Angels at the Altar

“War broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.  

The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.  

The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world,

was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it.”  

Revelation 12:7-9

 

“Let the heavens rejoice and all who live there;

but for you, earth and sea, trouble is coming –

because the devil has gone down to you in a rage, knowing that his days are numbered.”

Revelation 12:12

Devotion to the Angels

    We understand quite clearly just how true the last lines of scripture quoted above are the reality of the present moment that we are living in  – “because the devil has gone down to you in a rage, knowing that his days are numbered.”  This “rage” does circles around us but we are not to despair because the “good and holy angels” are besides us, before us, behind us and above us! God, the Father did not leave us alone to do battle with the ancient serpent nor his minions but from birth, we were given a Guardian Angel to guide, guard and protect us here on earth. Cardinal Newman wrote these precious words regarding his own cherished angel:

“My oldest friend, mine from the hour

when first I drew my breath;

My faithful friend,

that shall be mine, unfailing till my death.”

   

St. Michael and the Angels

Recently a group of us embarked on a journey with these heavenly beings on September 1st using a book entitled, “St. Michael and the Angels.” The book has a chapter for each day of the month and ends with a special section of prayers in honor of St. Michael and The Holy Angels. One of the chapters for the 24th day of the month was a subject that spoke deeply to many of us in more ways than one!  It was “St. Michael and the Angels at Mass.” St. Mechtilde revealed  “3,000 angels from the Choir of Thrones are ever in devout attendance around every Tabernacle where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved.” In the revelations of St. Bridget she wrote the following: “One day when I was assisting at the Holy Sacrifice, I saw an immense number of Holy Angels descend and gather around the altar, contemplating the priest.  They sang heavenly canticles that ravished my heart.  Heaven itself seemed to be contemplating the great Sacrifice.  And yet we poor mortals, blind and miserable creatures, assist at Mass with so little love, relish and respect!”  

An Angel at the Altar

  Last week one of our companions on this September journey with the angels shared with me a very personal and moving experience that she had at Church one afternoon while doing a kind deed of “watering the plants” outside of the Church after Mass. With Kathy Nolan’s permission, I present to you the following divine encounter:   “On a hot Saturday morning in July, I attended the 8:30 am Mass and prayed for awhile afterward.  Leaving the church, I noticed the flowering plants in the large outdoor planters were wilting from lack of rain and the sustained heat.  It pains me to see things neglected at Church, so I filled a container with water to give them some relief.. It was during one of the trips from the sink to the outdoors that my eye caught a most unusual sight.    

 

Silently, standing at the altar,

motionless,

hands folded in prayer,

head bowed,

right where the Priest stands during Consecration,

Was a rather large angel.

Beautiful hair of gold,

golden clothing and lovely gold wings 

that were contrasted only by

his porcelain white face and hands.

Did I gasp, shake or even stop what I was doing in order to stare?

No! I just looked for a brief moment and then continued on with the task of watering the plants.  It seemed, at the time, that it must have been some sort of an optical illusion.  Perhaps there was an angel statue near the altar that I just hadn’t noticed before.  Of course, I did check for that before going home, after the watering was done. Carefully looking around, there were absolutely no statues or pictures of angel’s aside from the lone, familiar print of St. Michael mounted on a wall. . which does not bear much resemblance to the angel whom I saw. For reasons beyond my understanding, God graced me with a small glimpse into the reality which usually cannot be seen.”

Angels All Around Us

  Yes, there are “Angels about us”.  .all around us. . .guarding us, our families, our Churches, our homes, our cities, our states, and all the countries in the world. Kathy simply stated it perfectly . . .

“For reasons beyond my understanding, God graced me with a small glimpse into the reality which usually cannot be seen.”

Giving Glory

Let us give Glory to God for lifting the veil for us in Kathy’s witness and give Glory to St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael and all the Angelic Choirs! Let us give Glory to God the Father for the Blessed Virgin Mary – the August Queen of Heaven who has the power to crush the head of the serpent!    

August Queen of Heaven!

Sovereign Mistress of the angels!

Thou who from the beginning hast received from God

the power and mission to crush the head of Satan,

we humbly beseech thee to send thy Holy Legions,

that under thy command and by thy power,

they may pursue the evil spirits,

encounter them on every side,

resist their bold attacks

and drive them hence into the abyss of eternal woe.

Amen

    ©2022 Anita Guariglia Photo Credits/ Instagram and Pinterest Quotes from Scripture – Jerusalem Bible and The Magnificat Witness by Kathy Nolan – Angel on the Altar