He ... was seen by angels.
(1 Timothy 3:16)
The two most important times in Jesus' life were witnessed by the angels: His birth and His ressurection. At His birth, the angels sang to the shepherds, "Glory to God in the highest Heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom He is pleased" (Luke 2:14). After His resurrection, an angel sat on the stone he had rolled away from Jesus' tomb. He said to the women, "I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has been raised, just as He said. Come and see the place where He was lying" (Matthew 28:5-6).
The two most important events in human history were witnessed by the angelic hosts. Angels appear many other times in the Bible to deliver messages. After all, the word angel means "messenger". They are sent from God's presence to deliver His messages. And the greatest message of all is the message of Jesus Christ. As St. John says in his Gospel, "We saw His glory, the glory which He received as the Father's only Son" (1:14). We also have seen His glory. Not in the great miracles. Not walking around with us along the way. We see His glory in the sacred pages of the holy revelation He has given us in the Bible. We see His glory as we come to His table and receive His body and blood with the bread and wine of Holy Communion. We see His glory in the lives of our fellow Christians.
Show forth His glory and be a messenger like God's holy angels. Bring God's message to someone who doesn't know it today. Amen.
