Devotion to the nine choirs of holy angels

DEDICATION TO MY GOOD ANGEL-GUARDIAN xxi EXHORTATION TO LOVE AND DEVOTION FOR THE HOLY ANGELS. It is the property of great things to be indescribable. The excellences of the angels cannot worthily be expressed. All possible motives urge us to love them. Men are moved to love by different considerations ; and all these consider- ations oblige us to love the angels. Every kind of good is to be found in their love. Their friendship is incomparable. Their love pursues us everywhere. Yet devotion to them is rare. This is owing to the absence of the interior life. The more exalted the angels are, the greater their love and their power. The author's desire to rouse men from their insensibilty. The world's forgetfulness of God ; and of God's angels. The language of the Fathers respecting them. The author calls upon all sorts of men to love all the nine choirs with a particular love. He invokes the blessing of God upon all who practise devotion to them. page 1 FIRST MOTIVE. THE ADMIRABLE PERFECTIONS OF THESE SUBLIME INTELLIGENCES. The greatness of the angels beyond the thought of man to conceive. They are spirits pure and bright. Why they are called Intelligences. How they are represented in Scrip- ture. Their marvellous power. Their enchanting beauty. Everything about them enrapturing. They are the mirrors of God's perfections. Called by the name of God in Scripture. page 19 SECOND MOTIVE. THE INCOMPARABLE GOODNESS OF THESE SPIRITS OF LOVE. Angels the kings of heaven. They love us with every variety of love. Their love untiring and unchangeable. They are our best and oldest friends. Yet they meet with nothing but ingratitude and contempt from men. Hence their love for men is past understanding. . . . page 24 THIRD MOTIVE. ALL THE HOLY ANGELS ARE ENGAGED IN THE SERVICE OF MEN. All the angels are ministering spirits ; even the highest and most exalted. Proofs of this from Scripture. Their num- bers exceedingly great. What gratitude we ought to feel to these princes of heaven, and what joy and confidence in their friendship page 28 FOURTH MOTIVE. ALL MEN ARE ASSISTED BY THE HOLY ANGELS. The love of God to man has no other motive but itself. The smallest sin has in it something terrible and abominable : the angels clearly discern this, yet cease not to assist sinners. Heretics and unbelievers have their protecting angels ; even Antichrist will have a guardian-angel. No excess of malice and ingratitude prevents these beings of heavenly purity from devoting themselves to the service of men. page 31 FIFTH MOTIVE. THE HOLY ANGELS DO ALL THAT IS POSSIBLE TO BE DONE FOR THE GOOD OF MEN. Angels have assumed visible forms in the service of men. They accompany us everywhere, despite our folly and vileness. The princes of Paradise are our servants and slaves. They watch over everything belonging to us. Scripture instances. The whole world is full of them. . . . page 35 SIXTH MOTIVE. THE HOLY ANGELS ASSIST US IN TEMPORAL THINGS. Their considerate kindness and liberality. They have care of our bodily nature and sustenance ; and confer all sorts of benefits upon us. Instances of this from Scripture and the Lives of Saints. They deliver us from all kinds of evil, and assist us in all our distresses. Instance of the pillar of cloud and of fire that accompanied the people of Israel. page 40 SEVENTH MOTIVE. THE HOLY ANGELS RENDER US GREAT SERVICES FOR ETERNITY. The affair of eternity the one great affair. The zeal which the angels show to procure men the life of grace. The care they take to maintain and increase it. They instil a love of all virtues, and especially of purity. They inspire men with love for Jesus and Mary. An incident in the life of St Dominic. They communicate light to the understand- ing and pious impulses to the heart. They preserve from sin, and deliver from it. They animate and encourage in labours and sufferings. page 46 EIGHTH MOTIVE. THE PROTECTION OF THE HOLY ANGELS AGAINST THE DEVILS, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THEIR DIFFERENT TEMPTATIONS, WHICH ARE HERE TREATED OF. Life one long temptation. "We are weak, and our enemies are mighty. The devils cruel in their rage. Their formidable Btrength. Their subtle machinations. The devil ever busy in laying snares. Baits them cunningly. Attacks if he cannot seduce. Chooses well his time. Feigns to retreat. Amuses with a false peace. These wicked spirits mislead souls in the ways of grace. Turn men aside from their true vocation. Tempt them to frustrate God's intentions. Delude them in the matter of prayer, confession, and communion. The artifices they employ in the highest paths of grace. They tempt to presumption, impatience, weariness, despair. Distort the imagination even of good people. Take advantage of their smallest imperfections. Present false notions of devotion. Insinuate a censorious and critical spirit. Raise persecutions agaiost the servants of God. Promote scandals and abuses. Some persons their special instruments. The devils find their stronghold in heresy. They are indefatigable in pursuit. They penetrate everywhere. Their assaults more violent in proportion to our love of God. Their number beyond conception. Our blindness and insensibility. The power of humility and of self-mistrust. We must avoid occasions of temptations ; and be prompt in resisting. When chastity is assailed the only safety is in flight. Remedies to be adopted in case of other interior sufferings ; scruples, or other disquietudes ; temptations to blasphemy, or the idea of reprobation. Living by faith the sure rule of the spiritual life. It is one of the devil's stratagems to make us be occupied with anything but what we ought to be about. Another is to give us a taste for occupations which are not suitable to our state. Against all the artifices of hell God has given us the defence of His holy angels. Instances of their protecting power. The devils have a great dread of them. . page 52 THE GREAT ASSISTANCE WHICH THE HOLY ANGELS AFFORD US AT On the moment of death hangs the sentence of eternity. The thought of God's judgments terrible. The angels our friends when creatures abandon us. Blessed are they who have been devout to them during life. The angels present our souls before the tribunal of God. . . page 92 DEVOTION TO THE HOLY ANGELS IS A MARK OF A HIGH That which passes away deserves only our contempt. The human heart is made for great things. The joys of the blessed in heaven are unequal. We ought to strive after the highest honours for the sake of the greater glory of God. Devotion to the angels contributes wonderfully to the per- fection of divine love, and therefore to the increase of heavenly glory. The higher the angels the more of God there is in them. Our devotion rarely extends beyond those of the lowest choir. page 96 NINTH MOTIVE. THE HOUR OF DEATH, AND AFTER DEATH. TENTH MOTIVE. PREDESTINATION. ELEVENTH MOTIVE. THE GLORY OF THE MOST HOLY VIRGIN. The glory of the Blessed Mother of God a powerful motive. The zeal of the angels for the interests of their Queen. There- fore the motive of her glory is one of the most powerful in promoting devotion to the angels. The several titles which belong to her in connexion with these heavenly spirits. The angels are the "friends" of the spouse in the Canticles. TWELFTH MOTIVE. GOD ONLY. God all in all to the soul that loves with a pure love. It cares for nothing save His sacred interests ; self-interest is an abomination to it. God only forms the whole occupation of a glorious eternity. Very few love God after a perfect manner. We must love the angels only in God and for God. Illustration taken from the spouse in the Canticles. Pure love a state of universal death to everything. page 100 PART II. FIRST PRACTICE. TO HAVE A PARTICULAR DEVOTION TO THE ANGELS, ARCHANGELS, AND PRINCIPALITIES. The different offices of these three orders. We ought to have a singular devotion to our Angel-Guardians. "We ought also to be devout to the Guardian Angels of our friends. Among our friends our spiritual directors ought to hold a prominent place. We must honour also the angels of our benefactors, of our enemies, of the prelates of the Church, especially the Sovereign Pontiff, as also of temporal princes. The Archangels of kingdoms and provinces, of towns and villages, must be objects of our devotion. Churches and altars have their Guardian Angels. The author laments the profanations committed against the Blessed Sacrament; carelessness in giving communion ; penuriousness in providing altar furniture. He invokes the assistance of the holy angels in remedying these evils, and entreats pious souls to seek their aid. Not only dioceses, but communities and confraternities have their angels. Special virtues to be acquired through these three orders. . . page 113 SECOND PRACTICE. TO HONOUR ESPECIALLY THE POWERS, THE VIRTUES, AND THE DOMINATIONS. The different offices of these three orders. We are apt to mis- take our own will for the will of God. Devotion to the Dominations a great remedy to this disorder. We are easily led by our inclinations. Devotion to the Virtues our resource. The Virtues ought to be invoked in times of public calamity. To the Powers, God has given a special strength against the might and malice of the devils. Their aid to be sought to protect the Church against her enemies.page 126 THIRD PRACTICE. TO HAVE A PROFOUND REVERENCE AND EXTRAORDINARY LOVE FOR THE THRONES, CHERUBIM, AND SERAPHIM. The Seraphim excel in the pure love of God. Eight properties of this love. The special attribute of the Cherubim is light. The Thrones are in close vicinity to the glory of God, and repose upon Him. The peace which passeth understanding is to be sought through their ministry. The science of Heaven, which is the science of the Saints, is to be learned at the feet of Jesus Crucified through the teaching of the Cherubim. The' hatred which the devils bear to directors who inculcate this science. The Seraphim are the sacred ministers of divine love. The Carmelite order destined, by their super-excellent grace, to fill the seats of the apostate page 130 FOURTH PRACTICE. TO HAVE A GREAT DEVOTION TO ST MICHAEL, ST GABRIEL, ST RAPHAEL, AND THE FOUR OTHER ANGELS WHO ABE BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD. St Michael, the great saint of the cause of God and of God In- carnate. The meaning of the title Archangel as applied to the highest princes of Heaven. St Gabriel negotiated the mystery of the Incarnation. St Raphael, the great bene- factor of men. Emblems of the seven angels. They will obtain us the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, and grace to avoid the seven deadly sins. .... page 137 FIFTH PRACTICE. TO HOLD INTERIOR CONVERSE WITH THE HOLY ANGELS. Our conversation ought to be heavenly ; therefore we ought to converse frequently with these spirits of Heaven. Men live in oblivion of the world of grace. Where there are numbers of people there are also numbers of angels ; yet we take no notice of them. Our neglect of our angel- guardian. We ought to converse habitually with him. We need never feel solitary. We may visit in spirit heathen and heretical lands, and converse with their angel-guardians. It is a laudable practice to salute the angels of those we meet. These practices may be unusual, but they ought to be common. page 142 SIXTH PRACTICE. TO PERFORM NOVENAS IN HONOUR OF THE NINE CHOIRS OF ANGELS. This practice an efficacious means for obtaining the assistance of Heaven in times of distress. God employs these blessed spirits to work wonders. Directions how to employ each day of the novena. Public calamities the effects of God's anger. This devotion a fitting preparation for the feasts of our Lord and His Blessed Mother. Pious exercises to be used page 151 SEVENTH PRACTICE. TO TAKE CERTAIN DAYS EVERT MONTH AND EVERT WEEK FOR THE PURPOSE OF HONOURING MORE ESPECIALLY THE HOLY ANGELS, AND TO CELEBRATE THEIR FEASTS WITH ALL POSSIBLE DEVOTION. How to dedicate every day in the week to their honour. We may make our birth-day a feast of our angel-guardian. Feasts of St Michael. Pilgrimages to his Mount in Normandy. His apparitions. Legend of his slaying the dragon. St Gaudentius : invention of his body and miracles wrought at his tomb. Feasts of St Gabriel, St Raphael, and the Guardian Angels. The rosary of our angel-guardian. How to honour the angel-guardians of the Saints. page 155 EIGHTH PRACTICE. TO VISIT CHURCHES AND ORATORIES DEDICATED TO GOD IN HONOUR OF THE HOLY ANGELS. Certain localities honoured by God with special favours. Pilgrimages approved by the Church, and highly esteemed by Saints. It is a pious practice to visit some chapel or altar dedicated to the angels. Revival of devotion to St Michael in the city of Rouen blessed by God. Visits of devotion during nine succeeding days. . . . page 165 NINTH PRACTICE. TO PLACE GREAT CONFIDENCE IN THE PROTECTION OF THE HOLY ANGELS, AND TO HAVE RECOURSE TO THEM IN ALL OUR NECESSITIES, BODILY AND SPIRITUAL. The angels are as impregnable bulwarks to those who trust in the Lord. How great, then, ought to be our confidence. The blindness of men exemplified in the conduct of Eliseus's servant. The little confidence they place in the protection of Heaven, Revelations which Saints have had of the presence and ministrations of angels. Our Lord employed their ministry page 168 TENTH PRACTICE. TO LABOUR FOB THE CONVERSION OF SOULS, AND FOR THEIR RELIEF IN THE FLAMES OF PURGATORY, IN HONOUR OF THE HOLY ANGELS. The angels do all for the glory of God ; and we ought to labour with them for the interests of God in souls. The extravagance of men where self is concerned ; their niggardliness when God's interests are at stake. The example of the angels a powerful motive for succouring souls, like them we ought to assist the souls in Purgatory. Pious practices for this end. Our forgetfulness of the dead. Revelations of the interest taken by angels in suffering souls, page 173 ELEVENTH PRACTICE. TO PRACTISE SOME VIRTUE, OR ABSTAIN FROM SOME VICE, IN HONOUR OF THE HOLY ANGELS. If we desire to love the angels, we must love what they love and hate what they hate. Miraculous deliverance of a young nobleman. Humility, purity, and prayer the virtues dearest to the angels. Their jealousy for the Divine interests. Instance of this. We must be careful not to do anything to offend them. Plato's doctrine ok the subject, page 181 TWELFTH PRACTICE. TO PROMOTE IN ALL KINDS OF WAT8 DEVOTION TO THE NINE CHOIRS OF HOLY ANGELS. Our gratitude to these heavenly spirits ought to be as comprehensive as our duties towards them. The great thing is to have a real love. One means of honouring them is to distribute pictures of them, and books composed in their honour. The rich can erect churches, or chapels, or altars to them. Preachers ought to instruct the people in devotion to them. Bishops and superiors can recommend it to pastors and flocks. Pious persons can confer together to promote it. page 186 CONCLUSION OF THIS LITTLE WORK BY THE PLAN OF AN ASSOCIATION IN HONOUR OF THE NINE CHOIRS OF ANGELS. Associations instituted for various objects. The object of this association would be to hasten the reign of Jesus and Mary. The members should make a general confession. Special times for communion. Daily, monthly, and yearly observances. Other practices of piety and virtue. The associates must have a great horror of sin, and espe- cially of impurity. In towns a solemn novena may be kept page 191 A PRAYER TO THE NINE CHOIR8 OF HOLY ANGELS . . 199 POSTSCRIPT 201 LITANY OF THE HOLY ANGELS 202 A PRAYER TO ALL ANGELS 204 LITANY OF OUR HOLY ANGEL-GUARDIAN .... 205 TRANSLATOR'S NOTES 207 Digitized by Google.