1.        The source or origin of angelic beings has long been a question of interest.  The omission of this knowledge in Sacred Scripture and the lack of Catholic doctrine leaves the question open to speculation as to the point and time of their beginnings.  Intelligent life as we know it begins at the instant of conception.  This is when a new spirit is created by God and begins association with life in a manner that enables it to slowly become accustomed to life in order to reach its highest possible level of development.

2.        A preliminary step in the resolution of the question concerning the origin of angels would be in realizing that angelic beings –by the power of God or the nature of a spirit existence– would not be restricted to time as we are.  An additional insight is given in Scripture when it tells us that in the next life we will live like the angels.

It is being considered that angels begin their existence conceived as natural human beings that have been prematurely separated from their bodies either by natural events, by accident, or as a consequence of acts that intentionally terminate their lives, that is, before having sufficient spiritual maturity to enable them to make sound moral decisions upon which they can be justly judged.

3.        It is a requirement for ascendancy into Heaven that one accept the salvific act of Jesus on the cross, recognize Him as Lord, and practice the received Word of God according to each one's capacity.  Everyone who enters Heaven must have come to the stage of loving God with their whole heart, mind, body, and soul.  This can not be done by a surrogate. In Catholic doctrine there is only one exception – the Immaculate Conception. In Biblical rendering there is another probable exception – Saint John the Baptist [Mt. 11:14; 17:12; Mk. 9:13; Lk. 1:17].  There has not been, is not, and is not foreseen that there will be any further exceptions.  One can learn of Jesus and accept Him either in this life, in an alternate state of existence –for those who while in natural life had no opportunity to commit sins of thought, word, or deed– or in the case of those without knowledge of Jesus, but have culpability for sin in human form, during a process of purification following death.

1. "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit," [Matthew 28:19] — One can only become a disciple by positive decision following a learning process.
2. "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned." [Mark 16:16] — The exercise of personal rational choice is necessary for salvation.
3. "Jesus answered, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit."" [John 3:5] — Spiritual values require spiritual wisdom. Wisdom requires the acceptance of positive understood knowledge obtained by being open to truth.

4.        Incarnated with eternal knowledge and love of God the Father, Jesus came into the world with baptism of the spirit. He had only to acquire human experience and be brought to a worthy age for priestly ministry. Jesus received the water baptism of John as a public sign of His dedication to God the Father. The sign of His spiritual approval –confirmation– for loyalty to and love of God the Father came when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him.

"After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened (for him), and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove (and) coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." " [Matthew 3:16-17]

5.        These words of God the Father were recognition of positive association. They affirmed relationship and endorsed the existence of inherent baptism of the spirit. John's water baptism of Jesus established the legal requirement for baptism.

"While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior of the country and came (down) to Ephesus where he found some disciples. He said to them, "Did you receive the holy Spirit when you became believers?" They answered him, "We have never even heard that there is a holy Spirit." He said, "How were you baptized?" They replied, "With the baptism of John." Paul then said, "John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus." When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul laid (his) hands on them, the holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Altogether there were about twelve men." [Acts 19:1-7]

6.        A baptism of repentance is worthy but different than a baptism received with knowledge of the word of God, Jesus. The fullness of Christian baptism is received when one is baptized with water either before or after having personally accepted the word of God. Legal baptism is received when a parent or guardian assures that training in the word of God will commence at the proper time and will subsequently continue until responsibly completed, or for any reason where water baptism is received apart from faith. When a practicing faith is established an individual may further receive formal commissioning as a secular disciple with the reception of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation.

"They answered, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, respected by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear what you have to say." " [Acts 10:22]

"And that is why I came without objection when sent for. May I ask, then, why you summoned me?"

Cornelius replied, "Four days ago at this hour, three o'clock in the afternoon, I was at prayer in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling robes stood before me and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your almsgiving remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.' " [Acts 10:29-32]

"While Peter was still speaking these things, the holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the holy Spirit even as we have?" He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for a few days." [Acts 10:44-48]

7.        Cornelius received the confirmation of the Holy Spirit prior to receiving baptism of water. Baptism of the spirit –love of God and truth– had already been obtained by Cornelius and those with him prior to being sent a messenger from God. Cornelius' salvation was already assured provided he continued to keep faith according to the knowledge he was obtaining and given the opportunity to receive.  NOTE: "listening to the word," indicates a comprehensive understanding of what was being said and not just the mere reception of sound.

8.        The performance of good deeds is a requirement for salvation.

• "He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not
  do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.'
  
• And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous
  to eternal life." " [Matthew 25:45-46 see also 24:44 - 25:44]

9.        Angels –postulated as being spirits prematurely separated from their natural bodies– must undergo a period of trial with problems associated with their new condition of existence. The challenges facing them are less than for those retaining human bodies during their trial period and therefore their potential for growth is lessened. They must build their relationship with God in spiritual (angelic) form with an identifying soul. Following their judgement they were determined to be either good angels or bad / fallen angels referred to as devils. The advantage of human form is that one can build a fuller relationship with God through the challenges of the more difficult trials associated with human bodies. The obstacles of human form are greater than those of angelic form. The rewards for overcoming the more severe trials found in bodily life are also greater. After judgement angels may take on additional identifying characteristics that portray them as either God's angels or devils.

10.        Angels, living as spirits, are identified by the genetic code that was inherent in their original bodies. They are known by their human appearance and solidify their pre-designated bodily form at will. Angels are not subjected to the limitations of time and space as we are. When separated from their original material body they were infused with knowledge and given challenges suitable to their condition of existence. They may have been transported through time by the power of God¹ and assigned tasks associated with the formation of the universe with utilization of powers that we can only speculate about. Following judgement, God's angels fellowship with Him and serve in one fashion or another as messengers; while devils roam the universe seeking the destruction of souls.

11.        From school days I recall being told that some saint or theologian had postulated that the ultimate challenge presented to angels before judgement was that one day they would have to bow down and worship a man –men were considered by angels to be inferior beings due to their inherent weakness of mind and body. Humans were considered puny by comparison to themselves and the powers they possessed– named Jesus. Pride kept many of them from recognizing that following judgement glorified humans would be their superiors. As with all of mankind pride was at the core of their sins.

12.        Quotes from Sacred Scripture concerning angels and their form.

1. "Do you not know that we will judge angels? Then why not everyday matters?" [1 Cor. 6:3]
   Inferior beings do not judge superior beings.
2. "and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.' " [Matthew 4:6]
   
3. "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." [Matthew 25:41]
   As pure spirits can not experience pain a material element of existence is implied.
4. "And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it." [Matthew 28:2]
5. "When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven." [Mark 12:25]
6. "the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense." [Luke 1:11]
7. "Jesus said to them, "The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise." [Luke 20:34-36]
   Glorified bodies will have the following basic qualities:               
   [Ref.: "The Catholic Catechism" by Father John A. Hardon, p. 265]
   1. Impassibility (immortal / painless) – immunity from death and pain
   2. Subtility (permeability) – freedom from restraint by matter (Jesus was able to pass through closed doors)
   3. Agility – obedience to spirit with relation to movement and space (able to move through space with the speed of thought)
   4. Clarity – resplendent beauty of the soul manifested in the body (as when Jesus was transfigured on Mount Tabor)

8. "and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been." [John 20:12]
9. "Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, "Get up quickly." The chains fell from his wrists. The angel said to him, "Put on your belt and your sandals." He did so. Then he said to him, "Put on your cloak and follow me." So he followed him out, not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real; he thought he was seeing a vision." [Acts 12:7-9]
   At times heavenly angels have an identifying characteristic that makes them recognizable for what they are.
10. "Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels." [Hebrews 13:2]
    Angles may take various human and non human forms with and without angelic characteristics.
    Ezekiel 1:9 [10] Their faces were like this: each of the four had the face of a man, but on the right side was the face of a lion, and on the left side the face of an ox, and finally each had the face of an eagle. Their faces (and their wings) looked out on all their four sides; they did not turn when they moved, but each went straight forward.
    
    Ezekiel 10:9 [20] these were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the river Chebar, whom I now recognized to be cherubim. Each had four faces and four wings; something like human hands were under their wings. Their faces looked just like those I had seen by the river Chebar; each one went straight forward. [14] Each had four faces: the first face was that of an ox, the second that of a man, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle. Such were the living creatures I had seen by the river Chebar.
    
    [9] I also saw four wheels beside them, one wheel beside each cherub; the wheels appeared to have the luster of chrysolite stone.

11. "The angels too, who did not keep to their own domain but deserted their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains, in gloom, for the judgment of the great day." [Jude 1:6]
    Unjudged angels who had committed grave sin while in human form.

12.        Immediately upon disassociation with its natural body an angelic being is directly infused with knowledge upon which to gain understanding and wisdom. It is assigned tasks that are necessary to occupy the individual's mind during its period of association with existence. This also allows time for acquiring knowledge and making decisions as part of its spiritual development. An angel must gain experience in order to come to a point of understanding that enables it to make choices concerning good and evil.

13.        Imagine yourself coming into existence fully grown but without any association with life – no knowledge, no life experience, no ability to communicate, no familiar reference points to use to understand anything. You materialize on a busy street corner in the middle of New York City, at high noon, with traffic speeding by in different directions and multitudes of people moving about. Lights are changing color, whistles are blowing, horns honking, and noise coming from peoples faces without being able to associate with the words being spoken. You have absolutely no concept of what is taking place. You are in a high traffic area being pushed and shoved around by objects (people) because of your own inaction due to complete uncertainty as to what to do or what was expected of you.

14.        This would be analogous to a new angelic being arriving in the universe without knowledge, without expectations, without any frame of reference to function from. Because of its spiritual nature it could not be harmed in the natural sense as it has only a spectral body. Without any sense of association, as would be true with any intellectual being under similar circumstances, it would quickly become psychotic and probably insane.

Father David C. Trosch
June 18, 2000
Trinity Sunday

ADDENDUM:

Tobit 5:4-5  Tobiah went to look for someone acquainted with the roads who would travel with him to Media. As soon as he went out, he found the angel Raphael standing before him, though he did not know that this was an angel of God. [5] Tobiah said to him, "Who are you, young man?" He replied "I am an Israelite, one of your kinsmen. I have come here to work." Tobiah said, "Do you know the way to Media?"
Tobit 5:11, 13  Tobit asked, "Brother, tell me, please, what family and tribe are you from?" [13]  Raphael answered, "I am Azariah, son of Hananiah the elder, one of your own kinsmen."

Some emphasis has been added to quotations. – Some of the content of this document may be considered as speculative theology (theology in development). But, it should be understood that it opposes no known formal doctrine of Catholic Christians or other Biblically based churches.

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