Where Are the Angels in the Mass?

Where Are the Angels in the Mass?

Gloria in Excelsis

It’s rare for people to see angels, but every single time we go to a Catholic Mass we’re surrounded by angels. Parts of the Mass, like the Gloria, are there to remind us of what angels do and that they’re with us. During Advent (and Lent), the Gloria is never sung or said, but why not? It’s important enough to be a part of the Mass, so should it really be skipped?

What is the Gloria?

The answer is in the readings at the Mass During the Night at Christmas. The Old Testament reading at that Mass is Isaiah 9:1-6, which begins:

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone (9:1)

And (skipping a bit):

For a child is born to us, a son is given us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,
Father-Forever, Prince of Peace (9:5)

The Scripture readings at Mass are carefully chosen so that we can see the prophecies that were given in the Old Testament and how they are fulfilled in the New Testament. The Gospel reading for that Mass is Luke 2:1-14: the shepherds are guarding their sheep during the darkness of the night when an angel appears to them in 2:8-12:

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.

The message the angel brings to them is the fulfillment of Isaiah 9:5. It’s the celebration of the Nativity, or birth, of the Lord: 

The angel said to them,
Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger (Lk 2:8-12)

The reference to the light, “the glory of the Lord shone around them,” is a reminder that the angel is not the source of the light: God is. We know that Christ is the light of the world, from John 8:1: “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” That light of the world entered the world on Christmas Day. 

The Savior has come, darkness has been banished by His very presence, and the way to heaven will be open again. The response to the announcement is of such overwhelming joy, that “a multitude of the heavenly host” sing to give glory to God at the birth of the Savior:

And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:

"Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

When we sing the Gloria in Excelsis (Glory to God in the Highest) during Mass, this is the mystery that we’re participating in: the promise of the savior has been fulfilled, and where that light shines the darkness is banished. At every Catholic Mass we’re in the presence of heaven, and every time we sing the Gloria we’re singing it along with all of the angels and saints in heaven to remember this and to celebrate. The Gloria is never said or sung during Advent because it’s our time of waiting for the birth of Christ, just as all of God’s people—from the Fall of Adam and Eve until the birth of Christ—waited for the messiah promised in Genesis 3:15.

The Mass is a shadow and copy of the heavenly liturgy, and when we participate in a Catholic Mass, everything that is said and done is to give us a visible sign of what is invisible to us. The readings remind us that from the beginning, God wanted all of us to be united to Him.

Why Are There So Many Images of Angels in Catholic Churches?

Angels adoring the Eucharist

If you walk into a Catholic Church the chances are pretty good that you’re going to see a statue or image of at least one angel, but why?

One church that I’ve been to has images of angels on the front doors. The angels have swords, but those swords are sheathed and the angels are holding them with both hands and the tips are pointing downwards towards their feet.

Sometimes there’s an image of St. Michael, and usually he’s shown holding a sword in a fighting stance, or about to strike a demon. It’s a portrayal of the scene from the book of Revelation where he’s just about to defeat Satan in Rev 12:7-9.

Sometimes there are images of angels surrounding the tabernacle, and this is partly a reference to the angels in Exodus 25:17-22 where the sculptures of angels are used to provide the mercy seat. The mercy seat is the throne of God on the Ark of the Covenant and it’s where He descends so that He is present among the Israelites.

In a Catholic Church, God is present in the Eucharist which is kept in the tabernacle after the Mass. The candle beside the tabernacle is lit to indicate the presence of God in that tabernacle, and when Catholics enter the church we genuflect towards the tabernacle to acknowledge that we’ve entered His presence.

God is always surrounded by His heavenly court and of course this includes the angels. During a Catholic Mass, heaven descends to earth and everyone in the church – the Church in heaven, on earth, and in purgatory – is united, even though we’re usually only able to see the members of the church on earth that are around us. The images are to remind us of the others that are there with us: they make visible what is invisible. Angels are pure spirit so we’re not able to see them as they are, but sometimes we can see them when they take on the form of a human body. The images also remind us of the different ways that they interact with us during our lives.

When Adam and Eve rejected God and had to leave the Garden of Eden, God placed a cherubim wielding a fiery sword to guard the entrance so they couldn’t return. It’s a symbol of heaven indicating that the gates of heaven were closed to human beings as well as God’s promise in Gen 3:15. Before God tells Adam and Eve what their punishment will be, He tells them that He will send a savior to open the gates to heaven again and reunite us with Him.

At the Incarnation, the second person of the trinity assumed a human nature. He became incarnate and was born to heal the broken relationship that human beings now have with God so that everyone can be reunited with God in heaven. Through His suffering, death, and resurrection He took on the punishment for the sins of Adam in Gen 3:17-19 and opened the gates of heaven.

When we enter a Catholic church where Christ is present in the tabernacle, we enter into the presence of heaven because the way is now open. This is why the angels on the doors of that Church are shown holding swords that are sheathed and pointing downwards: the angel guarding the way to Eden no longer prevents us from entering, but when we die in friendship with God we enter into eternal life with Him.