THE GUADIAN ANGELS OF THE MOST HOLY MARY
Then
the Most High chose and appointed those who were to be the guardianship of Mary
from each of the nine choirs of angels. He selected one hundred, being nine
hundred in all. Moreover He assigned twelve
others who should in a special manner assist Mary in corporeal and visible
forms; and they were to bear the emblems or escutcheons of the Redemption.
These are the twelve which are mentioned in the twenty-first chapter of the
Apocalypse as guarding the portals of the city. Besides these the Lord assigned
eighteen other angels, selected from
the highest ranks, who were to ascend and descend by that mystical stairs of
Jacob with the message of the Queen to his Majesty and those of the Lord to
Her. For, many times did She send them to the eternal Father in order to be
governed in all her actions by the Holy Spirit.
St. Michael head of the
guardian angels
In addition to all these holy angels the
Almighty assigned and appointed seventy
seraphim, choosing them from the highest ranks and from those nearest to the
Divinity, in order that they might communicate and converse with this Princess
of heaven in the same way as they themselves have intercourse with each other,
and as the higher communicate with the lower ones. This was a privilege
conferred upon the Mother of God because She was to be a wayfarer on earth and
in nature inferior, though in dignity and grace, superior to all the seraphim.
That there were seventy of these spirits, had reference to the number of years
of her life, which was seventy and not sixty. Among this number are included
the sixty strong ones, which in the Canticles are mentioned as guarding the
chamber or couch of Solomon, their loins girded with swords against the terror
of the night.
One of the guardian angels
The other ten seraphim, which complete the
number of seventy, were likewise chosen from the more distinguished leaders of
those who in their opposition to the dragon had manifested a greater reverence
for the Divinity and humanity of the Word and for his most holy Mother; for all
this was determined during that brief conflict of the holy angels. It was one
of the principal distinctions merited by them at the time that they were to be
selected as guardians of their Queen and Lady. Altogether a thousand angels were
chosen from the Seraphim and the lower orders of angels, and thus that City of
God was superabundantly fortified against the infernal hosts.
Some of the guardian angels
In
order that this invincible warrior-troop might be well appointed, Saint
Michael, the prince of the heavenly militia was placed at their head. The
Almighty destined him as a special ambassador of Christ our Lord and to act in
some of the mysteries as the defender of his most holy Mother. In a like manner
the holy prince Gabriel was appointed to act as legate and minister of the
eternal Father in the affairs of the Princess of heaven. Thus did the most holy
Trinity provide for the custody and the defense of the Mother of God.
