Chapter II. That this sacrament makes one communicate with the glory of Angels.

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CAPUT II. Quod hoc sacramentum facit communicare Angelorum gloriae.

Hoc etiam sacramentum nobis communicationem praestat Angelorum gloriae. Gloria enim Angelorum consistit in reparatione ruinae angelicae, consistit etiam in affectu ministerii injuncti, consistit in illuminatione divina, et consistit in reductione in divinam perfruitionem.

Ruina autem Angelorum ex hoc reparatur sacramento: quia non reparatur nisi de his qui incorporantur Christo, sicut ipse dicit, Joan. III, 13: Nemo ascendit in caelum, nisi qui descendit de caelo, Filius hominis, qui est in caelo. Si autem nemo ascendit nisi Filius hominis, pro certo nemo ascendit nisi incorporatus Filio hominis: nullus autem incorporatur corpori mystico nisi per corpus verum et sumptionem ipsius: oportet igitur, quod per corpus Christi ruina Angelorum restituatur: restituti igitur communicant gloriae Angelorum per communionem corporis Christi. Deuter. XXXII, 8, secundum translationem Septuaginta: « Statuit terminos populorum juxta numerum Angelorum Dei.¹ » Termini autem illi sunt termini gloriae Angelorum. Hinc est, quod dicuntur homines esse fratres Angelorum: quia sunt de sorte gloriae Angelorum. Matth. XVIII, 10: Angeli eorum semper vident faciem Patris mei qui in caelis est.

Sic etiam si fideles incorporantur Christo, perducitur ad effectum ministerium angelicum. Ad Hebr. I, 14, dicitur: Nonne omnes sunt administratorii spiritus, in ministerium missi propter eos qui haereditatem capient salutis? Non modicum igitur gloriae habent, quando eorum impletur ministerium. Hinc est, quod gaudere dicuntur in poenitentiis peccatorum, et flere et tristari in peccatis commissorum. De primo quidem dicitur, Luc. XV, 10: Gaudium erit coram Angelis Dei super uno peccatore poenitentiam agente. Econtra dicitur, Isa. XXXIII, 7: Angeli pacis amare flebunt, hoc est, ad modum flentium se habebunt: quia desiderant ut Christo sibi ad custodiam commissi incorporentur, et sic redeant ad communionem gloriae Angelorum. Et sic per sacramentum et communionem ipsius ad communionem redimus Angelorum, sic participamus divinas illuminationes: quia, sicut dicit Dionysius, lex divinitatis est per prima media, et per media ultima reducere. Unde sicut Angeli illuminantur a Christo etiam secundum humanitatem, secundum quod dicitur, I Petri, I, 12: In quem desiderant Angeli prospicere. Glossa: « Etiam secundum humanitatem. » Sicut ergo a Christo illuminantur, ita et in illuminationes Christi reducere intendunt homines sibi commissos. Per hoc autem Christo spiritualiter incorporantur, et communionem percipiunt sanctorum Angelorum per incorporationem Christi. Job, XXV, 3: Numquid est numerus militum ejus, et super quem non surget lumen illius?

CHAPTER II. That this sacrament makes one communicate with the glory of Angels.

This sacrament also provides for us communication of the glory of Angels. For the glory of Angels consists in the repair of the angelic ruin; it also consists in affection for the ministry enjoined; it consists in divine illumination; and it consists in reduction into divine enjoyment.

But the ruin of the Angels is repaired from this sacrament, because it is repaired only from those who are incorporated into Christ, as he himself says, John 3:13: "No one ascends into heaven except the Son of man, who descended from heaven, who is in heaven." But if no one ascends except the Son of man, certainly no one ascends unless incorporated into the Son of man. But no one is incorporated into the mystical body except through the true body and the reception of it. Therefore it is necessary that through the body of Christ the ruin of the Angels be restored; therefore those restored communicate in the glory of Angels through communion of the body of Christ. Deuteronomy 32:8, according to the translation of the Septuagint: "He established the boundaries of peoples according to the number of the Angels of God.¹" But those boundaries are the boundaries of the glory of Angels. Hence it is that men are said to be brothers of Angels, because they are of the lot of the glory of Angels. Matthew 18:10: "Their Angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven."

Thus also, if the faithful are incorporated into Christ, the angelic ministry is brought to effect. Hebrews 1:14 says: "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent into ministry because of those who will receive the inheritance of salvation?" Therefore they have no small glory when their ministry is fulfilled. Hence it is that they are said to rejoice in the penances of sinners, and to weep and be sad over the sins of those committed to them. Concerning the first indeed it is said, Luke 15:10: "There will be joy before the Angels of God over one sinner doing penance." On the contrary it is said, Isaiah 33:7: "The Angels of peace will weep bitterly," that is, they will bear themselves in the manner of those weeping, because they desire that those committed to their guardianship be incorporated into Christ, and thus return to communion of the glory of Angels. And thus through the sacrament and communion of it we return to the communion of Angels; thus we participate in divine illuminations, because, as Dionysius says, the law of deity is to reduce middle things through first things, and last things through middle things. Hence just as Angels are illuminated by Christ even according to humanity, according to what is said, I Peter 1:12: "Into whom Angels desire to look." Gloss: "Even according to humanity." Therefore just as they are illuminated by Christ, so they also intend to reduce men committed to them into the illuminations of Christ. But through this men are spiritually incorporated into Christ, and receive the communion of the holy Angels through incorporation into Christ. Job 25:3: "Is there a number of his soldiers, and over whom will his light not rise?"

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Sic enim homines et Angeli unam habent communem illuminationem, et unam coelestis civitatis communionem. Apocal. XXI, 23: Civitas non eget sole, neque luna, ut luceant in ea: nam claritas Dei illuminavit eam, et lucerna ejus est Agnus. Sic igitur communicant illuminationes Angelorum.

Participant etiam Angelorum gloriae in reductione ad Deum, ad quem omnis illuminator suum intendit reducere a se illuminatum. Dicit enim, Eccli. I, 5, quod fons sapientiae est verbum Dei in excelsis. Cum igitur fons sapientiae sit primum illuminans, omnis Angelus illuminatas animas reducit ad Verbum: non autem ad Verbum reducuntur nisi qui verbo et lumini incorporantur. Unde de talibus dicitur in Psalmo LXXXVIII, 16 et 17: Domine, in lumine vultus tui ambulabunt: et in nomine tuo exsultabunt tota die, et in justitia tua exaltabuntur. Quia tales in lumine Dei assumpti, Christo lumini incorporaliter assimilantur et incorporantur: quia dicitur, ad Philip. III, 21, quod reformabit corpus humilitatis nostrae configuratum corpori claritatis suae.

Sic enim gloriae Angelorum communicamus per hoc quod Christo incorporamur.

For thus men and Angels have one common illumination and one communion of the heavenly city. Apocalypse 21:23: "The city does not need sun or moon to shine in it, for the brightness of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb." Thus therefore they communicate in the illuminations of Angels.

They also participate in the glory of Angels in reduction to God, to whom every illuminator intends to reduce the one illuminated by him. For Ecclesiasticus 1:5 says that "the fountain of wisdom is the Word of God in the heights." Therefore since the fountain of wisdom is the first illuminator, every Angel reduces illuminated souls to the Word; but only those who are incorporated into the Word and light are reduced to the Word. Hence concerning such persons it is said in Psalm 88:16 and 17: "Lord, they will walk in the light of your countenance, and in your name they will exult all day, and in your justice they will be exalted." Because such persons, assumed in the light of God, are incorporeally assimilated and incorporated into Christ the light, because it is said, Philippians 3:21, that he "will reform the body of our humility, configured to the body of his brightness."

For thus we communicate in the glory of Angels through this, that we are incorporated into Christ.

Notes

The Vulgate has, Deuteronomy 32:8: "He established the boundaries of peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel." (Vulgata habet, Deuter. XXXII, 8: Constituit terminos populorum juxta numerum filiorum Israel.) ↩