Let us consider to‐day the angels of the second choir. They are the
dominations, principalities and powers. Again their names are given to
them for the virtues they represent, and not from their angelic nature.
The three choirs of the first hierarchy were typical of the essential acts
of God. The three of the second represent the external acts of God. The
dominations represent the power of God. He is the absolute Lord of the
universe; He is the Creator, the Maker, and therefore the possessor of all
that is. The principalities govern the world, under God, and according to
His divine providence. “By Me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just
things.” Hence the duty of this choir of angels is to praise God for the
wisdom displayed in His ruling and legislating of the external creation.
The angels of power put the laws of God into execution. They reward and
punish; they are the representatives of executive power. They praise God
in the power manifested in the carrying out of the laws impressed on the
material and spiritual world. Should we not learn from these angels to
praise the Almighty in all He has done?
Prayer.
O angel of God, etc., etc.
Nineteenth Day.
The third choir of the hierarchy of the angels are the virtues,
archangels, and angels. The virtues are the first of these, and represent
the acts of God towards individuals. Those works of God which surpass the
power of man, such as miracles, or inward movements of grace, are
performed by the virtues of the Most High; they hold an intermediate
station between heaven and earth. Archangels are the great messengers,
whom God has sent to His intelligent creation. The name is given because
the goodness and kindness of God have distinguished them from the myriads
of other angels, and given them an office, that of bearing to men the
words of God; they also carry the prayers of the faithful on earth, and
lay them before God’s throne in heaven; and they are sent to conduct souls
to the portals of heavenly bliss. The archangels have the duty of
protecting the Church; those who occupy high positions in the Church or
State are said to be under the guidance of an archangel. In this manner
the higher grade of archangels represents the higher degree of providence
shown by God towards individuals. Let us unite ourselves with the choir of
the archangels and praise God in them—those glorious spirits, that have so
perfectly conveyed God’s messages to men.
Prayer.
O angel of God, etc., etc.
Twentieth Day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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