Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/51

 the Most  High;  we  will  place  our  throne  above  the  stars."  Then there  was  a great  strife  in  heaven.  Michael and  the  other  angels who  had  remained  faithful  to  God,  fought  against  the  bad  and rebellious  spirits,  whose  chief  is  now  called  Satan,  or  the  devil. The  bad  angels  were  conquered,  and  cast  from  heaven  down  to hell.  The  angels  who  remained  faithful were  rewarded  with  everlasting happiness .  They  ever  see  the  face  of  God  in  heaven.

The angelic  nature, and  the  infinite  perfections  of  God. The  angels are spirits;  God  is  also  a Spirit,  but  there  is  an  infinite  difference between Almighty  God  and  the  highest  angel. The angels  have  a sublime  understanding,  great  wisdom,  and  much  knowledge,  but  their understanding, wisdom,  and  knowledge  are  finite. Their wills  are  holy, and are  much  more  powerful  than  ours,  but  they  are  not  infinitely holy, nor  are  the  angels  almighty. They have  received  all  their  great qualities from  God. He alone  has  His  perfections  of  Himself,  and  from all eternity: the  angels  were  created  by  God  in  the  beginning  of  time, and received  everything  from  Him. The angels  are,  indeed,  wondrously  perfect,  but  they  are  not  infinitely  perfect. Their perfections have a limit,  a measure,  a number. God’s perfections,  on  the  other hand, are  infinitely  great,  without  limit,  measure,  or  number.

The office  of  the  Angels.  Like  everything  else  the  angels  were created for  the  honour  and  glory  of  God. They love  and  praise  God, and fulfil  His  holy  will  without  ceasing. Hence the  meaning  of  the words in  the  Our  Father:  ‘Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in heaven."  The  name  of  angel  signifies  messenger  or  envoy;  this  name is  given  to  the  good  spirits,  because  God  sends  them  to  take  care of  men  and  make  known  to  them  His  will.  The  angels,  being  pure spirits,  cannot  be  seen  with  our  bodily  eyes,  but  if  it  is  God’s  will that  men  should  see  and  hear  them,  when  they  are  sent  as  messengers from  Him,  they  are  able  to  assume  a human  form.  Take,  for  example, the  holy  archangel  Gabriel  who  appeared  to  Zachary  and  to  our  Lady.

Pictures of  Angels. You  have  often  seen  pictures  of  the  holy angels. They are  often  represented  as  boys  with  wings  and  playing