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The holy  angels  are  to  be honoured  with  a particular devotion, on account  of  the superior dignity  of  the  angelic nature, as  well  as  the peculiar love  which  they  bear to us,  and  the  benefits  they confer on  us. For though  in essence  they  are  spirits, the noblest of  all  creatures, denizens of  the  court  of  God,  and always beholding  the  face  of the  Father  who  is  in  heaven, yet, as  St.  Bernard  says, this does not  deprive  us  of  their  affectionate ministry; for  while they inhabit  the  heavens,  they do not  despise  the  earth. For they are  all  ministering  spirits, sent  to  minister  for  them who shall  receive  the  inheritance of  salvation.

They love  their  fellow-citizens, says  St.  Austin, whom they expect  to  fill  the  vacancies that  were  made  by  their own fall. And therefore  at all  times,  and  in  all  places, they earnestly  and  anxiously watch us,  to  succour  us,  and provide for  our  wants. They accompany us  in  all  our  ways, they go  in  and  out  with  us, and observe  attentively  how piously and  honestly  we  live in the  midst  of  a corrupt people.

They assist  us in our  labours, they  protect  us  in  our repose, they  encourage  us  in combat,  they  crown  us  in  victory. They rejoice  with  us when  we  rejoice,  and  suffer with us  when  we  suffer. "When we  do  well,  the  angels rejoice,  and  the  devils  are sorry.  When  we  go  astray from  good,  we  gladden  the devil,  and  defraud  the  angels of  their  joy.

We should  honour  with  particular devotion  our  tutelar angels, to whose  charge  God has committed  us, to  keep  us in  all  our  ways. And we should  often  praise  in  them the mercy  of  God, who  has provided us  with  so  faithful and powerful  a protector against the  wiles  of  our  maligant  enemy, and  the  various perils  of  this  life.

It is, moreover, a devotion most pleasing  to  them, and most profitable  to  us,  to  reverence at  all  times, and  in  all places, the presence  of  the  angels. St. Bernard  gives  us this  excellent  precept: Maintain thy  reverence  alike  in every  corner  where  thou  goest. Durst thou  do  in  his presence what  thou  durst  not in mine? Philosophers have determined, that there  is  no more  effectual  method  of  resisting evil, than  merely  to