THE ANGEL'S DIGNITY

In olden time an Angel would not show reverence to a man, but a man would 

deeply revere an Angel. This is because Angels are greater than men, and 

indeed in three ways. First, they are greater than men in dignity. This is 

because the Angel is of a spiritual nature: "Who makest Thy angels 

spirits." But, on the other hand, man is of a corruptible nature, for 

Abraham said: "I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes." It 

was not fitting, therefore, that a spiritual and incorruptible creature 

should show reverence to one that is corruptible as is a man. Secondly, an 

Angel is closer to God. The Angel, indeed, is of the family of God, and as 

it were stands ever by Him: "Thousands of thousands ministered to Him, and 

ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before Him." Man, on the other 

hand, is rather a stranger and afar off from God because of sin: "I have 

gone afar off." Therefore, it is fitting that man should reverence an 

Angel who is an intimate and one of the household of the King.

Then, thirdly, the Angels far exceed men in the fullness of the splendor of 

divine grace. For Angels participate in the highest degree in the divine 

light: "Is there any numbering of His soldiers? And upon whom shall not His 

light arise?" Hence, the Angels always appear among men clothed in light, 

hut men on the contrary, although they partake somewhat of the light of 

grace, nevertheless do so in a much slighter degree and with a certain 

obscurity. It was, therefore, not fitting that an Angel should show 

reverence to a man until it should come to pass that one would be found in 

human nature who exceeded the Angels in these three points in which we have 

seen that they excel over men - and this was the Blessed Virgin. To show 

that she excelled the Angels in these, the Angel desired to show her 

reverence, and so he said: "Ave (Hail)."