Half Moon Lane 

Offerton 

Stockport 

Cheshire 

SK2 5LB 

Angels

Do Angels Exist?

Over the ages there are some things in Christian tradition that are stressed for a while and then are almost forgotten for long periods of time. It’s not that they’ve been denied, rather that they have taken a back seat while other things have been more prominent. This has been the case with angels.

Although the bible often talks about angels, we are never told exactly when they were created. They seem to be there at the earliest times. In the bible we come across Michael the Archangel defending heaven against the rebellious angels, Raphael helping the young Tobias, and Gabriel making various announcements, particularly to the Virgin Mary. There are lots more examples of angels intervening on earth and Jesus speaks about them too. In fact, angels seem to be a natural part of the way Jesus viewed the world and the kingdom of heaven.

Angels in the bible are spiritual, non-bodily beings who serve God, praise God and carry out whatever is necessary for God’s plan of salvation to come to fruition. The actual word angel comes from the Greek word for “messenger”. Most apparitions of angels, especially in dreams, show them bringing a message from God to the individual. This is what happened to Joseph when he was told that Mary’s child was conceived by the Holy Spirit and when he was warned to leave home and escape the slaughter of Herod.

If we take the Old Testament and New Testament seriously then we cannot simply bypass angels. But we can ask ourselves some questions that might help us to understand them a bit more than simply as ghostly phantasms.

What Do They Do?

Angels are seen as occupying a place between God and humanity, as intermediaries. Angels do not have humans’ shortcomings, and can therefore act for God and represent him when communicating with men and women. They bridge the huge gap between the holiness and perfection of God in heaven and the shortcomings of mortal people on this planet. Angels were made immortal; they never die.

Because God’s relationship with us is based on love and care, angels are often depicted as being sent by God to look after and protect people. From this aspect of their character there grew up the idea of Guardian Angels. Popular piety encompasses many forms of devotion to the Guardian Angels. St. Basil Great (died 378) taught that “each and every member of the faithful has a Guardian Angel to protect, guard and guide them through life”. This ancient teaching was consolidated by the bible and the early teaching of the fathers of the Church and lies behind many forms of piety. St. Bernard of Clairvaux (died 1153) was a great master and a notable promoter of devotion to the Guardian Angels. For him, they were a proof “that heaven denies us nothing that assists us”, and hence, “these celestial spirits have been placed at our sides to protect us, instruct us and to guide us”.

Popularity of Angels

Down through the centuries, Christians have created various devotional exercises that reflect the teaching of their faith in relation to angels. Angels have been adopted as patrons of cities and corporations, notably the city of Los Angeles in California. Great shrines in their honour have developed such as Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, San Michele della Chiusa in Piemonte and San Michele Gargano in Apulia, each appointed with its specific feast day. Hymns and devotions to the angels have also been composed. Angels are invoked in Masses, prayers and litanies, and at Catholic funerals it is not unusual to carry the coffin out to the song, “May the choirs of angels come to greet you”. Angels pervade Christianity and are high-profile characters in the sculpture of many of our churches and cathedrals, as well as in many of the paintings that adorn both chapel and art gallery.

Why Bother With Angels?

Given all of this, what’s the point of concerning ourselves with angels? Do they have anything to teach us?
First of all we have to bypass the trendy New Age image of angels as secular sweethearts who just happen to turn up when we’re in a tight spot. Cupid and Eros greeting cards may look cute but they have nothing to do with real angels. We also have to give a wide birth to those frightened and frightening fundamentalists who speak about life as a cosmic battle between good and evil, between demons and angels. We are not subject to battles between superior forces over which we have no control, destined to remain helpless. This is to ignore Christ’s ultimate victory over evil on Calvary. Another falsehood is when the daily events of life which have nothing or little to do with our progressive maturing on the journey towards Christ are read simplistically, indeed childishly, so as to ascribe all setbacks to the Devil and all success to the Guardian Angels.

Angels can point us in a different direction. A positive understanding of angels reminds us that we live in God’s presence at all times. How do we respond to that? Are we conscious of living our lives alongside God in all aspects of what we engage in? Do we see ourselves as messengers like the angels? Are we actively seeking, persistently yet unobtrusively, to bring the message of the Good News to a world that yearns for fulfilment? And just as the angels are said to sing God’s praises night and day, do we pause to sing God’s praises in the daily events of our lives? Do we join the Bethlehem angels’ choir in reflecting God’s glory and pray for peace on earth to those who love God and are loved by him? Do we join our prayer and worship with that of the angels? Or are we missing out on an aspect of the faith of the Church?

“Father, in praising your faithful angels and archangels, we also praise your glory, for in honouring them, we honour you, their creator. Their splendour shows us your greatness, which surpasses in goodness the whole of creation.”
(Roman Preface)