I was on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and was just about to celebrate Mass with a few friends in the little chapel overlooking the Sea of Galilee, when two middle-aged English women came hurrying up to join me. “This is Edith,” said one with a heavy Liverpool accent. “She can see angels.”
After Mass they took me out to lunch and told me a whole collection of delightful angel stories. Edith had seen a healing angel in the hospital. She’d seen the guardian angels of children. She dialogued with her guardian angel regularly and often looked out her kitchen window to see representatives of the heavenly host going about their business.
A rationalist skeptic would have written off Edith as a harmless eccentric at best and a poor, insane, religious kook at worst. I’m happen to believe that what we consider “reality” (the day-to-day physical world) to be somewhat spongy. That is to say, it is far more flexible and porous than we would like to believe. I believe the spiritual, invisible realm interacts with this physical, visible realm all the time, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there are some folks — like Edith — who can see what’s going on.
The Scriptures speak of angelic appearances in a matter-of-fact way. Like Edith, the authors of the Bible assume that angels exist and don’t mind telling stories of their interactions with people on earth. Angels are God’s messengers, and there are four particular angel encounters that can inspire and enlighten our Advent.
St. Michael the Archangel is the first angel of Advent. We meet Michael in the Book of Daniel. He is the princely patron and advocate angel of the people of Israel, and in the Book of Revelation, we’re told that there was “war in heaven” and Michael and his angels fought the great dragon. Because of his role as protector of God’s people, he is seen as a great warrior against Satan, and at the point of death, ancient Church teaching says, Michael meets the departing soul and is his advocate before Christ, the great Judge. So we see Michael pictures in armor trampling down Satan or with scales, indicating his role as an advocate for justice and peace.
Advent is a time when we’re reminded of the four last things — death, judgment, hell and heaven. So, as an angel of Advent, Michael reminds of these four last things. He reminds us that we are engaged in spiritual warfare. There are ranks of angels and demons called principalities and powers, and as St. Paul writes in Ephesians, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” In this battle Michael fights by our side so that, as St. Paul writes to the Romans, “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come will be able to separate us from the love of Christ.”
The second angel of Advent is the angel that comes to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. Zechariah was taking his turn to minister as a priest in the Temple when the angel appeared to him and announced that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son, despite their advanced years. Zechariah doubted the truth of the message and asked for a sign. The sign he was given was that he was struck dumb until John the Baptist was born. St. Michael reminds us that we are caught up in a spiritual battle, while the second angel of Advent encourages us to have faith.
Zechariah may have doubted the angel’s word, but the experience strengthened his faith. He went on to believe fully and uttered the magnificent words of the Benedictus which look forward to Christ’s coming: “In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness.” Because of his renewed faith, Zechariah entered the spiritual battle with renewed zeal, and an ancient Church tradition suggests that he may have been the Zechariah who met a martyr’s death (Matthew 25:23) because he refused to tell Herod’s murderous soldiers the whereabouts of the Christ Child.
The third Advent angel is the heavenly messenger to St. Joseph. Joseph was betrothed to Mary when it was discovered that she was pregnant. St. Joseph was going to divorce her quietly, but the angel appeared to him in a dream and told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife. This third Advent angel who came to Joseph gives us a third word of encouragement for the spiritual battle: “Be not afraid.”
Jewish law dictated that a girl who became pregnant outside of marriage could be stoned to death. St. Joseph was a just and honorable man. He had every reason to fear — not only for Mary, but also for his own fate. If the girl was pregnant, as her betrothed, he was the obvious culprit. To marry her would be an admission of guilt. This honorable man would have to live the rest of his life under the cloud of a bad reputation. But he heard the angel’s word — “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife” — and responded immediately with courage and fortitude.
The fourth Advent angel is Gabriel, who appears to the Blessed Virgin. Mary’s simple response to God’s invitation is the climax of the angel messages. At the Annunciation, the three previous messages come together as one. The Blessed Virgin realizes she is part of a spiritual battle. She hears the words of the angel — “Do not be afraid” and “With God all things are possible” — and her response is one of instant obedience, which requires faith and courage.
If we are to be caught up in the drama of Advent, then we too will hear these four angelic messages. First, with St. Michael, we will realize again that as children of God we are engaged in a spiritual combat. Second, with Zecharias, we will respond with faith. Third, with St. Joseph, we add courage to our faith. Fourth, knowing that “with God all things are possible,” we will respond with the Blessed Virgin in a life of loving and joyful obedience to God’s will.
Father Dwight Longenecker
is the pastor of Our Lady
of the Rosary Parish in
Greenville, South Carolina.
Read more of his writing at
DwightLongenecker.com.
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I’m very surprised Fr. that you would promote this New Age nonsense. This is new age occult.
Fr.,
Your commentary regarding St. Joseph saddens me.
I write in all charity when I say haven’t you read of the saints and doctors of the church’s teachings of St. Joseph regarding his “fear”? St. Francis de Sales, St. Bernard of Clairveaux as well as many others have written regarding St. Joseph as being sanctified in the womb. They have stated that St. Joseph and Mary were already married when the Blessed Mother was “overshadowed by the Holy Spirit”, therefore she was never to be considered an “unwed mother”. Futhermore, St. Joseph’s hesitancy was never because he doubted in Our Lady’s fidelity or in her, but because he realized that she was the one chosen by God to carry the Son, and he was afraid of his own unworthiness in being her spouse and stepfather to the Son of God. That is why the Angel of the Lord was sent by God to calm his fears, “Do not be afraid”.
These theories of St. Joseph leaving the Virgin because of any other reason soil St. Joseph’s character, soil Our Lady, and soil the entire mystery of the Incarnation with human considerations and intentions. The Doctors and fathers of the church have written extensively on this with very good insights.
God Bless you~
This is not new age. This is reality. Thank you, Father, for your article. Lorna Byrne is also a person who sees angels. She has written a book called “Angels In My Hair”. She is from Ireland and tours the world with her message. Just because we all can’t see what some see does not make it false. We all have guardian angels.
Treasa…What is New Age about the Old Testament/New Testament accounts of angelic appearances? Father has written an inspiring message to us that we cannot ignore…angels are present everywhere and that we can have a personal relationship with them. Look for the subject of angels not only in Scripture but also to the Catechism and you will see what Father is referring to…not the New Age! The New Age’s take on the subject of angels is neither scriptural nor magisterial for the most part. I see nothing of the “occult” as you say in what Father has written nor should you. It is a beautiful meditation for this season when the subject of angels is everywhere but nowhere so awesome as the night of His Birth in the skies over Bethlehem.
Treasa,
It’s possible since I see demons several times a week. I’m neither mentally ill, a religious hysteric (I’m a sober traditional Catholic) and I’m over-educated (I used to teach political philosophy at UMichigan). “Edith” may or may not be full of it, but there are people today who see something of what she reports.
Happily, I did see two guardian angels behind me on a hike once—they were bright stars about the size of a basketball, and at their “core” was a simple, elegant geometric figure (makes sense since they are pure intellect and perfectly rational). The fact that they were stars surprised me until I noticed they are often called stars in the Bible.
One other note. If a person wants to invite divine wrath, then falsely pass yourself off as a mystic/visionary. Woe to fabricators…
Who can explain what Treasa means by ‘New Age nonsense”?
Where is the nonsense other than an interesting introduction to the cute, innocent actor Edith?
Thank you and MErry Christmas to All,
Ernest
Thanks for raising this interesting topic but be careful to discern carefully. Lorna Byrne (Angels in my Hair and Stairway to Heaven) tells a good and captivating story. I wish that even meeting her helped me to deepen my relationship with my Guardian Angel to whom I have given a name,but recently there are people who are questioning if her very convincing and moving stories are of God. Lorna appears to resist knowlege of the Archangel Raphael. I wonder what she has to say about Gabriel and Michael. By their fruits you shall know them!!!!?
If you study Jewish law in the time of Christ, you will discover that a betrothal was an actual marriage. Betrothal may mean engaged in our culture, but not in Mary’s time. There were 2 parts to a marriage ceremony, the first the betrothal… the marriage ceremony, and the second, the bridegroom coming for his bride, possibly up to a one year after the betrothal. Would God place his Mother in such a lawless position, His perfect Mother ? The Homiletic and Pastoral Review had an excellent article on this, Apr 2007, “Two Terrible Translations”, by Mary Giovanoni
Hi Finnian—I go on Lorna Byrne’s Facebook page and lately some of her messages speak about Michael. Has she put anything in writing about Raphael? I never read anything negative she has written about him. Any info you can give me would be appreciated. Thanks.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if there are some folks — like Edith — who can see what’s going on.”
Check out this story concerning “butterfly people” reportedly seen by child survivors of the Joplin, Mo., tornado:
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/the-butterfly-people-of-joplin/article_cca48b1a-282b-587d-902b-cd5f09ca8516.html
What to make of this? Urban legend, or something more? I dunno, but I find it interesting that these sightings are primarily or exclusively attributed to children. Yes, children can have pretty active imaginations, but they also at times see realities adults ignore or dismiss.
Fr.,
Thank you for your insight and inspiration!
I am a man recovering from a terrible addiction. I’ve never seen angels or demons with my own eyes (in the same way that I see my friends and family). But, I have no doubt that they exist. I have lived through the utter hopelessness of a life without God. I have seen a small corner of hell in this world and out of that abysmal pit came a power so cunning and powerful that it nearly destroyed me.
Today, though, by the grace of God, I am saved. All around me, I can see the good works of God. Just as he raised me from my own filth, I can see his goodness at work throughout this broken world. And even though my earth-bound eyes are too blind to see all of His creations walking amongst us, why should I doubt that they are there when God’s other works are so abundantly obvious in my own life?
Thanks for the inspiration to keep looking for His goodness everywhere and in everything!
+dh
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