Day 46: Heaven and Earth

The Apostles' Creed professes that God is "creator of heaven and earth". the Nicene Creed makes it explicit that this profession includes "all that is, seen and unseen"... The existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls "angels" is a truth of faith. the witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition. CCC 325 & 328

In today's reading, the Catechism goes a bit into "heaven and earth" that the Creeds speak of, which includes angels. We see angels throughout Holy Scripture acting as messengers of God (e.g. Luke 1:5-38; Acts 8:26); carrying out some of God's judgments (e.g. 2 Sam 24:16–17; Acts 12:23); patrolling the earth for the Lord (e.g. Zech 1:10–11); battling Satan & his demonic minions (e.g. Dan 10:13; Rev 12:7–8); glorifying the Lord (e.g. Isa 6:2-3); and more. In modern times we have this image of angels as cute, cherubic babies, when the stories of Sts. Gabriel & Michael the Archangels destroys such portrayals. Angels among other things are mighty warriors for God. In modern entertainment, we also have the strange notion that human beings will become angels when we die. For example, in this beloved Christmas classic, It's A Wonderful Life:

As heartwarming as this movie scene is, it still is false. As the Catechism Companion, Vol I states: 

Humans do not become angels after death. Humans and angels are different creatures. The angels were created to glorify God, and they do. We were also created to glorify God. Only we can glorify God in our bodies. (p. 96)

Angels are "purely spiritual creatures" while we are not (CCC 227 & 230).

Jacob's Ladder fresco at the Orthodox Dionysiou Monastery on Mount Athos (16th century)