the fig tree, the vinedresser begs the owner not to cut down the tree until it has one more chance. Is that vinedresser the angel who guarded Is- rael throughout the Old Testament? Or is it the Son interceding with the Father? St. Cyril of Alexandria thinks either interpretation is reasonable. But the vinedresser begged him, saying, “Let it alone, sir, this year also, till I dig about it and put on manure. And if it bears... Read more
Satan, St. Paul tells us, disguises himself as an angel of light, and his ministers will call themselves apostles of Christ. How will we know the genuine article? St. Cyril of Alexandria repeats Christ’s advice: examine the fruit. Again, Christ somewhere says, “Beware of those who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matt. 7:15). See again, Christ commands that those who come to us must be distinguished not by their cloth- ing, but by what... Read more
OKSt. Cyril of Alexandria suggests an interpretation of Christ’s famous parable of the lost sheep: the ninety-nine who were not lost are the angels in Heaven, and the one lost sheep is humanity, which had been lost to sin but is now brought back with great rejoicing. “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds... Read more
When he was in the flesh, Jesus himself took his Father’s orders through the angels, says Dionysius the Areopagite. Though he himself was the cause of their existence, Jesus kept himself within the limits assigned to mankind. The angels were the first ones initiated in the divine mystery of the love of Jesus for humanity. Then the gift of that knowledge passed through them to us. For example, the most divine Gabriel taught Zechariah the priest that the son who... Read more
This week one lucky winner will receive a copy of Racketeer for Life: Fighting the Culture of Death from the Sidewalk to the Supreme Court by the Joseph Scheidler, sponsored by Tan Books (you can read my review here). I use Rafflecopter to run my giveaways which makes it simple for you and me. The contest begins now and ends next Friday 2/03 with a winner been chosen that day, enter below! a Rafflecopter giveaway Read more
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