Annotation CXLIX

”When thou goest with thy adversary to the ruler, etc.” — Luke 12:58

On the guardian angels.

Origen, in homily 35 on Luke, hints that some of the angels — appointed for our guardianship — do not yet see God, and are still uncertain concerning their own salvation. His words are these: “At the same time inquire whether the angels of the little ones in the Church always see the face of the Father, and [whether] the angels of others do not have the freedom to behold the countenance of the Father. For it is not to be hoped that the angels of all see the face of the Father who is in heaven. If I shall be of the Church — however least I be — my angel has the freedom and confidence always to see the face of my Father who is in heaven. But if [I be] outside, and not of that Church which has no spot, or wrinkle, or anything of that kind

of that kind, and by the very fact I am proved to be a stranger to such a congregation. My angel does not have confidence to look upon the face of my Father who is in heaven.” For which cause the angels are solicitous for the good, knowing that if they govern us well, and bring [us] through unto salvation, they too shall have confidence to see the face of the Father. For as, if by their care and industry salvation is procured for men, they always behold the face of the Father: so, if by their negligence a man has fallen, they are not ignorant that the matter is [one] of their own peril also. And as a good bishop, and the best steward of the Church, knows [it] to be [a matter] of his merit and virtue, if the sheep of the flock entrusted to him have been guarded: so understand also concerning the angels. It is a disgrace to an angel, if a just man has been entrusted to him, and he [the man] has sinned; as, on the contrary, it is a glory to an angel, if [the one] entrusted to him has been, at least, the least in the Church. For they will see, not sometimes, but always, the face of the Father who is in heaven, whereas others do not always see [it]. For according to the merit of those whose angels they are, the angels will contemplate the face of God either always, or never, or little, or more.