PROXIMITY TO GOD

A MESSAGE FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER

The hierarchy of creation depends on the proximity of the creature to God.  In this complex structure that is the universe, there are many kinds of creature, and we rank them according to that intimacy which they share with their divine Creator.  

Thus the lowest level of creature is the mineral world, those inanimate objects which compose the planet on which we walk, and the other astral bodies in our heavens. Mountains, oceans, stars—down to the simple grains of sand on a beach.  The next rank up from these inaminate creatures is the lowest form of animate life, the plant world.  Fruits, vegetables, trees, all those beings who possess the power of reproduction but not of locomotion.  Animal life occupies the next highest rank—living, breathing, moving beings who have material bodies only, but no immortal soul.  Highest of the animals is man, who actually occupies a rank on his own, by virtue of his ability to reason, and of course his immortal soul.

The Angels occupy the highest rank among God’s creatures.  Blessed with an angelic nature that entertains none of the vicissitudes of man, angels are able to make a single and permanent decision—to give priority to God, or to themselves.  Thus, the angels were divided sometime in prehistory into two camps, those led by St. Michael the Archangel, who would serve God, and the cohorts of Lucifer, who would have the affrontery to place themselves on the level of God.

One of the roles of the Angels is to be messengers between God and man.  We see this at the Annunciation for example, when St. Gabriel the Archangel appeared to the Blessed Virgin Mary to announce to her that she had been chosen as the Mother of the Saviour.  The Angels, by their ranking as the highest of the creatures, and by this role of messenger, stand between God and man.  The good angels stand between God and man, and try to help man reach up to God.  The fallen angels, known of course as demons, stand between God and man as a barrier, attempting throughout our lives to keep us apart from God, and to divide man from his brother.

Yesterday, we celebrated St. Michael, who with his flaming sword, is our great protector against the forces of darkness.  Tuesday is the feast of the Holy Guardian Angels, assigned to each of us to protect our individual souls from the attacks of the devil.  We owe so much to St. Michael and our Guardian Angels, and yet are barely aware of their presence and influence.  The Month of October gives us the annual opportunity to renew our devotion to the angels, as well of course as our devotion to the Highest Ranking Creature of all, the Queen of the Angels, our Blessed Lady, whose proximity to God is matchless among the heavenly host.  October begins tomorrow, and we should make our resolutions today to redouble our prayers to our blessed Mother, St. Michael and our Guardian Angels, as they, more so than any other creatures, are our loyal and loving guides through this world and into the next, raising our unworthy souls to the closest possible proximity to God of which we’re capable.