The words of the Holy Mass frequently remind us of the presence of our elder brothers, the holy angels, at the Sacrifice. In his commentary on the Mass, St. Albert describes in some detail the various ranks of angels mentioned in the Preface which leads to the angelic hymn, "Holy, Holy, Holy". Following are his words on the heavenly Virtues and the Seraphim:
" 'The Virtues of the heavens' are those by whom heavenly power is carried out without hindrance, for the final end of power is virtue in every thing, beyond which power can do nothing, as the Philosopher said. The angels invincibly carry out the commandments, decrees, and desires of God, as blessed Dionysius says. Bless the Lord, all you Virtues, his ministers who do his will (Psalm CII. 21). Those who celebrate God carry out his will in preference to all things, as it is written in John IV. 34: My food is to do the will of the one who sent me, that I may carry out his work. Thus, in John XVII. 4, the Lord says to his Father: I have consummated the work you gave me to do. The “heavens”, then, celebrate the One who is above them. The "Virtues of heaven" celebrate the One who is all their strength (virtus). By the word of the Lord, the heavens were made firm, and by the breath of his mouth, all their strength (Psalm XXXII. 6). Now, the “mouth” of the Father is the Son, by whom the breath (spiritus) of strength flows into the angels so that they might carry out his wishes, with neither the law of inferior nature holding them back, nor weakness in power repressing them, nor some concurrent opposing virtue impeding them, lest what God powerfully wills not be carried out.
“ 'And the blessed Seraphim'. Or, 'seraphin', with the last letter being the letter N. They signify the host or order of the angels whose name means, 'the burning' or 'the fiery' ones. For, as St. Dionysius said, God, who is Fire, attracted to himself such a host of angels as this through his attractive nature, that they should continuously dwell in the courts of divine beauty. This host that hastens most loftily to God is called 'blessed', for these most admirable ones thoroughly enjoy, with pure and undistracted contemplation, the declarations of God. However blessed this host may be, gathered together in the courts of God, still they contemplate the greatness above themselves of the wisdom of this Sacrament. They delight in it, and they solemnly and joyfully celebrate the greatness of the One whom they venerate above. Of this, it is written, in Hebrews 1, 7: 'He who makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.' Isaiah 6, 2: 'The Seraphim stood upon it: the one had six wings, and the other had six wings.' For, they fly high in divine contemplation. Therefore, because this most exalted host celebrates this Sacrament, it is entirely irrational that some men may be found who do not celebrate it. Job 38, 7: 'Where were you when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God sang for joy?'
“ 'Command that our voices be joined with theirs, we pray, etc.' [Cum quibus et nostras voces ut admitti iubeas deprecamur, etc.] Here is presented a humble petition for the mixing of human voices with the joyful voices of heaven. That is, 'with theirs' – the angels – and 'our' voices – lowly, but rational. O God, Perfecter of all Sanctity, a 'voice', is a sound produced with meaning, and we humbly pray that you command our voices to be joined in the praise of the Sacrament. For, without your command we cannot offer this praise -- with our voice joined to that of the angels. As the Psalmist says, in Psalm 88, 14: 'Blessed the people who know jubilation.'
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