We read in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus said, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven” ( Mt 18:10). This teaching comes from Jesus Christ in the gospels. Basil said, “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life” ( CCC 336). Jerome wrote that the human soul is so valuable to God, that the Lord gives every member of the human race an angel to guard and watch over them, from the moment they begin to exist. As the book of Hebrews puts it, angels are “ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation” ( Heb 1:14). And since it is the Lord’s will that all are “saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” ( 1 Tim 2:4), the angels play a role in our lives. The angels exist to glorify God, to implement His holy will. In addition to serving as God’s messengers, the angels also serve as protectors ( Ps 91:11), they serve as intercessors ( Tb 12:12 Rv 8:4), and most importantly the angels exist to worship and exalt God ( Heb 1:6). Going back to Augustine, we see that angels are spiritual beings created by God with the office, or job, of being messengers, intermediaries between God and man. Heaven receives something much greater at the death of the faithful, Heaven receives a saint. This is why it is incorrect to believe that people become angels when they die or to say that Heaven has another angel at the death of a loved one. We are human beings they are spiritual beings. Angels do not have a body they are pure spirit ( CCC 330). Human beings have both a body and soul, we are both material and spiritual ( CCC 364). Angels and humans are two different beings. This is extremely important to note, for far too many people mistakenly believe that humans become angels when they die and go to Heaven. The angels act as messengers, but they are spiritual beings created by God. If you seek the name of their nature, it is ‘spirit’ if you seek the name of their office, it is ‘angel’: from what they are, ‘spirit,’ from what they do, ‘angel’” ( CCC 329). Augustine says, “’Angel’ is the name of their office, not of their nature. There is a great depth and beauty to the Church’s teaching on angels and we would do well to open our minds and hearts (and imaginations) to what the Church says, not the world, about these ancient, powerful, and very real creatures of God. Too often, our understanding of these spiritual beings comes from modern movies and TV shows as opposed to Scripture and Tradition. Many Catholics and Christians today are confused about the true nature of angels and demons.
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