Thursday, February 09, 2006
Saints & Angels: The TLB Prime series!
Saint Anthony of the Desert as he is often called is a most fascinating "case" - as he is totally and absolutely devoid of any material attachment (an admirable feat at any point in human history - especially if one is born in this day and age or amongst riches). As the case is, Anthony was indeed the son of well-to-do parents (and he is not to be confused with St. Antonio de Padua, who was born some 900 years later!) Anthony had indeed inherited a fortune... However, he wanted to emulate the Apostles, and proceeded to do so. Upon hearing, at his local church, the Gospel words, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all thou hast", "he received (these words) as spoken to himself, disposed of all his property and goods, and devoted himself exclusively to religious exercises."
"Long before this it had been usual for Christians to practice asceticism, abstain from marriage and exercising themselves in self-denial, fasting, prayer, and works of piety; but this they had done in the midst of their families, and without leaving house or home."
Around 270 A.D., St. Anthony withdrew from the world completely - "then he took up his abode in one of the tombs, near his native village, and there it was that the Life records those strange conflicts with demons in the shape of wild beasts, who inflicted blows upon him, and sometimes left him nearly dead."
Note that the chief source of information on St. Anthony is a Greek tome titled "Life" which is attributed to St. Athanasius and is to be found in any edition of his works.
After fifteen years spent battling these demons, at the age of thirty-five, "Anthony determined to withdraw from the habitations of men and retire in absolute solitude. He crossed the Nile, and on a mountain near the east bank, then called Pispir, now Der el Memum, he found an old fort into which he shut himself, and lived there for twenty years without seeing the face of man, food being thrown to him over the wall."
He would be visited there, this time good visitors too... Pilgrims who wished to become his disciples in fact. He would refuse at first - but, in time, gave in to the demands for spiritual guidance... "about the year 305, he yielded to their importunities an emerged from his retreat, and, to the surprise of all, he appeared to be as when he had gone in, not emaciated, but vigorous in body and mind. For five or six years he devoted himself to the instruction and organization of the great body of monks that had grown up around him; but hen he once again withdrew into the inner desert that lay between the Nile and the Red Sea, near the shore of which he fixed his abode on a mountain where still stands the monastery that bears his name, Der Mar Antonios."
There he would spend the last forty-five years of his passage on Earth - but not in complete seclusion this time. He made trips to Alexandria at that time, to strengthen the faith of others during the persecution of 311 A.D. and he would see all those who would visit him.
"The Life says he dies at the age of a hundred and five, and St. Jerome places his death in 356-357. All the chronology is based on the hypothesis that this date and the figures in the Life are correct. At his own request his grave was kept secret by the two disciples who buried him, lest his body should become an object of reverence."
More details on his legacy - the many writings and teachings that he left behind - on the link above (not the main link, which is about angels!)
And speaking of which...
As our Angel of the Day for this edition of "Saints And Angels"... how about Gabriel... hmm?
Although he is mentioned only twice in the New Testament, Gabriel is clearly the best-known angel of all-time (with one or two other exceptions, maybe...!)
That must be because "he is throughout (his appearances - which include two more in the Old Testament) the angel of the Incarnation and of Consolation, and so in Christian tradition Gabriel is ever the angel of mercy while Michael is rather the angel of judgment."
Consolation and mercy is what we all seek, ultimately... hence the popularity of Gabriel is easily explainable.
Having noted that, it is equally important to note that "Gabriel is, in accordance with his name, the angel of the Power of God" and that, as such, he is attributed "the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as well as that of the host of Sennacherib". This is the hebrew point of view (as usual, somewhat the same but also different from that of christiandom) as "the Jews indeed seem to have dwelt particularly upon this feature in Gabriel's character (his name signifying the Power of God), and he is regarded by them as the angel of judgment, while Michael is (the one who is) called the angel of mercy."
To be fair, Judaism also regards Gabriel "as the angel who buried Moses, and as the man deputed to mark the figure Tau on the foreheads of the elect (Ezekiel 4)."
Fascinating it is also to point out the "uncredited appearances" that Gabriel most probably has made, for "it is not unreasonable to suppose with Christian tradition that it is he who appeared to St. Joseph and to the shepherds, and also that it was he who "strengthened" Our Lord in the garden (cf. the Hymn for Lauds on 24 March)." Gabriel is generally termed only an archangel (though most people naturally presume archangels to be the highest-ranked ones - see the main link here in the post's title or at the bottom of it to learn more about that.)
"The expression used by St. Raphael, "I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord" (Tob., xii, 15) and St. Gabriel's own words, "I am Gabriel, who stands before God" (Luke 1, 19), have led some to think that these angels must belong to the highest rank; but this is generally explained as referring to their rank as the highest of God's messengers, and not as placing them among the Seraphim and Cherubim (cf. St. Thomas, I, Q. cxii, a.3; III, Q. xxx, a.2, ad 4um)."
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One important thing to mention too is that "the only Scriptural names furnished of individual angels are Raphael, Michael, and Gabriel, names which signify their respective attributes. Apocryphal Jewish books, such as the Book of Enoch, supply those of Uriel and Jeremiel, while many are found in other apocryphal sources, like those Milton names in "Paradise Lost"."
One not-so important thing to mention is that today, February 9th, was Toothache Day!
Thanks to my guardian angel (who surely kept the evil tooth fairy away) I went through the day unaffected and unscathed!
;)
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Thanks to my guardian angel (who surely kept the evil tooth fairy away) I went through the day unaffected and unscathed!
;)
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