Donna-Marie Cooper OBoyle - Angels for Kids

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

With a grateful heart to all who have guided me, prayed for me, and loved me throughout my life: my family and friends, especially my parents, Eugene Joseph and Alexandra Mary Cooper; my brothers and sisters, Alice Jean, Gene, Gary, Barbara, Tim, Michael, and David; and my friend Fr. Bill C. Smith (now in Heaven), who knew of my desire to write a book about the holy AngelsI am eternally indebted. And, of course, I thank my Guardian Angel!

My children have always been my utmost vocation. I love you, Justin, Chaldea, Jessica, Joseph, and Mary-Catherine! My husband, David, the wind beneath my wings, thank you for your love and support!

Heartfelt thanks to Jon M. Sweeney and the wonderful team at Paraclete Press for their partnership in getting this book out to you! Loving prayers for all who are connected through my books, talks, and pilgrimagesthank you for joining me in prayer on the spectacular journey that leads to eternal life!

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CHAPTER ONE

Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

HEBREWS 1:14

T he invisible world of Angels is often overlooked, though amazingly it has been with us since the dawn of creation. Countless Angels offer service and protection to humankind. We just can't see it happening.

But before I tell you more about what the Angels are and what they do, I'll tell you what they are not.

They are not make-believe. They are not a fantasy, a cartoon character, or a figment of someone's imagination. Angels are not fictitiousat all. Angels are real! They are intelligent heavenly spirits who constantly behold the face of God. That's certainly incredible to ponder!

God created the Angels before he created the physical universe and before he created humankind. The Angels shouted for joy when God created the earth (Job 38: 4, 7). Our Church teaches us, We firmly believe and profess, without qualification, that there is only one true GodCreator of all things visible and invisible, spiritual and corporeal, who by His almighty power, from the very beginning of time, has created both orders of creatures in the same way out of nothing. God made the Angels and people out of nothing! Just think about that for a moment.

Some people refuse to believe that there are Angels, and some people have not yet been convinced that they exist. Blessed Pope John Paul II pointed out in his study called Catechesis on the Angels that the existence of Angels was denied even in Christ's time by people called the Sadducees. The Holy Pontiff went on to explain that the reality of Angels has been continually denied in every age since that time.

We only need to look to the Scriptures for proof of the reality of Angels. Sacred Scripture identifies nine choirs (or types) of Angels. And Jesus spoke of more than twelve legions of Angels. When Jesus was arrested after praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, he said, Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53).