{"id":5614,"date":"2016-09-01T03:30:59","date_gmt":"2016-09-01T08:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicbookblogger\/?p=5614"},"modified":"2016-08-27T17:50:55","modified_gmt":"2016-08-27T22:50:55","slug":"degrees-of-knowledge-angels-day-042","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicbookblogger\/2016\/09\/01\/degrees-of-knowledge-angels-day-042\/","title":{"rendered":"Degrees of knowledge, Angels: Day 042"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"angels_ephrem_1\"<\/a>Degrees of knowledge<\/strong><\/p>\n

Each creature, says St. Ephrem the Syrian, has a degree of \u00a0knowledge <\/em>p<\/em>r<\/em>op<\/em>er\u00a0<\/em>to it. The <\/em>different ranks of \u00a0angels never ask questions \u00a0beyond what they <\/em>kno<\/em>w <\/em>to be their ability.\u00a0 Yet some human philosophers think they can vault over <\/em>a<\/em>ll <\/em>the ranks of \u00a0angels and figure out the most \u00a0hidden secrets\u00a0 of \u00a0<\/em>God<\/em>\u2019<\/em>s<\/em> o<\/em>wn <\/em>natur<\/em>e!<\/em><\/p>\n

The knowledge of angels searches in measure; human knowledge roams without measure. Your mercy put inns and milestones in your way, so that the unsettled disputers might come into order. Blessed is he who has measured his wonder with his knowledge so as to reach the inns.<\/p>\n

Human knowledge is like a feeble twilight compared to the angels\u2019 knowl- edge; and even the angels\u2019 knowledge is like a little twinkling compared to the Spirit\u2019s knowledge. The Spirit says of the Son, \u201cwho shall declare his generation?\u201d (Isa. 53:8). It is pure rashness to run on beyond this boundary when the Spirit came up to it and stopped.<\/p>\n

When the angels searched to learn the generation of the Son, they directed their questions to those who were higher than they were; and those great ones learn at the suggestion of the Spirit. As are the ranks of angels, so are the ques- tions of angels. There is none among them that dares to reach beyond what be- longs to him. Nature witnesses to this by its own subordination: rank leads to rank, up to that which is the crown. Yet human beings, who are of low rank, trespass over the ranks of angels to search into the First-Born!<\/p>\n

\u2013St. Ephrem the Syrian, \u00a0Rhythm <\/em>5<\/em><\/p>\n

IN GOD\u2019S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .<\/strong><\/p>\n

The angels know how far each rank can reach, and do not pretend to reach any<\/p>\n

further. Am I sometimes tempted to declare my opinions on things I can\u2019t possibly know?<\/p>\n

CLOSING PRAYER<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lord, grant me the wisdom\u00a0 to understand your mysteries as far as <\/em>I am capable; but when\u00a0<\/em>I cannot understand, grant me the humility to serve you in my proper place, the way each rank of your angels serves you.<\/em><\/p>\n

___________________________________________________________________________________________
\nRemember 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.
\n