Course objectives:
1) To understand the theology of how angels can work in material space and time.
2) To consider in general how the angels have acted in the life of the Church throughout history.
3) To consider specific cases of angelic intervention, especially the exceptional stories.
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A Course
on the Angels: Session 7, Angels and the Lives of the Saints
Fr Ryan Erlenbush
I. Review
of all that has come before
A. Angels are wholly incorporeal
B. Each angel is his own species.
We must multiply, not divide
C. Angels have no imagination, or
emotion, or passion
D. Angels are not outside of time, but they are
not restricted to continuous material time
II. How
can angels act within space and time?
A. Review of angelic time: Eternity,
Aeveternity, Continuous time
B. Angels act within continuous,
historical time
C. “An angel is said to be in a
corporeal place by application of the angelic power in any matter whatever to
any place.” (ST I, q.52, a.1)
D. “So, then, it is evident that
to be in a place appertains quite differently to a body, to an angel, and to
God. For a body is in a place in a circumscribed fashion, since it is measured
by the place. An angel, however, is not there in a circumscribed fashion, since
he is not measured by the place, but definitively, because he is in a place in
such a manner that he is not in another. But God is neither circumscriptively
nor definitively there, because He is everywhere.” (ST I, q.52, a.2)
E. Angels do not need to pass
through space to move about.
III. How
can angels act upon material bodies?
A. Angels do not become the form of
material bodies – the way that the soul possesses the body
B. Angels act on material bodies by
way of motion – externally, not as united to the body.
IV. Particular
cases:
A.
St Isidore the Farmer (1070-1130)
B.
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
C.
St Frances of Rome (1384-1440)
D.
St Gemma Galgani (1878-1903)
Saint
Catherine of Siena received the cord of purity from Angels, as did St. Thomas
Aquinas.
Saint
Theresa of the Sacred Heart was espoused to Christ by Angels.
An Angel
touched the thigh of St. Henry, Emperor, as a sign of chastity and justice; and
an angel brought him the Gospel to kiss.
An Angel
helped St. Veronica Giuliani with her kitchen chores.
When St.
Mary Frances of the Five Wounds was young she often saw a most beautiful Angel
who would speak to her of Heaven. An Angel spun at the loom as she contemplated
so that her father would be pleased at the amount of work done.
Blessed
John of Alvernia has his Guardian Angel's presence for three months before his
death.
Bl.
Dalmatius, the Dominican and St. Humility were constantly favored with the
visible presence of an Angel.
St.
Gregory the Great, St. Cuthbert and St. Robert all showed kindness to a
"poor stranger" who turned out to be their Guardian Angels.
St. Gemma
Galgani had her Guardian Angel as her constant companion, as did St. Veronica
of Binasco.
The Angel
of St. Rose of Lima delivered messages, brought medicine at any hour, and
opened a locked gate.
St. Paul
of the Cross had the assistance from Angels many times as he wrote his Rule.
St.
Philip Neri was visibly saved by Angels from death in an accident.
St.
Martin de Porres was known to have been visibly helped by Angels.
St.
Hilary of Galenta was protected by his Angel when barbarians threatened to kill
monks.
St.
Venantius the Martyr was ordered scourged when he was fifteen; an Angel untied
his binds and threw the soldiers. Then the Martyr was hung over a fire to
suffocate; the judge's secretary saw an Angel trample the fire and free the
boy. He converted to the Faith with his family and it was not until later, in
257 that he was finally Martyred.
St.
Eutsathius was thrown in a river and he was saved by his Angel.
St.
Catherine Labore was awakened by her Angel in the form of a child who led her
to the chapel to converse with the Blessed Virgin Mary, then led he back to her
room.
Cherubim
pierced the heart of St. Teresa of Avila with a burning sword, which set her on
fire with the love of God.
While he
was tending sheep as a youth, an Angel brought the Blessed Sacrament to St.
Pascal Baylon to adore.
As a
small child, St. Gerard Majella was brought his First Holy Communion by Saint
Michael the Archangel.
Bl.
Osanna of Mantua was given a glimpse of Heaven by her Angel who showed her that
this was to be her preoccupation and happiness even while on earth. From early
childhood until her death she enjoyed the loving companionship with the Angels
as did St. Peter Celestine.
To St.
Margaret of Cortona an evil spirit one day appeared, seeking to terrify her.
But at the same moment her Guardian Angel also appeared and said: "fear
not, daughter, and do not lose courage. The demon is less powerful to harm you
than one who is trodden underfoot by his conqueror. I am with you-----I, the
Guardian Angel of your soul, which is an exalted abode of God."
On one
occasion, while assisting at Holy Mass with special fervor, St. Gertrude the
Great was rapt in ecstasy. In this state she saw her Guardian Angel bearing her
prayers to the throne of the Divine Majesty, presenting them to the three
Divine Persons and imploring them to here her petitions. The prayer of the
Guardian Angel was accepted and Gertrude was blessed by each Person of the
Godhead.
St Gemma
Galgani and her Guardian Angel
Born in
1878 in Lucca, Italy, she was outstanding for her angelic purity, child-like
simplicity, candor, and innocence, virtues that no doubt help account for the
special privilege she received. Gemma’s confessor and biographer provides us
with details of her familiarity with her guardian angel.
“Gemma,”
he writes, “saw him with her eyes, touched him with her hand as if he were a
being of this world, remained talking with him as one friend with another.
‘Jesus has not left me alone,’ she said. ‘He makes my guardian angel stay with
me always….’
“‘If I am
sometimes culpable, dear Angel, don’t be angry with me. I want to be grateful
to thee,’ she said to him.
“And the
angel answered: ‘Yes, I shall be thy guide and inseparable companion. Dost thou
not know who it is that gave me charge of thee? It is the merciful Jesus.’
“Unable
to restrain her emotion at this, the angelic girl stood rapt in ecstasy with
her angel. The angel sometimes let her see him raised in the air with outspread
wings, his hands extended over her or joined in an attitude of prayer. At other
times, he knelt beside her.
“I
myself,” continues her confessor, “have often attended Gemma’s meditations with
her angel.… I noted that every time she raised her eyes to look at the angel,
listen to him, or speak to him, even aside from the time of meditation and
prayer, she lost the use of her senses. At those moments one could prick, burn,
or shake her without her feeling it.
“Her
angel guardian was to Gemma a second Jesus, so to speak. She made known to him
her own wants and those of others. In her sufferings she wanted him always by
her side. She entrusted him to lay several matters before the throne of God,
before the Divine Mother and her patron saints, giving him closed and sealed
letters to them with a request to bring her the answers promptly. Those
letters, as a matter of fact, disappeared.”
She also
kept the angel busy with many letters to people in this world, often to her
confessor.
“It was
thus,” he writes, “that she kept the heavenly messenger continually on the
move, and he most gladly favored her. Even without being called, he hastened to
her in every need and danger. He restrained the power and malicious ruses of
the devil, who was always just as vigilant in his efforts to do her harm.
Instances are not wanting of this blessed guardian’s constant watchfulness.
Once when Gemma was at table with her family, one of those present did not
hesitate to blaspheme the Holy Name of God. Upon hearing this, she fainted in
horror and, falling, would have dashed her head against the floor had her angel
not hastened to her aid. He took her hand, supported her, and with a single
word restored her.
“The most
important mission of Gemma’s angel was in what concerned her spiritual
advancement. While he served on one side as her watchful protector, on the
other she found in him a perfect master of Christian perfection.
“The holy
guardian knew how to show severity when necessary. One day she told me of this
in the following words: ‘My angel is a bit severe, but I am glad for it. During
the past few days he called me to order as many as three or four times a day.’
“Seeing
the great charity lavished on her, Gemma loved her angel immensely, and his
name was always on her lips as well as in her heart. ‘Dear Angel,’ she would
say, ‘I so love you!’
“‘And
why?’ he would ask.
“‘Because
you teach me to be good, to remain humble, and to please Jesus.’
“Another
time, Gemma wrote: ‘I was in bed, suffering greatly, when I suddenly became
absorbed in prayer. I folded my hands and, moved with heartfelt sorrow for my
countless sins, I made an act of deep contrition. My mind was wholly plunged in
this abyss of crime against my God when I beheld my angel standing by my bed. I
felt ashamed of being in his presence, but he was more than courteous with me,
and said kindly: “Jesus loves thee greatly; love Him greatly in return.” Then
he added: “Art thou fond of Jesus’ Mother? Salute her very often, for she
values such attention very much and unfailingly returns the greetings offered
her; and if thou dost not feel that she does, know that thus she makes a proof
of thine unfailing trust.” He blessed me and disappeared.’”
