Angels

How often we use expressions like, 'thank you for doing that, you're such an angel', without really thinking about it, referring to angels as helpful and rather sweet, possibly with a picture in mind of a tall female with big feathery wings. Despite this typecasting, scripture reveals angels as somewhat fearsome messengers from God who must constantly reassure people not to be afraid. The messages they bring are for the benefit of God's people, for salvation and healing. In this exploration of angels, Sister Raphael reflects on her reading of Bible passages and related texts to examine how angels might lead us into a greater understanding of God's love and purposes for us all.