Day 47: The Angels (331-336)

• We are just chipping away!!

• WHICH IS AWESOME!!

• We are diving in more and more deeply into EVERYTHING that we believe, we profess, and we are called to live

• It keeps getting RICHER AND RICHER

• SOMETIMES a bit more complicated

• It is a big deal that you are still here!!

• You are still showing up

• You are still pressing PLAY

• We only have these paragraphs today

• It’s kind of short

• It’s not a MCNUGGET DAY

• We get to continue talking about THE ANGELS

• If you have a memory that lasts longer than one day, you’ll remember we talked about how God created HEAVEN AND EARTH

• ALL THAT IS VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE

• Everytime we look at this created world, everything that we are seeing is something that God either directly or indirectly created

• Actually, God DIRECTLY created all of the atoms and time and all those things

• There is also an INVISIBLE WORLD that we don’t often get to see 

• God sometimes REVEALS this world to us 

• THAT IS REMARKABLE!!

• THAT IS INCREDIBLE!!

• Among that invisible world are THE ANGELS

• Paragraph 329, “St. Augustine says, ‘’Angel’ is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is ‘spirit’; if you seek the name of their office, it is ‘angel’...”

• What they ARE is spirit

• What they DO is angel 

• So they are MESSENGERS

• Paragraph 329 continues, “With their whole beings the angels are servants and messengers of God.”

• We will emphasize this today

• Paragraph 330 says, “As purely spiritual creatures angels have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures, surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendor of their glory bears witness.”

• INCREDIBLE!!

• They are FULLY surrendered to the Lord

• They belong COMPLETELY to the Lord

• Paragraph 331 says, “Christ is the center of the angelic world. They are HIS angels…”

• THEY BELONG TO HIM!!

• Even though we talk about our guardian angels we know that the angels are HIS

• THEY ARE HIS ANGELS!!

• Paragraph 331 continues, “They belong to him because they were created THROUGH him and FOR him.”

• THAT IS INCREDIBLE!!

• Paragraph 331 continues, “They belong to him still more because he has made them messengers of his saving plan…”

• Christ is the CENTER of the angelic world

• They are HIS because He made them

• He has made them MESSENGERS of the Saving Plan

• HIS PLAN OF REDEMPTION FOR THE WORLD 

• Paragraph 332 will show us the ways in which angels have been present since Creation throughout the history of salvation

• We will go through this list of occasions where angels show up in Sacred Scripture

• Do you remember in the beginning of Genesis, there is the angel that is placed in front of the Garden of Eden as a guard so that people cannot eat from the Tree of Life and live forever

• We also have the time when an angel protected Lot 

• An angel saved Hagar and her child

• An angel stayed Abraham’s hand

• The big one is Gabriel announcing the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus Himself

• IT IS GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE!!

• The last section is The Angels in the Life of the Church

• There are angels in the history of Salvation leading up to Jesus and in the life of Christ

• BUT…

• Right now, angels continue to have a role

• Hope that makes sense!!

• So Jesus is the CENTER of the angelic world

• Jesus has used these angels to be His messengers throughout the history of Salvation

• These angels continue to act in and for the Church

• These angels continue to act in and for this world

• Does that make sense?

• Well, let’s pray!!

Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven, we give you praise. We give you praise for the created world, visible and invisible. We give you praise for creating this earth and the heavens. We give you praise for the fact that the heavens are your place, your home. And yet, you are present to us in this place, in our home. Lord God, lead us through this dangerous world by the protection of your Grace, by the protection of your angels. Help us to be aware more and more of the unseen world. Help us to be aware more and more of your divine presence in our lives. Help us to be more and more aware of the angelic presence of these creatures, these beings, that love you, and serve you, and surround us. We make this prayer in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen”

• All about angels yesterday and today

• THEY ARE HIS ANGELS!!

• THEY BELONG TO CHRIST!!

• IT GRIPS OUR HEART!!

• That is supposed to be US

• This whole CREATION…

• This whole UNIVERSE…

• IS HIS AS WELL!!

• And here we are made in God’s image and likeness

• God made us out of HIS LOVE to reveal HIS GLORY and to communicate HIS DIVINE LIFE to us

• We are SUPPOSED to say this

• We are HIS creatures

• We are HIS beloved

• We are HIS children

• IT IS SO INCREDIBLE!!

• We can say this about the angels without hesitation or qualification

• Because all of the angels who are faithful to the Lord are COMPLETELY SURRENDERED TO HIM

• That is OUR call

• To be JUST AS COMPLETELY SURRENDERED to the Lord

• So Christ is the CENTER of the angelic world

• Paragraph 331 says, “They belong to him because they were created through him and for him…They belong to him still more because he has made them messengers of his saving plan.”

• So not only do they belong to Him in their very existence

• Just like us

• Our very EXISTENCE belongs to God

• Not only our conception and being brought into existence

• BUT…

• The fact that God continues to HOLD US in existence 

• The fact that we continue to exist because God WILLS US AT EVERY SINGLE MOMENT TO EXIST

• So we belong to Him because we were created THROUGH Him and FOR Him

• We can belong to Him STILL MORE FULLY like the angels

• When we serve as His MESSENGERS

• When we serve as His SERVANTS

• When we do His will on this earth we belong EVEN MORE FULLY TO HIM

• Does that make sense?

• Not just in our EXISTENCE

• BUT ALSO…

• In the EXERCISE of our existence

• Not just in the fact that we ARE

• BUT…

• In what we DO as well

• There’s something about that that captivates our hearts

• Paragraphs 332-333 highlight the ways in which the angels have played a part in Sacred Scripture

• Paragraph 332 says, “They closed the earthly paradise; protected Lot; saved Hagar and her child, etc.”

• Paragraph 333 says, “From the Incarnation to the Ascension, the life of the Word Incarnate is surrounded by the adoration and service of angels….Their song of praise at the birth of Christ has not ceased resounding in the Church’s praise: ‘Glory to God in the highest!’”

• Do you remember who appeared to the shepherds who were keeping watch over their flock by night at Christmas?

• THE ANGELS OF GOD!!

• What were they singing?

• “Glory to God in the highest”

• At every Catholic Mass on Sundays and at big solemnities we sing THE GLORIA

• It begins, “Glory to God in the highest…”

• We try to unite OUR PRAYERS to the prayers that are going on FOREVER IN HEAVEN

• CONTINUALLY PRAISING AND GLORIFYING GOD!!

• BUT ALSO…

• This was revealed to us at Christmas, at the Nativity of our Lord

• SO COOL!!

• We get to join the praise of the angels

• We sing at every Mass the “Sanctus” which is the “Holy, Holy, Holy”

• Sanctus means “holy” in Latin

• Where do we get that?

• WE GET IT FROM SCRIPTURE!!

• Around God’s throne, the angels are crying out and praising God

• “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord. God of power and might…”

• THAT is what we get to UNITE ourselves with

• That is why it is SO INCREDIBLE to realize that human beings are here, body and soul

• Here are angels, pure spirit

• We get to…

• (SQUIRREL!! 😁)

• Jeff Cavins mentioned this when teaching about the first chapter of Genesis in the days of Creation 

• Here we are, human beings, in the story of Genesis Ch 1

• We are created on the same day as the beasts and animals that walk on the land

• We have an opportunity

• We are connected to other animals 

• We have bodies

• BUT…

• We are called to live on the Sabbath

• We are called to live in that place of belonging fully to the Lord

• Yes, we have bodies

• We are not trying to escape our bodies because our bodies are GOOD

• We are going to reaffirm that many times

• The created world is GOOD

• The spiritual world is GOOD

• AND YET…

• Fr. Serge-Thomas Benino (the expert in angels) said, “We can be cousins with the chimpanzees. But we maybe actually are closer cousins to the angels than we are to the chimps.”

• THAT IS SO POWERFUL!!

• SUCH AN INCREDIBLE REMINDER!!

• We get to pray LIKE THE ANGELS

• We join our prayers to the prayers of the angels

• We have The Angels in the Life of the Church

• When we come together at Mass we are invoking the INTERCESSION OF ANGELS

• One of the things that could be helpful for us to understand is that the angels have INTERCESSORY POWER

• So do the Saints

• ALL THOSE who are in God’s presence

• The Book of Revelation points out LIFT UP PRAYERS TO THE LORD

• The prayers that people on Earth are crying out

• There is an element where angels and saints have INTERCESSORY POWER

• They live this life o f ministry and intercession

• ANGELS ARE UNIQUE!!

• Not only do angels lift up our prayers to the Lord…

• Saints also intercede on our behalf before God…

• BUT…

• Angels have an ASCENDENT mediation

• Angels also have a DESCENDENT mediation

• Fr. Benino mentioned this, “On the one hand they bring and transmit to us the tender innocence of God. On the other hand, they make us go up to God in prayer and intercede for us.”

• Angels have this DOUBLE MEDIATION

• They bring us to the TENDERNESS OF GOD

• They transmit to us the TENDERNESS OF GOD

• THE MESSAGE OF GOD!!

• BUT ALSO…

• They make us go up to God in prayer and INTERCEDE FOR US

• THAT IS BEAUTIFUL!!

• THAT IS POWERFUL!!

• Paragraph 336 says, “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.”

• THIS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND!!

• Rights now you have access to the Father’s heart

• WHICH IS BANANAS!!

• THAT IS INCREDIBLE!!

• BUT ALSO…

• Paragraph 336 continues, “Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.”

• To be able to walk that way…

• Not only to walk in the way that says, “God, I know you are present to me completely. I know I have complete access to you and to your heart. But also, you haven’t left me alone. You are present and your angels are present. So, through the intercession of these angels, God please protect me. Through the intercession of your angels, God protect the people I love. Through the intercession of your angels, God, please let my prayers rise up to you so that you may be glorified. So I can unite my heart, my prayers, my life, to the prayers and the will and the intellect and the praise of the angels in Heaven.”

• Does that make sense?

• It makes sense to Fr. Mike!

• THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE DAY!!

• Tomorrow we will talk more about the visible world

• The beauty of the universe

• The reality of different creatures possessing their own particular goodness and perfection

• So more on the visible world tomorrow

• BUT…

• Today is the reality of the invisible world of the angels that surround us

• Are we aware of them?

• If not, can we wake up?

• Can we become more aware?

• WHAT A GIFT!!

• It is an honor to be able to be with you on Day 47

• Please pray for Fr. Mike and for each other!!

• Fr. Mike is praying FOR YOU!!

• I cannot WAIT to see you tomorrow!! 

Scripture References & Reflections

- compiled by Andrew Adamany

Bible Translation - RSVCE

CCC 331 "Christ is the center of the angelic world. They are his angels

They belong to him because they were created through and for him.

They belong to him still more because he has made them messengers of his saving plan:”

Matthew 25:31

 “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne."

Colossians 1:15–16 

“He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities—all things were created through him and for him."

Hebrews 1:14

“Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?"

CCC 332 "Angels have been present since creation and throughout the history of salvation, announcing this salvation from afar or near and serving the accomplishment of the divine plan: they closed the earthly paradise; protected Lot; saved Hagar and her child; stayed Abraham's hand; communicated the law by their ministry; led the People of God; announced births and callings; and assisted the prophets, just to cite a few examples.Finally, the angel Gabriel announced the birth of the Precursor and that of Jesus himself.”

Job 38:6–7 

“On what were its bases sunk, 

or who laid its cornerstone, 

when the morning stars sang together, 

and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"

Genesis 3:24

“ He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life."

Genesis 19:1–2, 12-13 

“The two angels came to Sodom in the evening; and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and bowed himself with his face to the earth, and said, “My lords, turn aside, I pray you, to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise up early and go on your way.”...

Then the men said to Lot, “Have you any one else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or any one you have in the city, bring them out of the place; for we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.”

Genesis 21:17–18 

“And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not; for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him fast with your hand; for I will make him a great nation.”

Genesis 22:10–12

“Then Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

Acts 7:51–53 

“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

Exodus 23:20–22

“Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared. Give heed to him and hearken to his voice, do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression; for my name is in him. 

“But if you hearken attentively to his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries."

Judges 13:3–5 

 And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have no children; but you shall conceive and bear a son. Therefore beware, and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for lo, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from birth; and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”

Judges 6:11–12, 20-22

“Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor.”...

And the angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them.” And he did so. Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes; and there sprang up fire from the rock and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight. Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord; and Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.”

Isaiah 6:6–7 

“Then flew one of the seraphim to me, having in his hand a burning coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven.”

1 Kings 19:5–8 

“And he lay down and slept under a broom tree; and behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, else the journey will be too great for you.” And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God."

Luke 1:11–13, 18-19, 26-31 

“And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John"….

And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news."...

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus."

CCC 333 "From the Incarnation to the Ascension, the life of the Word incarnate is surrounded by the adoration and service of angels.” 

Hebrews 1:6–7 

“And again, when he brings the first-born into the world, he says, 

“Let all God’s angels worship him.” 

Of the angels he says, 

“Who makes his angels winds, 

and his servants flames of fire.”

"They protect Jesus in his infancy, serve him in the desert, strengthen him in his agony in the garden, when he could have been saved by them from the hands of his enemies as Israel had been.”

Matthew 1:20–21 

“But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Matthew 2:13, 19-20

“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”...

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”

Matthew 4:11 

“Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him."

Luke 22:39–43 

“And he came out, and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, “Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him."

Matthew 26:53–54 

“Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”

2 Maccabees 10:29–30

“When the battle became fierce, there appeared to the enemy from heaven five resplendent men on horses with golden bridles, and they were leading the Jews. Surrounding Maccabeus and protecting him with their own armor and weapons, they kept him from being wounded. And they showered arrows and thunderbolts upon the enemy, so that, confused and blinded, they were thrown into disorder and cut to pieces."

“Again, it is the angels who "evangelize" by proclaiming the Good News of Christ's Incarnation and Resurrection. They will be present at Christ's return, which they will announce, to serve at his judgment.”

Luke 2:8–14

“And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 

“Glory to God in the highest, 

and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!”

Mark 16:2–7

“And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back;—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.”

Acts 1:10–11 

“And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Matthew 13:41–43 

“The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear."

Matthew 24:30–31 

“then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

Luke 12:8–9 

“And I tell you, every one who acknowledges me before men, the Son of man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; but he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God."

CCC 334 "In the meantime, the whole life of the Church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of angels.”

Acts 5:17–21 

“But the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and taught."

Acts 8:26–29

“But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert road. And he rose and went. And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.”

Acts 10:3–8

“About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror, and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and bring one Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.” When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those that waited on him, and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa."

Acts 12:6–10

“The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison; and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your mantle around you and follow me.” And he went out and followed him; he did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them of its own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him."

Acts 27:21–26 

“As they had been long without food, Paul then came forward among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and should not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. I now bid you take heart; for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and lo, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we shall have to run on some island.”

CCC 335 "In her liturgy, the Church joins with the angels to adore the thrice-holy God. She invokes their assistance (in the funeral liturgy's In Paradisum deducant te angeli. . .["May the angels lead you into Paradise. . ."]). Moreover, in the "Cherubic Hymn" of the Byzantine Liturgy, she celebrates the memory of certain angels more particularly (St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, and the guardian angels).”

Hebrews 12:22–24 

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel."

Revelation 5:11–14

“Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all therein, saying, “To him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might for ever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped."

Revelation 7:9–12

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels stood round the throne and round the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.”

CCC 336 "From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life." Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.

Matthew 18:10 

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven."

Luke 16:19–23

“There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom."

Psalm 34:7

“The angel of the Lord encamps 

around those who fear him, and delivers them."

Psalm 91:9–12

“Because you have made the Lord your refuge, 

the Most High your habitation, 

no evil shall befall you, 

no scourge come near your tent. 

For he will give his angels charge of you 

to guard you in all your ways. 

On their hands they will bear you up, 

lest you dash your foot against a stone."

Job 33:23–24

“If there be for him an angel, 

a mediator, one of the thousand, 

to declare to man what is right for him; 

and he is gracious to him, and says, 

‘Deliver him from going down into the Pit, 

I have found a ransom"

Zechariah 1:12–13 

“Then the angel of the Lord said, ‘O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years?’ And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me."

Tobit 12:12–15 

“And so, when you and your daughter-in-law Sarah prayed, I brought a reminder of your prayer before the Holy One; and when you buried the dead, I was likewise present with you. When you did not hesitate to rise and leave your dinner in order to go and lay out the dead, your good deed was not hidden from me, but I was with you. So now God sent me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah. I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the glory of the Holy One.”