Angels

[KCT]

I hear or see people implying that the dead become angels (car stickers like “Riding with Angels”, along with a family member’s name, b-day and date of death).

I learned that God created angels as angels, and that the dead do not ‘become’ angels.

Comments? Catechism references?

 

[purplesunshine]

The Angels are different from us. We can’t become angles anymore than dogs can become humans.

HOWEVER. We may experience the “angelic” presence of a saint watching over us and protecting us. If our loved ones are dead and have DEFIANTLY gone to heaven then they ARE saints. Saints are a great value and asset to God, and their intercessory prayers may seem to us to be rather angel-like.

So while they can’t become angels, they can take on roles typically attributed to angels.

 

[DdMac679]

Isn’t fair to say though that God could make a human an Angel if so desired?

 

[KCT]

Isn’t fair to say though that God could make a human an Angel if so desired?

I just found an old thread on this subject!

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=313282

Off I go to read through the posts.

 

[Catholic1954]

Isn’t fair to say though that God could make a human an Angel if so desired?

God can do anything, he could make a banana a killer whale if he desired, BUT he created angels as angels and humans as humans.

 

[Belle10]

Well, I’m not sure if this will help, but here’s some of what the Catechism says on angels:

The existence of angels - a truth of faith

328 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.

Who are they?

329 St. Augustine says: "‘Angel’ is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is ‘spirit’; if you seek the name of their office, it is ‘angel’: from what they are, ‘spirit’, from what they do, ‘angel.’"188 With their whole beings the angels are servants and messengers of God. Because they “always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven” they are the “mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word”.189

330 As purely spiritual creatures angels have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures, surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendor of their glory bears witness.190

The angels in the life of the Church

334 In the meantime, the whole life of the Church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of angels.201

335 In her liturgy, the Church joins with the angels to adore the thrice-holy God. She invokes their assistance (in the funeral liturgy’s In Paradisum deducant te angeli. . .“May the angels lead you into Paradise. . .”]). Moreover, in the “Cherubic Hymn” of the Byzantine Liturgy, she celebrates the memory of certain angels more particularly (St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, and the guardian angels).

336 From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.202 "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life."203 Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.

scborromeo.org/ccc/index/a.htm

One of my favorite quotes is:

“If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion.”
~St. Maximilian Kolbe

 

[Joe_5859]

In a certain analogous sense, we become like angels when we die for a time, but we do not become angels.

Angels are pure spirit. When we die, our bodies and spirits are separated from each other until the end of the world (CCC 1001). So, in a sense, we are like angels because we are spirits without a body. But this is not a permanent state.