By Bishop Robert W. Finn
Bishop of Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
September 2, 2006

Next week we approach two feast days in the church's liturgical calendar that remind us of the significant role of the angels in the providential plan of God, and the day-to-day challenges of man. Sept. 29 is the Feast Day of the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, and Oct. 2 is the memorial of the Guardian Angels. Our diocese has had parishes under the patronage of all these, though the venerable St. Michael Church was closed in 1990.
There are hundreds of references in the sacred Scriptures (Old and New Testaments) to these special beings, created by God as cooperators in the work of salvation. The Compendium of the Catechism teaches us about angels: "The angels are purely spiritual creatures, incorporeal, invisible, immortal, and personal beings endowed with intelligence and will. They ceaselessly contemplate God face-to-face and they glorify Him. They serve Him and are His messengers in the accomplishment of His saving mission to all." (n. 60)

The word angel means "messenger" and God uses them in many instances to communicate to mankind his great saving interventions on earth: whether it is the Archangel Gabriel announcing the births of John the Baptist and Jesus, or the choirs of angels announcing the birth of the Savior to shepherds near Bethlehem. In the Old Testament the "angel of the Lord" presents to the holy patriarchs the will of God and even delivers God's punishment for the people's infidelity. St. Raphael guides the journey of Tobias to completion in accord with God's plan.

From the Scriptures the church gleans its understanding of the different "ranks" or "choirs" of angels, giving us a sense of the myriad tasks they continue to carry out.

Scripture says we are given an angel as a guardian to watch over us and guide us.

Blessed Pope John XXIII had a deep devotion to the guardian angels, grasping how they could be called upon to help us in our work for God in the church. When the future pope served in the Vatican's diplomatic service, he was often assisted by the angels. Whenever he was approaching what he thought would be a contentious meeting or negotiation, he would pray not only to his guardian angel, but also to the angel of the person he was meeting. Together, Blessed John and the two angelic helpers would constitute a three-to-one majority, capable of winning over the heart of his would-be adversary.

For generations, Catholics in the United States concluded the celebration of Holy Mass with the prayer to St. Michael for the conversion of Russia. In the Book of Revelation, St. Michael is presented as the leader of God's heavenly host for the overthrow of Satan. The demons are fallen angels whose prideful free choice against God cost them their status in heaven.

Rightly called "the father of lies," Satan never ceases to mislead souls away from the living truth, Jesus Christ. The devil and his minions are infinitely less powerful than God, but one of the most vicious ways they harm man is by deceiving us with half-truths and false gratifications that give us only passing pleasure.

Human beings are not demons but we can be seduced, and we must never fail to turn to the angels to help us. In the last weeks I have often prayed the St. Michael prayer, beseeching his help in pointing out the grave deceptions of the human cloning initiative (Amendment 2), which would bring about the manufacturing and destruction of human embryos in the laboratory without limitation, all under the guise of "cures."

I ask you to join me in praying this prayer frequently to seek God's help in this battle for the defense of innocent human life. "St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host cast into hell: Satan, and all the evil spirits who roam about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

All you angels, come to our aid! Mary, Queen of Angels and Mother of Life, pray for us!

END