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Objection 1: It would seem that an angel does not speak to God.
For speech makes known something to another. But an angel cannot make
known anything to God, Who knows all things. Therefore an angel
does not speak to God.
Objection 2: Further, to speak is to order the mental concept in
reference to another, as was shown above (Article 1). But an
angel ever orders his mental concept to God. So if an angel speaks to
God, he ever speaks to God; which in some ways appears to be
unreasonable, since an angel sometimes speaks to another angel.
Therefore it seems that an angel never speaks to God.
On the contrary, It is written (Zach. 1:12): "The angel of
the Lord answered and said: O Lord of hosts, how long wilt Thou
not have mercy on Jerusalem." Therefore an angel speaks to God.
I answer that, As was said above (Articles 1,2), the angel
speaks by ordering his mental concept to something else. Now one thing
is ordered to another in a twofold manner. In one way for the purpose
of giving one thing to another, as in natural things the agent is
ordered to the patient, and in human speech the teacher is ordered to
the learner; and in this sense an angel in no way speaks to God either
of what concerns the truth, or of whatever depends on the created
will; because God is the principle and source of all truth and of all
will. In another way one thing is ordered to another to receive
something, as in natural things the passive is ordered to the agent,
and in human speech the disciple to the master; and in this way an
angel speaks to God, either by consulting the Divine will of what
ought to be done, or by admiring the Divine excellence which he can
never comprehend; thus Gregory says (Moral. ii) that "the angels
speak to God, when by contemplating what is above themselves they rise
to emotions of admiration."
Reply to Objection 1: Speech is not always for the purpose of
making something known to another; but is sometimes finally ordered to
the purpose of manifesting something to the speaker himself; as when
the disciples ask instruction from the master.
Reply to Objection 2: The angels are ever speaking to God in the
sense of praising and admiring Him and His works; but they speak to
Him by consulting Him about what ought to be done whenever they have
to perform any new work, concerning which they desire enlightenment.
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