![\"angels_vincent_of_lerins\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/398\/2016\/11\/angels_vincent_of_lerins.jpg\")
<\/a>St<\/em>. Paul warned the Galatians \u00a0not to listen even to an angel from Heaven if \u00a0<\/em>h<\/em>e\u00a0<\/em>p<\/em>r<\/em>ea<\/em>c<\/em>he<\/em>d any gospel other than what \u00a0they had already heard. Could a <\/em>h<\/em>ea<\/em>v<\/em>en<\/em>l<\/em>y <\/em>ange<\/em>l actually do that? No, says St. Vincent of Lerins. But St. Paul means <\/em>th<\/em>a<\/em>t, <\/em>ev<\/em>e<\/em>n if \u00a0the impossible \u00a0did happen, we should never deviate from the one <\/em>gos<\/em>p<\/em>el.<\/em><\/p>\nThese people were wandering around in provinces and cities, carrying their venal errors with them. Some of them had found their way to Galatia, and when the Galatians heard them, they felt sick of the truth and vomited up the manna of Apostolic and Catholic doctrine. They were delighted with the garbage of heretical novelty.<\/p>\n
The apostle then had to exercise the authority of his office and deliver his sentence with the utmost severity. \u201cBut even if we, or an angel from Heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed\u201d (Gal. 1:8).<\/p>\n
Why does he say \u201ceven if we<\/em>\u201d? Why not \u201ceven if I<\/em>\u201d?<\/p>\n He means even if Peter, or Andrew, or John\u2014in short, the whole company of the apostles\u2014should preach something contrary to what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.<\/p>\n What tremendous severity! He spares neither himself nor his fellow apostles, so he may preserve unaltered the faith that was first delivered. Nor is this all. He goes on: \u201cEven if an angel from Heaven <\/em>should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed.\u201d For the preservation of the faith as it was delivered, it was not enough just to refer to human beings: he had to take in angels as well. \u201cEven if we, or an angel from Heaven.\u201d Not that the holy angels of Heaven are capable of sinning now. But what he means is this: \u201cEven if what cannot <\/em>happen did <\/em>happen\u2014if any one, whoever he may be, should attempt to alter the faith once for all delivered, let him be accursed.\u201d \u2013St. Vincent of Lerins, Commonitory<\/em>, 8<\/p>\n IN GOD\u2019S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .<\/strong><\/p>\n Do I seek the help of the angels in the discernment of spirits? Do I recognize that not even an angel will dare to contradict the teaching of Christ\u2019s Church?<\/p>\n CLOSING PRAYER<\/strong><\/p>\n Guardian Angel, protect me with your power, and keep me in the light of divine <\/em>tr<\/em>uth<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n Remember 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.<\/p>\n