We exist because God knows us, Angels: Day 003

Last updated on: July 24, 2016 at 3:30 am by Pete Socks

We exist because God knows us, Angels: Day 003 2016-07-09T15:59:20-05:00 Pete Socks

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We exist because God knows us

God has angel messengers, says St. Augustine, but they do not bring him information he does not already know. Instead, they learn the truth about their own lives from God. All of us—humans and angels—exist only because God knows us.

Doubtless God has messengers, namely the angels—but not to bring him news of things he does not know about, since there is nothing he does not know. But their good lies in looking into the truth about their own works.

This is what it means when it is said that they bring him word of some things. It is not that he learns from them, but they learn from him, by his word, without bodily sound. They also bring him word of what he wills, since they are sent by him to whomever he wills, and they hear everything by his word—that is to say, they find in his truth what they are themselves meant to do, what word they are to bring, to whom they are to bring it, and when.

And we also pray to God, but we do not inform him of what our needs are: “for your Father knows what you need before you ask him,” says his Word (Matt. 6:8). He did not become aware of them at some particular time. He knew before- hand, without any beginning, everything that would happen in time. And among those things he knew what we would ask of him, and when we would ask it. And he knew to whom he would listen or not listen, and on what subjects.

As for all his creatures—both spiritual and bodily—he does not know them because they exist. Rather, they exist because he knows them. –St. Augustine, On the Trinity, 15.13

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

The angels know God by looking into the truth. Do I search enough in God’s Word to find out the truth about what I’m meant to do?

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, I do not have the glorious power of your angels. But you can overcome my weak nature and make me worthy to be delighted with the sweetness of your divine Scriptures.

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