Angels are all around us (even in the outfield), but so few of us know who they are and why they are here. They are purely spiritual beings, living in a realm that is entirely foreign to us. They are all around us, yet we rarely if ever see their action in the world.
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Why did God create angels if we can not see them?
Strictly speaking there is not much written about the creation of angels in official Church teaching or in the Bible.
The Council of Trent (1566) published a catechism often called the “Roman Catechism” or simply the “Catechism of the Council of Trent.” In it we read:
Moreover, He created out of nothing the spiritual world and Angels innumerable to serve and minister to Him; and these He enriched and adorned with the admirable gifts of His grace and power.
On this subject St. Augustine says: In creating the Angels He endowed them with good will, that is, with pure love that they might adhere to Him, giving them existence and adorning them with grace at one and the same time. Hence we are to believe that the holy Angels were never without good will, that is, the love of God.
As to their knowledge we have this testimony of Holy Scripture: Thou, my Lord, O king, art wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to understand all things upon earth.’ Finally, the inspired David ascribes power to them, saying that they are mighty in strength, and execute his word; and on this account they are often called in Scripture the powers and the armies of the Lord.
The Church then later published a new “Catechism of the Catholic Church” in 1992 which we read:
332 Angels have been present since creation and throughout the history of salvation.
330 As purely spiritual creatures angels have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures, surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendor of their glory bears witness.
Pope John Paul II confirmed these beliefs when giving a General Audience in 1986:
In the perfection of their spiritual nature the angels are called from the beginning, by virtue of their intelligence, to know the truth and to love the good which they know in truth in a more full and perfect way than is possible to man. (July 23, 1986)
Even more so, since the act of Creation is an act of the Blessed Trinity, the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” asserts:
331 Christ is the center of the angelic world. They are his angels: “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him.” They belong to him because they were created through and for him: “for in him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities – all things were created through him and for him.” They belong to him still more because he has made them messengers of his saving plan: “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?” (emphasis added)
To summarize what we have learned so far about the creation of the angels:
- God created the angels out of nothing.
- Angels were endowed with intelligence and free will at their creation.
- Angels are purely spiritual beings.
- Angels have been present ever since creation and throughout history.
- Angels were created by Christ and for Christ.
Most importantly, we get to the “why” part of creation. As is already quoted:
They belong to him still more because he has made them messengers of his saving plan.
God created the angels to serve as “messengers” of His plan of salvation. This is clearly evident as one reads Sacred Scripture. The angels continually relayed to the People of God, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, God’s plan to save us.
The Creation of the Angels – Tradition
While official Church teaching gives us a glimpse into why the angels were created, it does not give us specifics as to “when.” The Church simply says that the angels were created and were present at creation.
Traditionally speaking, all of the angels in the world were created at one instance at the very beginning of creation. One theory that we are allowed to believe is that on the first day when God made “light,” the “light” He made was the angels (Gen. 1:3). This is further confirmed when God “divided the light from the darkness,” referring to the rebellion of the angels led by Lucifer (Gen. 1:4). This is brought forth by Saint Augustine in “City of God:”
For when God said, “Let there be light, and there was light,” if we are justified in understanding in this light the creation of the angels, then certainly they were created partakers of the eternal light which is the unchangeable Wisdom of God, by which all things were made, and whom we call the only-begotten Son of God; so that they, being illumined by the Light that created them, might themselves become light and be called “Day,” in participation of that unchangeable Light and Day which is the Word of God, by whom both themselves and all else were made. (Book 11, Chapter 9, emphasis added)
It makes logical sense as the “Sun” and “Moon” were not created until the fourth day!
Other beliefs simply state that the angels were created at a single moment during creation, not specificying which day. However, all agree that angels were created before humans.
In addition to being given the task of relaying the plan of God to man, the early Church Fathers believed that the angels were somehow given control over the natural world:
“Origen speaks of angels set in charge of the four elements….and of angels presiding over the different domains of the universe, over the stars, the meteors, the plants, and the animals.” (Jean Danielou, The Angels and Their Mission, 3)
Even Saint Thomas Aquinas agrees on this bold statement:
“All corporeal things are govered by the angels. And this is not only the teaching of the holy doctors, but of all the philosophers” (Jean Danielou, The Angels and Their Mission, 3).
So not only were angels present at the very beginning of creation, they were also given the task of governing the natural world! They are God’s instruments in the world.
As a note, this does not diminish God’s dominion over the earth, but simply puts the angels as an “instrument” of God. God works through them both to relay His plan as well as in ordering the natural world.