Sep 24, 2025 Written by 

Heavenly Liturgy, concern for Salvation

5. We note that Sacred Scripture and Tradition properly call angels those pure spirits who in the fundamental test of freedom have chosen God, his glory and his kingdom. They are united with God through the consuming love that flows from the blissful, face-to-face vision of the Holy Trinity. Jesus himself says: "The angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven" (Mt 18:10). That "always seeing the face of the Father" is the highest manifestation of the worship of God. It can be said that it constitutes that "heavenly liturgy", performed on behalf of the whole universe, with which the Church's earthly liturgy is unceasingly associated, especially in its culminating moments. Suffice it to recall here the act by which the Church, every day and every hour, throughout the world, before beginning the Eucharistic prayer at the heart of Holy Mass, calls upon "the angels and archangels" to sing the glory of God thrice holy, thus uniting herself to those first worshippers of God, in worship and in loving knowledge of the ineffable mystery of his holiness.

6. Again according to revelation, the angels, who participate in the life of the Trinity in the light of glory, are also called to have their part in history in the salvation of mankind, at the moments established by the design of divine providence. "Are they not all spirits entrusted with a ministry sent to serve those who are to come into the possession of salvation?", asks the author of the Letter to the Hebrews (Heb 1:14). And this is what the Church believes and teaches, on the basis of Holy Scripture from which we learn that the task of the good angels is the protection of men and concern for their salvation. We find these expressions in various passages of Holy Scripture, for example in Psalm 90 already quoted several times: "He shall give command to his angels to guard thee in all thy ways. On their hands they will carry thee, that thou stumble not in the stone thy foot" (Psalm 90: 11-12). Jesus himself, speaking of the children and warning them not to give them scandal, refers to "their angels" (Mt 18:10); he also attributes to the angels the function of witnesses in the supreme divine judgement on the fate of those who have recognised or denied Christ: "Whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God; but whoever denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God" (Lk 12:8-9). These words are significant because if the angels take part in God's judgement, they are interested in man's life. Interest and participation that seem to receive an accentuation in the eschatological discourse, in which Jesus makes the angels intervene in the parousia, that is, in the definitive coming of Christ at the end of history (cf. Mt 24:31; 25:31. 41).

[Pope John Paul II, General Audience 6 August 1986]

16 Last modified on Wednesday, 24 September 2025 17:07
don Giuseppe Nespeca

Giuseppe Nespeca è architetto e sacerdote. Cultore della Sacra scrittura è autore della raccolta "Due Fuochi due Vie - Religione e Fede, Vangeli e Tao"; coautore del libro "Dialogo e Solstizio".

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We are faced with the «drama of the resistance to become saved persons» (Pope Francis)
Siamo davanti al «dramma della resistenza a essere salvati» (Papa Francesco)
That 'always seeing the face of the Father' is the highest manifestation of the worship of God. It can be said to constitute that 'heavenly liturgy', performed on behalf of the whole universe [John Paul II]
Quel “vedere sempre la faccia del Padre” è la manifestazione più alta dell’adorazione di Dio. Si può dire che essa costituisce quella “liturgia celeste”, compiuta a nome di tutto l’universo [Giovanni Paolo II]
Who is freer than the One who is the Almighty? He did not, however, live his freedom as an arbitrary power or as domination (Pope Benedict)
Chi è libero più di Lui che è l'Onnipotente? Egli però non ha vissuto la sua libertà come arbitrio o come dominio (Papa Benedetto)
Are they not all spirits charged with a ministry, sent to serve those who are to inherit salvation? (Heb 1:14)
Non sono essi tutti spiriti incaricati di un ministero, inviati per servire coloro che devono ereditare la salvezza? (Eb 1,14)
In order to convert, we must not wait for prodigious events, but open our heart to the Word of God, which calls us to love God and neighbour (Pope Francis)
Per convertirci, non dobbiamo aspettare eventi prodigiosi, ma aprire il cuore alla Parola di Dio, che ci chiama ad amare Dio e il prossimo (Papa Francesco)
And «each of us can say: "for love to me"» (Pope Francis)
E «ognuno di noi può dire: “per amore a me”» (Papa Francesco)
We too, to reach a more conscious confession of Jesus Christ must follow, like Peter, a path made of attentive, caring listening (Pope John Paul II)
Anche noi per giungere a una più consapevole confessione di Gesù Cristo dobbiamo percorrere, come Pietro, un cammino fatto di ascolto attento, premuroso (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
It is a word that must be witnessed to and proclaimed explicitly, because without a consistent witness it proves to be less comprehensible and credible [Pope Benedict]
E’ una Parola che deve essere testimoniata e proclamata esplicitamente, perché senza una testimonianza coerente essa risulta meno comprensibile e credibile [Papa Benedetto]
The “reading and meditation of the word of God root us more deeply in Christ and guide our ministry as servants of reconciliation, justice and peace” (second Synod for Africa, Propositio 46)
La lettura e la meditazione della Parola di Dio ci radicano più profondamente in Cristo e orientano il nostro ministero di servitori della riconciliazione, della giustizia e della pace (Secondo Sinodo per l’Africa, Propositio 46)
For this reason the early Church called baptism photismos – illumination (Pope Benedict)
Per questo, la Chiesa antica ha chiamato il Battesimo “photismos” – illuminazione (Papa Benedetto)
It seems paradoxical: Christ has not enriched us with his richness but with his poverty (Pope Benedict)
Sembra un paradosso: Cristo non ci ha arricchiti con la sua ricchezza, ma con la sua povertà (Papa Benedetto)
The sower is Jesus. With this image, we can see that he presents himself as one who does not impose himself, but rather offers himself. He does not attract us by conquering us, but by donating himself: he casts seeds. With patience and generosity, he spreads his Word, which is not a cage or a trap, but a seed which can bear fruit (Pope Francis)

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