The Invisible World
We have reflected on God the Father, Almighty. Now we turn our attention to all He created. There are invisible beings with almost every perfection possible, who are always around us, who massively outnumber us, and who definitely outthink us! I’m not talking about aliens. I’m talking about Angels and Demons.
ONE
There are three “hierarchies” of Angels with three “choirs” within each hierarchy:
I. The Seraphim, the Cherubim, and the Thrones.
II. The Dominions, Virtues, and Powers.
III. The Principalities, the Archangels, and the Angels.
- Which makes for nine groups of angels
An angelic hierarchy is a sacred order of Angels who share in the knowledge and activity of God. They in turn, guide and convey knowledge to those Angels below them, who in their turn convey knowledge and guide us – as in the case of our Guardian Angels.
The purpose of the first and highest hierarchy of angels, the Seraphim, the Cherubim, and the Thrones is to:
● contemplate God in His infinite goodness
● contemplate the proper goal of all things
The purpose of second hierarchy of Angels, the Dominions, Virtues, and Powers is to:
● receive illumination, that is, divine truth, knowledge and wisdom, from the first hierarchy,
● govern the material world based on that knowledge
The third or lowest hierarchy of Angels, the Principalities, Archangels, and the Angels have the function of:
● Receiving illumination from the second hierarchy on what is to be done and to carry it out, particularly as it affects us the realm of humans.
St. Faustyna writes; (630) “Then I saw one of the seven spirits near me, radiant as at other times, under a form of light. I constantly saw him beside me when I was riding on the train. I saw an angel standing on every church we passed, but surrounded by a light which was paler than that of the spirit who was accompanying me on the journey, and each of these spirits who were guarding the churches bowed his head to the spirit who was near me.
When I entered the convent gate at Warsaw, the spirit disappeared. I thanked God for His goodness, that He gives us angels for companions. Oh, how little people reflect on the fact that they always have beside them such a guest, and at the same time a witness to everything! Remember, sinners, that you likewise have a witness to all your deeds.”
TWO
The Angels closest to God are the Seraphim, whose name means “the burning ones” or “the Angels of Fire” because they are so closely united to God who is a consuming fire of love. The Seraphim are set on fire by the love of God, and these Angels excel in their awe-inspiring love of God.
Isaiah Chapter 6 describes the Seraphim;
“I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim; each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said;
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.’”
We literally join the Seraphim in their hymn of praise in each Mass when we chant the “Holy Holy Holy…” because like them, we are entering the presence of Almighty God in the Eucharist.
The Seraphim also have the task of purifying humanity. We see this again in Isaiah 6 when one Seraph purged the lips of the prophet Isaiah with burning coal:
And I said; “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then flew one of the seraphim to me, having in his hand a burning coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven.”
The Seraphim have a role in our purification and that of the whole world.
From what would the Seraphim suggest you need to be purified?
THREE
As the Seraphim excel in the love of God, The Cherubim excel in their knowledge of God.
St. Thomas Aquinas speculated that Lucifer was probably a Cherub rather than a Seraph, since the burning love of Seraphim is opposite to pride, whereas great knowledge can more easily lead to pride. Yes, knowledge without love and obedience can be a very dangerous thing because we fail to grasp our Limitations…
This brings up an important question? Why do you think Lucifer, one of the highest angels, who excelled in the knowledge of God, fell from grace forever? St. Teresa of Avila provides an insight as to why Lucifer fell. She writes; “I believe His Majesty desires to bring us along this way (the way of suffering, trials, crosses and difficulties) for our own good so that we may understand well what little we amount to. The favors that come afterward are of such great worth that He desires first that before He gives them to us, we see by experience our own limitations so that what happened to Lucifer will not happen to us.” Life 11:11
As a pure spirit, Lucifer has no physical body. Therefore he would not experience his limitations through suffering. Lucifer didn’t suffer therefore he thought he was without limits.
If he had no limitations, then he was tempted to think he did not need God. And if he did not need God, then he did not want God and made no space in his life for God. That is why he is in Hell.
He made no space for God in his life. Do we make adequate space in our life for God? What prevents you from giving God more time? Think of these 7 words;
Man has time for what he loves!
FOUR
If we had no limitations, then we would be so full of ourselves, so full of pride, there would be no space for God to fill us with His divine life.
Our limitations are unique:
● It may be physical or psychological
● it may be that your kids are growing up and leaving you
● it may be the death of a spouse
● It may be old age and infirmity
● it may be that you are a gifted professional and you’ve taken on too much and that weight crushing you
● or you may just find that you face circumstances you cannot change.
- These are our limitations.
Our limitations, crosses, trials, and sufferings are our greatest asset! They make us recognize we need God. When we need God, then we desire God. That desire creates a space for God to fill us, to divinize us – that is – make us like God. And when we become God-like we surpass our limitations infinitely! That is what Lucifer missed.
FIVE
Our limitations are a gift. Why?
Because you can’t overcome them by your pride. You can’t overcome them by your power alone. You can’t do it.
Oh, you can make it worse, that’s for sure
by forcing your will or your way. But you can’t remove your limitations by your will power.
But you CAN have your limitations obliterated by Surrendering them to God
A. If we would learn to accept our limitations with Patience and trust
B. That would create a space that God could fill
C. So he could heal, elevate, perfect and divinize you – obliterating all of our limitations.
The devil wants us to focus on your limitations,
● Become angry, frustrated, and live in fear and despair about your limitations.
● Then the devil wants us to blame God and hate God for our limitations
Focus instead on
● God filling your limitations, the space He is carving out, with Himself,
What limitation do you refuse to accept?
See it instead as the space God wants to fill with himself and surrender yourself to Him.
Jesus, I surrender this to you. Take care of everything.