Angels and Saints
He shall give his angels charge over thee
to keep thee in all thy ways
BLESSED IS THE NAME OF GOD AMONGST HIS HOLY ONES
Psalm 90 :11
Be certain that we are truly surrounded by that great celestial cloud who render witness. Hence, they did not strive for the pleasures of created matter but serve the one who came to perfect the human race; Jesus the Lord who brings us who believe with the faith to the joys to come. Thus, let us then embrace He who for our sake endured the cross and shunned the shame inherited via retaking his seat at the right hand of God.
(Heb 12:1-2)
In a world that is rapidly marring itself into secularism and forgetting its origins, we are faced with a spiritual crisis – that of a craving for other in the midst of worldly confusion and knowledge; the thirst for the spiritual from the depths of the human soul.
As the faith unfortunately becomes tarnished with worldly affairs and its institutions fight against each other in who should be in command, the average person needs time out spiritually speaking. How many times do we see people venturing into meditation type activities to find inner peace? How many times do we see people window shopping for something to believe and hold onto in a society that has bankrupt itself spiritually?
Furthermore, how many times do we see people feel the need to get away from common earth bound religion which is based on the pattern of words and go back to ancient spiritualites of the past to have some sense of the supernatural? What about the trend which many foster in consultation of mediums who claim to have direct contact to the spiritual realm and converse with spiritual guides, ascended masters and other such entities and then are told with certainty that these are angels???
In the 104th vesperal (evening) psalm of the Church, David the king wrote: You roam upon the waters with the clouds as your chariots; escorted by the wind as your wings whilst thy ministering spirits – the bodiless hosts surround thy presence as an unquenchable fire. Furthermore, in the Beginning we read that God who is Light brought forth other lights that radiate his goodness and then separated light from them which had dimmed and ushered darkness. “Let there be light!” Thus God beheld that this was good; but HE then separated light from darkness. (Gen 1:3-4) Although many attribute this to the creation of day and night, but this was the great separation from those who are radiant in his (Gods’) presence and those who fell away from his side - also known as the ancient rebellion.
In contemporary society many especially females who have that earthy spiritual connection strive to be encompassed by ancient nature religions whilst the males tend to either leave God out of the picture and lay it aside as a bedside tale, or join radical groups and adopt other such stance. On one side the emotions need to be charged and on the other discipline needs to be embodied for a sense of belonging. Whatever may be the case in the individual, the means of communication – a message for direction in life is craved!
Thus, the Hebrew word MAL’AKH which was then translated from the Greek ANGELOS to Latin ANGELUS then English ANGEL signifies a MESSANGER! These days there is a tendency to consult such messengers and not only can one seek so called expertise of the acquiring such information but may make one’s own interpretation of such via chance - allowing the emotions of the mind to orchestrate; angel cards with a little message for your enhancement. We talked about the source of all light – the whole concept falls apart when these so called gifted and communicated experts are so deluded in arriving at the conclusion that the source is neither nor but a whole crowd of angelic beings is the important part! The message and messenger then truly become like Chinese whispers!
May I recommend that one reads the works of the Church Fathers upon the matter at hand to gain deeper insight and transparency for I and many others cannot even come close to the eloquence of such who were inspired by the Holy Spirit: John Damascene (676-749 AD) and Denis the Areopagite (died 96 AD) Hence, in the epistle (letter) of the Apostle Paul to the Church in Hebrew lands, we must remember that Saul of Tarsus excelled in the great masters of his time before he was confronted by He who is the source of light in becoming Paul exhorting: “Which angel did God ever address as: Behold my son who today I have begotten? To which one did God ever exhort: I am his Father and He my Son? Furthermore, when God brings his firstborn into the world he states: Let all angels worship him! He thus says: all angels are as winds and servants of flame around his radiant presence…….are not angel’s spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” (Heb 1: 5-7; 14)
Like each messenger has a diverse message to confer, so too does the messenger have a function and status. The very first angelic category which was revealed to us in the Genesis was that of the second order of angels being the Cherubim “the flames” in the third chapter which reads: He then drove man out of the garden and at the east of Eden he appointed the cherubim which was as the appearance of a rotating fiery sword “guarding” the tree that would give life. (Gen 3: 24) We are then given a brief account of the third ranking angels in the psalms of David which are addressed as Thrones – the ones who are the God bearers: “You are seated on the thrones from where you deliver the judgement of justice. (Ps 9: 4)
Then we are introduced to the highest ranking angels called Seraphim in the sixth chapter of the prophet Isaiah reading: The glorious seraphim encircled his throne in attendance at which each had six wings; with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew as they called to each other and acclaimed: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Sabaoth; all creation is filled with thy glory!” (Is 6:2-3) Then the forth rank of Dominions are revealed who lead the celestial spirits in their charge often known as they who show mercy and justice although not directly mentioned, but their function is beheld within the destruction of the Sodomites in the land of Gomorra who’s sin of RAPE brought on divine justice: Then the Lord said to Abraham “I have heard the cry of the people of Gomorra against the abuse of the sodomites who have sinned greatly ….I must visit them so their lament may be justified (Gen 18:20-21) At dawn the angels then awoke Lot and his family saying: “Make haste and take your family, your servants and any other righteous person away from here; all who remain will perish according to that which they have brought upon themselves via the gravity of their sin!” (Gen 19:15)
Now the fifth rank is revealed as Virtues who are those that are filled with the divine power who usher in grace to those in need. Again, such are presented through function as recorded in Psalm 34 stating: “The Lord appoints his angels to guard you throughout life, they will hold you with the support of their hands that you may never fall and hurt yourself amongst stones!” (Ps 34:8) ……
Therefore the sixth rank is revealed as powers who are the ones that withhold those who rebelled in the beginning from exercising harm onto the Church described in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Church in Ephesus declaring: “Our struggles are not with vile people but with the hierarchy of fallen rulers, authorities, powers, and other such spiritual forces which are found amongst us the Church!” (Ep 6:12)
At this the principalities who are the seventh rank are unveiled as protectors (rulers) of nations and raising individuals to the office of power which God invites them to take. Again, this is presented by the Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians exhorting: “The wisdom of God is made known through the Church which renders an expansively rich variety of knowledge upon us of which even the rulers and authorities in the heavenly mansions stand in awe of the Lord’s mercy.” (Ep 3:10)
Then the ever personal and better known eighth rank of angels who have names are introduced as Archangels which are the ones who are given direct contact to humanity as we have known who’s names end in EL which is the shortened form for the Hebrew ELOHIM signifying from the Lord God ; the word before such names describes the function and grace of such as: Michael – who is like unto God? (a rhetorical question) Gabriel – strength of God Raphael – Healing of God Uriel – Light of God Sealtiel – intercessor to God Jegudiel – Glorifier of God Barachiel – Blessing of God Jerahmeel – exultation of God. Although there are several accounts in Holy Scripture regarding these blessed powers mentioned, the Apostle Paul mentions them in his epistle to the Church in Thessalonica stating: “The Lord will announce his command at which the archangel’s will call out to the nations with the sound of the trumpet where their descent upon the earth will awaken first those who lay asleep in Christ!” (1 Thes 4: 16)
Thus, last but not least is the ninth rank which strives to guide humanity to follow God’s call of whom we have come to know as Angels where the Lord affirms in the account of the Apostle Matthew: “See that you never hurt the young and frail for their angels who dwell in the presence of the Most High intercede for them to my Father in Heaven!” (Mt 18:10)
We often talk about presence – those in the presence and fullness of God’s grace, and those who fell from his grace and dwell in the absence of the fullness of his presence; the powers that rebelled and dimmed. Then the Lord said to his apostles: “He that was luminous dimmed instantly as he wilfully fell from my presence expelled like lightning!” (Luke 10:18) This is a subject that needs extreme discernment in which a portion of the fourth priestly of light which is recited at daily vespers (evening prayer) states: Therefore we pray thee that this evening and the coming night be peaceful – and as we pray with fervent faith, cloth us with the armour of light that we may be defended from dangers and nocturnal influences. Grant us tranquil sleep and free us from all fears and powers unseen as we seal our senses with thy all holy Name – remaining in thy grace and adhering to thy commandments. In addition, no stray theologian should perceive lightly such a subject as this, but walk with courage in the writings of the Church Fathers who mirrored Holy Scripture in their very persona.
Such a subject that needs to be removed from the fiction of Hollywood yet comprehended that the threat of its deception and other such disobedience was nailed to the wood of the cross which was the only means (Jesus’ Incarnation) to liberate us (the baptised) from its hold! Hence, this to which the Apostle Jude (Thaddeus) exhorts in his epistle: “Those angels who rejected their office of ministry and abandoned their service, are kept in darkness and chains unseen until the Lord’s return!” (Jd 1:6)
In the Baptismal service, the newly illumined is presented with a cross and chain that is blessed and worn by the baptised throughout life! I always firmly remind everyone present that this symbol will not protect you from powers unseen if you do not wholeheartedly commit to your faith. We are dealing with intelligent species (the fallen powers) which know very well what your convictions are. One of the greatest delusions are when people presume that they are saved by their baptism and have never gone back to be communed regularly in the Divine Mysteries of Christ in His Church. Therefore, if this be the case, that cross they may wear around their neck will have no power, no effect in repelling such fiends from one’s daily existence. Furthermore, without exaggeration - the individual too falls from the Grace of God’s protection freely and wholeheartedly given within Holy Mother Church! Thus, the first prayer which is recited on the person desiring to join themselves to the faith in the Catechumenate (instruction phase) exhorts: “In your Name Lord God of truth, and with the Name of your only begotten Son together with your All Holy Spirit, I lay my hand upon your servant who has been found worthy to take refuge in your Holy Name and to seek protection under the shelter of your wings……..Amen!” (Rite of the Catechumen)
These days many tend to recourse to alternative spiritualties and supposed gifted people who claim to have direct contact with the spiritual realm…….it is true that we miss our loved ones who have gone from us and yes we would like to talk to them again in which we shall as the Lord promised, but there are very dangerous errors or better worded as misjudgements committed regarding such matters. The Apostle Paul warns many about this and other such endeavours in his second epistle to the Church present at Corinth exhorting: “The spirit of darkness appears as the angel of light!” (2Cor 11;14) In other words, when a supernatural entity is encountered and it claims to be a loved one who has passed – this is a deception and a total scam because it is in actual fact an unholy entity posing/mimicking the loved one who is in its rightful place! “The Souls of the righteous are safe and nurtured in the hands of God where no harm can ever touch them……they are at peace!” (Wis 3:1;3)
Within my ministry which these days is multi serviced, I assist many funerals and pray for and with the families who have had to let go of a loved one via lifting them up to God in prayer. It is true that when we are in times of grief we may go back to the God of our childhood which is a good thing as a source of encouragement to reshape our faith on solid foundation especially when we get caught up in worldly affairs and things go dry spiritually speaking. Yet, we need to clarify a most important point which has been repeated in eulogies: “You are now our angel looking down on us!” However affectionate and sensationally warm the statement may be via ushering a comforting of hope; such is a major error and total misconception!
Firstly, Angels are various incorporeal species whilst the human soul is totally different and not belonging to angelic status! In the eighth psalm of David the king we are enlightened upon the subject at hand thus stating: “What is man and mere humanity that you are constantly mindful of in which you come to visit as Son of Man, for you have made us much lower than the angels, yet you come to bestow on us the crown of glory via honour?” (Ps 8: 4-5) Lastly, angels are uniquely appointed us via divine decree to oversee our path as stated in the litany of intercessions within the Divine Services as we pray:
Deacon: That we may heed to the angel of peace assigned us at birth, who is our faithful guide and guardian; ever appealing to God’s grace for us, let us ask of the Lord.
All: Grant this, O Lord.
Therefore, on the subject of the uniqueness of all beings, there is no such thing as The Divine Visy Board Australia Recycling Plant Property Limited in God! In other words, we are not recyclable beings – there is NO re-incarnation! Although many believe in the ancient eastern thought of re-incarnation (matter is evil whilst spirit is good) yet they are quick to reject the fact of God’s Incarnation as Son of Man from the Virgin daughter of the earth made Holy and totally dismiss His Resurrection as Christ Jesus the Lord! St. Basil the Great who wrote on the Days of Creation 339AD spoke of the irrationalities of certain interpretations via giving perspective to such a matter in the light of individuality and uniqueness stating: “It is best to avoid certain philosophers who’s arrogance tends to not blush to liken their souls to that of dogs, who further state that
they have themselves formerly been women, shrubs, and fish. Were they truly fish? One certainty that I must boldly affirm is that within their writings on such, they show extraordinarily less sense than fish!”
On the subject of Eulogy which is the Greek for praiseworthiness, it’s interesting when one observes what is said about a person when they have been recognised for achievement - given a form of status either at a presentation or perhaps at a graduation ceremony……yet what about when a person comes to the conclusion of their earthly life keeping in mind that we may know them well? It always makes ears prick up so to speak/write when eulogies praise such a person far beyond stature via turning that very person into someone completely different? How about the average person who may have no status at all but had a heart of gold and not a word of acknowledgment is given them? It is a present trend for the eulogist to have the person as the basis of an account –however remote, but the portrayal of content sure enough becomes more about themselves with the event of such an opportunity; getting a thrill with public speaking!
Now we come to the canonicity (ecclesial acknowledgment) of the human soul – the recognition of who is a saint and of who misses out in being one. This normally occurs when the person who is being evaluated may not fit the institutional mould. On the other hand, the likely candidate may also be glorified as a convenient mascot for the situation or political (ecclesial and national) issue of the time! Having states thus, there was a remarkable priest which the Orthodox Church present in Russia was blessed to have in Christ’s service: Father Alexander Vladimirovich Men 1935-1990.
He was of Hebrew blood as were many in Russia but grew in the Faith and became a profound theologian and scholar who used the art of cinematography ‘Religion and Ethic’s – In pictures’ (available via the BBC) to convey the faith and provoke the soviet thought pattern to new horizons. This of course ultimately signed his death warrant by higher powers which of course dismissed his right to be included in the Canon of Blessed Martyrs! They (the patriarchal mob) prefer to canonise the royal family who were far from holiness and became so called martyrs via political means rather than living and defending the faith in their lifetime as did Father Men!!! Hence now Canonized (among the saints) within our holy exarchate on this 23rd Day of the 10th Month in the year of our Lord 2018! Glory to God who is wondrous in his Saints!
Thus, in the book entitled Martyr of Atheism, Fr. Michael Evdokimov’s portrayal of Fr Men captures a true fisher of men especially in the third chapter ‘the law shall not perish for want of priests’ stating:
Many would come for absolution; the dialogue would be only brief, but something powerful had been felt and they would return home, their faith strengthened and with a new feeling of hope. Sometimes this priest put his hand on a person’s shoulder as a special sign of support and encouragement. His face would light up when a child came along. Father Men had an exceptional memory for every detail of his penitents’ lives. He gave everyone the impression they had a special place in his heart. (pp 52-53)
One most important aspect which renders validation for a saintly person amongst us is that this particular person never lets on (keeps their devotion to themselves) nor do they act overly pious which may render indigestion! Saints are people who suffer immensely and are treated very badly by the institution and at times are even exiled because they become the thorn in the side or stone in the shoe! At this point, I would like encourage one to read the life of St. Nektarios Metropolitan of Aegina (1846-1920 AD) who is a most perfect example regarding such! The book bears the name of the saint subtitled THE SAINT OF OUR CENTURY by Sotos Chondropoulos Holy Trinity Covent press.
May I share a small extract written by St Nektarios addressed to the Patriarch of Constantinople Joachim iii regarding institutional tarnish and unfair dismissal rendered him via the Alexandrian Patriarchate:
“I am most respectfully enclosing herein, to Your Holiness, a copy of a letter that I sent to His Beatitude Patriarch of Alexandria Most Rev. Photios, as well as copies of the three documents Patriarch Sophronios had given me, wherein announcing that my position at the Alexandrian Patriarchate was relieved. He relieved me of the duties which he himself had entrusted me, he discharged me from being a simple priest, and sent me away without a trial or an explanation as you can clearly see from the text of the attached documents.
The purpose of the letter which I send to His Beatitude, Patriarch Photios of Alexandria, was to request that he clear up the injustice that had been committed against me; that justice be served. Even though His Beatitude received my letter over eleven months ago, along with the notices of discharge and my dismissal certificate, he apparently doesn’t consider me worthy enough to reply to. I am at a loss with the situation and am in need of council. That is why I deemed it necessary that I go to Your worshipful Holiness beseeching your wise council.” (P150)
Therefore, they (saints) begin to manifest the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives via profound humility and true paraklesis (asking) the Lord to grant mercy (help) onto others where imminent intervention/healing occurs! They begin to work miracles whilst they are alive and don’t draw attention to themselves – they do not need authentication after they die where we begin to test the Lord for miracles to see if the supposed saintly person fits canonical requirements for sainthood! It is one thing to discuss the person whom God has blessed in order to get to know them better, but something totally foreign especially to Apostolic times to begin questioning why God chose this person above the rest! Further, why in God’s Name are we asking professionals of earthly means (science) in authenticating the unexplained to vouch for a supernatural occurrence so the Church may then be more in favour of acclaiming with confidence: the possibility of the Holy Spirit’s grace at work! (Here begins the crippling of our spirituality!!!)
Although saints begin their rendering witness whilst they are alive, but most certainly, they continue to bear witness to the Communion of Saints in the heavenly places as stated in the Litanies of the Divine Services:
Deacon: We commemorate our all holy, pure, blessed and ever glorious Lady Theotokos and Virgin Mariam together with all the saints; confident of their continued prayers and protection, we
place our lives in firm hope and reassurance into your hands O Christ our God!
All: To Thee O Lord.
Priest: For unto thee are due all glory, honour, and worship; to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
All: Amen.
Thus, the Holy Spirit is transparent within the Church because he is gifted us to guide us in all truth to bring about the will and love of the Father Pantocrator whom we have come to know in Jesus the Lord and Bishop of his Church! Furthermore, either we have the fullness of the Holy Spirit or we don’t! In other words – either a person is Holy or is not! We are all part of the Communion of Saints via virtue of Holy Baptism, but only those who respond wholeheartedly to God’s call are given the Gift of Sanctity; one is a saint and nothing in between!
I came across a wonderful testimony of a person’s stay in a monastery in Greece where there in fact are many holy people who render testimony and in actual fact work miracles via the grace of the Holy Spirit. The problem is that these (saints) don’t want to be exposed and the world (our current realities) doesn’t want to be crippled in power and brought to humility with the reminder that we will need to face the silence of celestial presence one day when the worldly noise and its bombardments of fluctuating sentimentalities will be cast aside. Thus, in Constantina Palmer’s encounters entitled The Scent of Holiness (pp 118-122) wrote:
“Elder Isidoros is a blind monk from Philotheou Monastery. He is roughly in his late seventies now and has been a monk for about thirty-five years……..after I took the elder’s blessing as he greeted me I went into the kitchen to say hello to the sisters……They told me so many stories about the miracles he worked, the people he helped, the spiritual foresight he had, and how funny he was….he had healed many from cancer too!”
In his book entitled Churchly Joy, within the tenth chapter “Burning Coal” pp 44-50 the renowned orthodox theologian Fr. Sergius Bulgacov presents us with one of Russia’s beloved saints who left everything behind to live the life of the hermit. Thus, by doing so he fully comprehend the greatest mystery which we previously discussed: the Lord’s Incarnation – God entering into our fragility and raising us beyond! Thus, Seraphim of Sarov (1754-1833AD) was a monastic who devoted himself to prayer and the service of others especially with the gift of clairvoyance imparted him.
He too like many others and quite often the fate of holy martyrs (saints whose lives are terminated via brutal execution for getting in the way) endured cruel beatings from others who in their greed were in search of worldly goods. Yet, he remained anchored onto Christ who is the cornerstone of our existence and edifice of his Holy Church. Thus, Fr. Sergius exhorts: “Like the heavenly Seraph in the prophet Isaiah’s vision, the seraph who touched the human heart with live coal taken from the heavenly altar, this earthly Seraphim also touches hearts to find out if they are ignited from the heavenly coal. (Jesus) …… He acquired the gift of love for people; and this gift
was not that of human sentimentality, for human love can be infirm, blind, and prejudiced. Instead, it was the gift of jealous spiritual love. And in this love the revelation about man became known to Seraphim; it became known to him how God loved and honoured man by implanting in him His image and having the highest joy of His Holy Wisdom in sons of men.
We know that within the sons of men there are those who mirror cult ideals or themselves have become so damaged in mind and spirit that they feel the need to kill that which stands in the way. Therefore, the Church has produced many saints who have been martyred due to getting in the way of such people, cults, and ideologies which seek to physically destroy the presence of the Holy One who is glorified in his saints! This of course was happening in ancient times as lamented by David the king in his 44th psalm attesting: “We are being slain as sheep for the slaughter for giving witness to your Name!” (Ps 44:22) This testament must be seen in the light of his 74th psalm which refers to the actual destruction of the house of prayer lamenting: “They set your sanctuary on fire; they desecrated the place where your Name is hallowed amongst the people; burning it to the ground!” (Ps 74:7)
Now martyrs are people who have come to know Christ as the centre of their lives and are fully aware that love can’t die! Hence, the Father Pantocrator’s love personified (Jesus) came to give his personal reassurance given to Martha of Bethany over Her Brother Lazarus’ entombment as recorded in the account of the Apostle John: “Have I not affirmed that if you believe, you will behold the Glory of God?” (Jn 11:40)
Thus, martyrs strive to convey this certainty even when confronted with their own mortality – they do not go around exhorting how God is merciful and then have no such mercy for their fellow human being but rather annihilate them which is supposedly done for their ideology of God! There is no such thing as earthly rewards and pleasures in paradise for that is all left behind once the soul leaves the body. Rather, we must have a level of discernment in the realisation of what is from God and what tarnishes his words and seeks to derail our path to the spiritual reality and delights that are offered for all those who will to embrace Him!
Unfortunately, history repeats itself and we forget the lessons and embrace the stupidity of the ancient rebellion via wanting control over that which is not our to begin with. This brings to mind the upheaval and let’s not kid ourselves – its demonic orchestration presented as the rise of communism within the Russian lands. Under such a rule, people were tortured, starved, beaten to a pulp, robbed of their cognitive faculties, imprisoned, and annihilated all in the name of not shunning the source of all goodness, law, order, and righteousness (God); hijacking ones’ fee will enforcing total abandonment to the prevailing ideal (communist rule)
Perhaps this account from the Apostle Luke’s Gospel may highlight the origins of such enforcement: Then evil personified led he who became Son of Man up to a mountain presenting the mirage of all kingdoms in an instant whilst suggesting “All authority is given you to which I who am ruler of earthly nations grant power to whom I please – worship me oh Son of Man and I will grant you all worldly authority!” Then Jesus reprimanded him saying: “In the beginning as recorded in Holy Scripture which you well know, it is commanded that you will only worship the Lord your God in whom service is granted!” (Lk 4: 3-8)
There is a remarkable testimony of service for the love of their fellow humans rendered in faith and works by a surgeon who was also an archbishop – striving to be an extension of the healing power and presence of God in the world so tarnished by opposing powers: Archbishop Luke (Valentine Yassentsky) of Simferopol (1877-1961AD) In his book THE BLESSED SURGEON Archdeacon Vasiliy Marushchak shares the saint’s testimony to such cruelty along with other testimonials pp 77-78
“That horrible conveyor (incessant interrogations followed by tortures and beatings leading to madness) continued for days and nights. The interrogators alternated, but the interrogated was not allowed to sleep neither during the day nor at night. I went on a hunger strike again and it continued many days. In spite of that, I was forced to stand in the corner but would quickly fall down from exhaustion. I soon discovered a distinct inclination to optical and tactile hallucinations.
Either I seemed to see yellow chickens running around the room – and I tried to catch them – or I would see myself standing at the edge of a huge chasm where a town was brightly lit up by electric street lights. Sometimes I clearly felt as if a snake were squirming under my shirt. I was being stubbornly enjoined to plead guilty to espionage, and I just asked them to tell me in favour of what state I had been spying. Naturally they could not tell me. The conveyor interrogation lasted thirteen days and nights, and I was often taken to the shower to have my head soaked with cold water!”
A political detainee accused of spying within the Soviet Union: Muhammad Raim who was a cousin to the Emir of Afghanistan also imprisoned alongside Archbishop Luke and many other intellectuals testifies: “At first, his fellow detainees mocked the bishop and challenged him to political discussions. The bishop would not respond to such provocations, especially about political matters. He was courteous and restrained with everyone. He was ready to help anyone as a doctor. He would even give others his last piece of bread!”
In the opening paragraphs of this encyclical, we discussed how many flock to what we have come to know as spiritualists; those who may have had an inner stirring in the beginning to contemplate things above but entered into something completely other and quite ancient. The Grace of the Holy Spirit is given freely to those who wholeheartedly respond to his call. We all are indeed gifted and complement each other’s diverse existence via that which we have to offer. Yet, there is a problem when it comes to conveying celestial realities – messages to others.
First and foremost, we are taught via scripture, apostolic tradition, hymnody, and commentary within the Ark of Salvation (the Church) where the gift of God’s Spirit lives, moves, and dwells! If the Lord imparts such gifts of clairvoyance to people as he has too many of the holy ones amongst us – there is no need of the delusion of means; it's directly from the heart of God who speaks onto you via the grace given amongst the Communion of Saints (wholehearted believers) which in itself fulfils desires and suffices!
Hence, we strive to live up to the pledge of our baptismal grace freely given us. Although we may face life’s harsh challenges especially in an ever changing and most threatening age verging on space; we do so in the light and testimony of God’s saints given us who He raises up in every age as a testament of his continuing eternal presence amongst us. These are our brothers and sisters who
pray for us and assist us; calling us to mould our lives on He who is the promise of the delights to come and the one and only Holy of Holies: Jesus the Lord!
In ancient times God spoke to our ancestors in many and varied ways especially amongst the prophets. Hence, when the fulfilment came to be of all things he spoke directly to us via the mouth of his own Son whose dominion of inheritance is over all that exists. Through the Son all came into existence for he truly is the reflection of God’s glory in the flesh and is the image of God’s being.
He thus sustains all existence for He is the Word which was spoken in the beginning which gave life to all things. After he had accomplished the universal purification which obliterated the first transgression that caused creation harm unmeasurable, he then resumed his seat at the right hand of the throne of divine majesty in the heavens. Thus, he is far superior to angels for his Name is the excellence that called them and all powers into existence who stand in his presence. (Heb 1: 1-4)
