of angels
In our day and age it is difficult to explain the role of angels. Although there is a proliferation of angel figurines they are bought not so much out of devotion and belief but by their cuteness like any other figurines we buy from stores. But as it is people nowadays seem to take angels for granted.
But the fact remains that our creed teaches us that angels do exist as well as devils. The bible says a lot about them. They minister to God day and night singing holy, holy, holy – a song we sing in every mass while joining our voices to theirs. They are the messengers of God, sent to fulfill and implant the will of God – from the time of creation when an angel was sent to guard the tree of life, to the angels sent to Abraham and Sarah, to the angel Michael guarding the chosen people, to the angel Raphael sent to heal Tobit, to the angel Gabriel announcing the good news to Mary.
This, I believe, is the reason for the gospel today. In a world that seeks evidence at every turn, Jesus is telling us, as he told Nathanael, that indeed we will see far greater things that this. In a world where science has the monopoly of all the answers, Jesus is telling us, as he told Nathanael, that there is more to this world than the eyes can see. In a world that is becoming more and more dependent on its own capabilities, in a world that is becoming too reliant on its own resources and abilities, Jesus is telling us that there are things greater than ourselves.
This is not just about angels, this is not just about belief in these creatures of God. It is about our neediness as man, it is about our poverty and destitution. We cannot remain dependent merely on our own capabilities. We need God. We are in need of a higher power. We may not understand, we may fall short in our logic and evidence in proving its existence. But the fact remains that on our own we cannot even hope for greater things. We need the help of angels.
But the fact remains that our creed teaches us that angels do exist as well as devils. The bible says a lot about them. They minister to God day and night singing holy, holy, holy – a song we sing in every mass while joining our voices to theirs. They are the messengers of God, sent to fulfill and implant the will of God – from the time of creation when an angel was sent to guard the tree of life, to the angels sent to Abraham and Sarah, to the angel Michael guarding the chosen people, to the angel Raphael sent to heal Tobit, to the angel Gabriel announcing the good news to Mary.
This, I believe, is the reason for the gospel today. In a world that seeks evidence at every turn, Jesus is telling us, as he told Nathanael, that indeed we will see far greater things that this. In a world where science has the monopoly of all the answers, Jesus is telling us, as he told Nathanael, that there is more to this world than the eyes can see. In a world that is becoming more and more dependent on its own capabilities, in a world that is becoming too reliant on its own resources and abilities, Jesus is telling us that there are things greater than ourselves.
This is not just about angels, this is not just about belief in these creatures of God. It is about our neediness as man, it is about our poverty and destitution. We cannot remain dependent merely on our own capabilities. We need God. We are in need of a higher power. We may not understand, we may fall short in our logic and evidence in proving its existence. But the fact remains that on our own we cannot even hope for greater things. We need the help of angels.
Comments