31 Meditations for Advent and Christmas
"The King Who is to come; O come let us adore Him."
21st Day: THE KING'S MESSENGERS
"The King Who is to come; O come let us adore Him."
21st Day: THE KING'S MESSENGERS
Our King has a countless number of messengers, angels,
whom He employs to carry His messages to His
soldiers on earth, to execute His orders, and to
bring back to Him a report of their welfare and
their doings. What are the tidings that they have
to carry to and fro?
Sometimes they carry words of comfort and encouragement to the servants of God, consoling them in distress and in anguish, as the Angel of the Passion consoled our King Himself. Sometimes, too, they exhort and reprove, speaking in the name of our King Himself. "Do not think him one to be condemned," says Holy Scripture, "for My name is in him; and if thou wilt hear his voice, I will be an enemy to thy enemies, and will afflict them, who afflict thee." Am I obedient to the message of my King, when it is whispered in my ears?
Sometimes these holy messengers are sent to do works of mercy or of vengeance. How often has one of them turned aside from bodily or spiritual harm some servant of our King! How often through their means have the servants of our King triumphed over their foes! I think far too little of these invisible messengers and of all that they have done for me. If I realized how much they have done for me I should be more constant in honoring them.
These messengers also carry before the throne of our King the story of the struggle between His soldiers and their foes. Sometimes they carry the glad report of some victory won by a servant of God over his passions; sometimes they cry for vengeance on those who have given scandal; sometimes they offer to God our prayers. What sort of reports do they carry about me to my King?
Sometimes they carry words of comfort and encouragement to the servants of God, consoling them in distress and in anguish, as the Angel of the Passion consoled our King Himself. Sometimes, too, they exhort and reprove, speaking in the name of our King Himself. "Do not think him one to be condemned," says Holy Scripture, "for My name is in him; and if thou wilt hear his voice, I will be an enemy to thy enemies, and will afflict them, who afflict thee." Am I obedient to the message of my King, when it is whispered in my ears?
Sometimes these holy messengers are sent to do works of mercy or of vengeance. How often has one of them turned aside from bodily or spiritual harm some servant of our King! How often through their means have the servants of our King triumphed over their foes! I think far too little of these invisible messengers and of all that they have done for me. If I realized how much they have done for me I should be more constant in honoring them.
These messengers also carry before the throne of our King the story of the struggle between His soldiers and their foes. Sometimes they carry the glad report of some victory won by a servant of God over his passions; sometimes they cry for vengeance on those who have given scandal; sometimes they offer to God our prayers. What sort of reports do they carry about me to my King?