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Objection 1: It would seem that the angels are not sent on works of
ministry. For every mission is to some determinate place. But
intellectual actions do not determine a place, for intellect abstracts
from the "here" and "now." Since therefore the angelic actions are
intellectual, it appears that the angels are not sent to perform their
own actions.
Objection 2: Further, the empyrean heaven is the place that beseems
the angelic dignity. Therefore if they are sent to us in ministry, it
seems that something of their dignity would be lost; which is
unseemly.
Objection 3: Further, external occupation hinders the contemplation
of wisdom; hence it is said: "He that is less in action, shall
receive wisdom" (Ecclus. 38:25). So if some angels are sent
on external ministrations, they would seemingly be hindered from
contemplation. But the whole of their beatitude consists in the
contemplation of God. So if they were sent, their beatitude would be
lessened; which is unfitting.
Objection 4: Further, to minister is the part of an inferior;
hence it is written (Lk. 22:27): "Which is the greater, he
that sitteth at table, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at
table?" But the angels are naturally greater than we are. Therefore
they are not sent to administer to us.
On the contrary, It is written (Ex. 23:20): "Behold I
will send My angels who shall go before thee."
I answer that, From what has been said above (Question 108,
Article 6), it may be shown that some angels are sent in ministry by
God. For, as we have already stated (Question 43, Article
1), in treating of the mission of the Divine Persons, he is said
to be sent who in any way proceeds from another so as to begin to be
where he was not, or to be in another way, where he already was.
Thus the Son, or the Holy Ghost is said to be sent as proceeding
from the Father by origin; and begins to be in a new way, by grace or
by the nature assumed, where He was before by the presence of His
Godhead; for it belongs to God to be present everywhere, because,
since He is the universal agent, His power reaches to all being, and
hence He exists in all things (Question 8, Article 1). An
angel's power, however, as a particular agent, does not reach to the
whole universe, but reaches to one thing in such a way as not to reach
another; and so he is "here" in such a manner as not to be
"there." But it is clear from what was above stated (Question
110, Article 1), that the corporeal creature is governed by the
angels. Hence, whenever an angel has to perform any work concerning a
corporeal creature, the angel applies himself anew to that body by his
power; and in that way begins to be there afresh. Now all this takes
place by Divine command. Hence it follows that an angel is sent by
God.
Yet the action performed by the angel who is sent, proceeds from God
as from its first principle, at Whose nod and by Whose authority the
angels work; and is reduced to God as to its last end. Now this is
what is meant by a minister: for a minister is an intelligent
instrument; while an instrument is moved by another, and its action is
ordered to another. Hence angels' actions are called 'ministries';
and for this reason they are said to be sent in ministry.
Reply to Objection 1: An operation can be intellectual in two
ways. In one way, as dwelling in the intellect itself, as
contemplation; such an operation does not demand to occupy a place;
indeed, as Augustine says (De Trin. iv, 20): "Even we
ourselves as mentally tasting something eternal, are not in this
world." In another sense an action is said to be intellectual because
it is regulated and commanded by some intellect; in that sense the
intellectual operations evidently have sometimes a determinate place.
Reply to Objection 2: The empyrean heaven belongs to the angelic
dignity by way of congruity; forasmuch as it is congruous that the
higher body should be attributed to that nature which occupies a rank
above bodies. Yet an angel does not derive his dignity from the
empyrean heaven; so when he is not actually in the empyrean heaven,
nothing of his dignity is lost, as neither does a king lessen his
dignity when not actually sitting on his regal throne, which suits his
dignity.
Reply to Objection 3: In ourselves the purity of contemplation is
obscured by exterior occupation; because we give ourselves to action
through the sensitive faculties, the action of which when intense
impedes the action of the intellectual powers. An angel, on the
contrary, regulates his exterior actions by intellectual operation
alone. Hence it follows that his external occupations in no respect
impede his contemplation; because given two actions, one of which is
the rule and the reason of the other, one does not hinder but helps the
other. Wherefore Gregory says (Moral. ii) that "the angels do
not go abroad in such a manner as to lose the delights of inward
contemplation."
Reply to Objection 4: In their external actions the angels chiefly
minister to God, and secondarily to us; not because we are superior
to them, absolutely speaking, but because, since every man or angel
by cleaving to God is made one spirit with God, he is thereby
superior to every creature. Hence the Apostle says (Phil.
2:3): "Esteeming others better than themselves."
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