Of Angels

I haven't seen the movie starring Tom Hanks, with Angels on its title.

Of Angels, I'd rather read about them from the Bible. Or see them, hopefully, within my midst.

Archangels are members of the second choir of angels. Archangels are found in a number of religious traditions, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism.

Michael is the only archangel named in the Bible as recognized by both Jews and Christians.

If you attended a Catholic or a Christian school, you would have been taught that each one of us has a Guardian Angel, and you were taught the prayer to summon him, in times of indecisiveness or tempting offers.

Who or what are angels? The Bible tells us that angels are agents or messengers of God; angels are spiritual beings, splendid in appearance.

"Angels always see the face of (our) Father in heaven", (Matthew18:10 NIV).

In both Old and New Testaments, there are many attestations as to the appearance of angels who carried out God's will on earth. They usually come and appear to us as answers to our prayers.

Again the Bible tells us, angels are " ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation, " (Hebrews 1:14 NIV).

And in the New Testament, when Jesus had been tempted by Satan when he was in the desert for 40 days, an Angel administered to him, so too, when He was agonizing at the Garden of Gethsemane.

The concept of angel, guardian angel, archangel, demon and even God, is still absurd to many. Yet stories have come out during these modern times about boundless miracles that cannot be attributed to the physical realm or what we deem normal, or scientific.

"You're my Angel," is uttered by parents of their daughters and sons, because they bring such joy to their lives.

Spouses and lovers consider their mates as angels, who forge ahead with them, both in sad and happy episodes of their lives.

True friends are angel-like, those to whom we confide and give us sound advise, often guiding us in our most insane moments.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto's Cathedral is the St. Michael's.

St. Michael is a radical archangel. In the Hebrew language, Michael means "Who is like unto God?" or "Who is equal to God?"

St. Michael has been depicted from earliest Christian times as a commander, a warrior who holds in his right hand a spear with which he attacks Lucifer, Satan, and all Evil, and in his left hand a green palm branch.