fredag 31 juli 2015

Can One Bow Down to Angels?

Josue V:[13] And when Josue was in the field of the city of Jericho, he lifted up his eyes, and saw a man standing over against him: holding a drawn sword, and he went to him, and said: Art thou one of ours, or of our adversaries? [14] And he answered: No: but I am prince of the host of the Lord, and now I am come. [15] Josue fell on his face to the ground. And worshipping, add: What saith my lord to his servant? [16] Loose, saith he, thy shoes from off thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Josue did as was commanded him.

[14] Prince of the host of the Lord: St. Michael, who is called prince of the people of Israel, Dan. 10. 21.

[15] Worshipping: Not with divine honour, but with a religious veneration of an inferior kind, suitable to the dignity of his person.

Apocalypse XIX:[10] And I fell down before his feet, to adore him. And he saith to me: See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren, who have the testimony of Jesus. Adore God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

[10] I fell down before: St. Augustine (lib. 20, contra Faust, c. 21) is of opinion, that this angel appeared in so glorious a manner, that St. John took him to be God; and therefore would have given him divine honour had not the angel stopped him, by telling him he was but his fellow servant.

St. Gregory (Hom. 8, in Evang.) rather thinks that the veneration offered by St. John, was not divine honour, or indeed any other than what might lawfully be given; but was nevertheless refused by the angel, in consideration of the dignity to which our human nature had been raised, by the incarnation of the Son of God, and the dignity of St. John, an apostle, prophet, and martyr.

From above, I take it the answer is yes:

Sancte Michael Archangele, Blessed Michael, Archangel,
defende nos in proelio; defend us in the hour of conflict;
contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur: May God restrain him, we humbly pray;
tuque, Princeps militiae Caelestis, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, by the power of God, thrust, down to hell, Satan,
qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, and with him the other wicked spirits
divina virtute in infernum detrude. who wander through the world for the ruin of souls.
Amen. Amen.

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