The Glories of the Holy Angels
Venerable Henri Boudon, Archdeacon of Evreux
OCTOBER TWENTY-NINTH.
The Angels who favoured particular Saints.
Let us consecrate this day to ‘those blessed Spirits who specially favoured some of the Saints; as the Angels who released St. Peter from his prison, and revealed to St. John the secrets of futurity ; those who gave the monastic rule to St. Pachomius: who imprinted the holy stigmas in the body of St. Francis; wounded the heart of St. Teresa; and those who gave the holy communion to St. Stanislas Kotska; who conversed with St. Rose, and conferred on St. Thomas the gift of perfect chastity. Thus we will please those great servants of God, and obtain their intercession.
Practice—Three spiritual communions in honour of these Angels.
Asp.—O all ye holy Saints and Angels ! intercede for us.
OCTOBER THIRTIETH.
All the Angels because they assist us in Death
We are born but to live—we live but to die—and our lot for eternity depends on the manner in which we breathe our last. We ought, then, to “make for ourselves friends,” for that critical moment, of the holy Angels, by a true, sincere, persevering devotion to them. If we do, it is then indeed they will show how they loved us.
Practice—Prayer to the Blessed Virgin for a happy death.
Asp.—O holy Angels—-Spirits of God ! pray for us now and at the hour of our death—Amen.”
OCTOBER THIRTY-FIRST.
All the Angels because they will contribute to our happiness in eternity.
When the figure of this world shall have passed away—when the earth and all that is in it shall have been burnt up, and the elements melted with heat when, in fine, the Son of Man shall appear on a cloud to judge the living and the dead — the Angels, at his command, having separated the good from the bad, will encompass the former as a tower of defence against the evils which will cause the latter to exclaim— Mountains fall upon us ! hills cover us !” And when the final sentence seals man’s eternal doom, and that the Supreme Arbiter, having locked, on their respective inmates, the gates of heaven and of hell, has flung the keys into the ocean of eternity, these blessed Spirits will seat us down at the table of the Lamb, rejoicing that our sorrow is changed into joy, and that the days of our mourning are ended. Let us love these holy Angels, but let us love them perseveringly. Perseverance crowns the work. If they deserved our homage yesterday, they as well and better deserve it to day.
Practice—Excite others to be devout to the Angels.
Asp.—Alleluia! Salvation to our God, that sits upon the throne: and may all his Angels say, Amen.
