Ангелы

The bringing into being of the Angels was accomplished by the creative Word - the Creator of everything, and sanctification was bestowed upon them by the Holy Spirit, for the Angels were not created as infants, who would then, having been perfected through gradual exercise, thus become worthy to receive the Spirit, but holiness was invested in the original composition and, so to speak, solution of their essence. That is why they are not receptive to sin, being immediately, as if by some composition, covered with sanctification and, by the gift of the Holy Spirit, having constancy in virtue (2). The angel will not depart from all those who believe in the Lord, unless we drive him away ourselves with bad deeds. For just as bees are driven away by smoke and doves are driven away by stench, so the guardian of our life, the Angel, is driven away by lamentable and stinking sin. If you have in your soul deeds worthy of angelic protection, and a mind enriched with the speculations of truth dwells in you, then, due to the wealth of unvalued deeds of virtue, God will necessarily assign guards and guardians to you and protect you with the protection of angels. Look what the nature of Angels is! One Angel is equal to a whole army and numerous militia. So, in the greatness of your guardian, the Lord gives you a militia, and in the fortress of the Angel, he seems to protect you from everywhere with his protection... Just as city walls, surrounding the city, repel enemy attacks from everywhere, so the Angel serves as a wall in front, protects from behind and leaves nothing uncovered on both sides (2). All Angels have both the same name and, of course, the same nature common to all; however, some of them were appointed to rule over the nations, while others were appointed to be companions to each of the faithful. But to the extent that a whole people is preferable to one person, to the same extent, without a doubt, the dignity of the ruler of the people is necessarily higher in comparison with the dignity of the Angel to whom the care of one person is entrusted. And that with each of the faithful there is an Angel who, as a teacher and shepherd, controls his life, no one will argue against this, remembering the words of the Lord, who said: do not despise one of these little ones. I tell you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father, who is in heaven (Matthew 18:10). And the psalmist says: The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them (Ps. 33:8, cf. Ps. 90:11). And: An angel who delivers me from all evil (Gen. 48:16), and the like. And that some Angels are also leaders of entire nations, Moses teaches us this in a song, saying: When the Most High gave inheritance to the nations and scattered the Sons of men, then he set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of His Angels (Deut. 32:8). And the wise Daniel in a vision heard an Angel who said: the prince of the kingdom of Persia stood against me twenty-one days; but behold, Michael, one of the first princes, came to help me, and I remained there with the kings of Persia (Dan. 10:13); and a little later he says: the prince of Greece will come (Dan. 10:20). But they also talk about some Archangel of the army of the Lord who appeared to Joshua at the Jordan (Joshua 5:14). And some legions of Angels are also mentioned when the Lord says to the disciples: Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will present Me with more than twelve legions of Angels (Matthew 26:53). Therefore, the Archangel of the Angels, appointed by the legions, is, of course, the prince (4). The Angels have no quarrel, no strife 2, no misunderstanding; everyone enjoys the property of everyone, and everyone contains complete perfections, because angelic wealth is not some limited substance that needs to be cut when many want to share it, but immaterial acquisition and wealth of understanding. And that is why their perfections, being complete in everyone, make everyone equally rich, making their own possession undoubted and indisputable. For the contemplation of the highest perfection and the clearest comprehension of the virtues is an angelic treasure, which everyone is allowed to look at, since everyone acquires complete knowledge of this and complete possession of it (5). In Russian translation: according to the number of the Sons of Israel. Arguments - disputes, debates. You might be interested in: