THE ANGELS IN THE SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE OF THE BLESSED ENRICO SUSO
Blessed Enrico Suso, one of the greatest exponents of German spirituality of the sec. XIV, defined "the most lovable of the Germanic mystics" for his affective sensitivity and his poetic language full of suggestive images, left us in the autobiography) (written in the third person), a living testimony of his spiritual life, constantly followed and comforted by angelic help. Since his youth, still a beginner in the path of perfection, Blessed Suso experienced, "countless" times, after periods of suffering, the "heavenly company" of the Angels. Then the suffering became "light to bear" and he also forgot that he had been so troubled.
He once asked "one of the bright heavenly Princes" who had appeared to him to show him the abode of God in his soul. The Angel satisfied her and Suso was able to observe in his chest "pure as a crystal", right "in the center of his heart", his close soul "in the arms" of his beloved Lord.
It was a grandiose sight, very consoled for the Blessed One, whose only desire was to achieve perfect union with God, which the vision clearly symbolized, and to lead everyone to this goal.
We know, dear friends of the Angels, that, if mortal sin does not harbor in our hearts, God dwells there with his Grace. And the more we engaged in a spiritual journey of faith, hope and charity, the more closely the Lord unites himself to us in love. Our Guardian Angel, who associates himself with the voice of our conscience, assures us of this. And if God loves us, heavenly spirits also love us. This is what this other vision of the Blessed One means:
Since he had gone to the altar to say Mass, many lovely children [Angels] arrived with lighted candles… they spread their arms and hugged each of them individually… and pressed it on their hearts. [Questioned], they replied: "He is so dear [the Blessed] to our heart ... God works ineffable wonders in his soul".
The elected Angels were, for Blessed Suso, authentic masters of perfection. They taught him the true meaning, the preciousness of suffering, which God does not let his friends care for, to purify them and make them worthy of the transforming union with Him.
Here is an emblematic vision in this regard: [The Blessed] was led to a place where there was a great angelic appearance, and one of them, who was closer to him than the others, said to him: "Stretch out your hands here and look". He held out his hands, looked and saw that in the center of his hand a beautiful red rose sprouted, with its green leaves.
The rose was so large that it covered the hand to the fingers, it was so beautiful and bright that it brought great pleasure to the eyes. He turned his hands outside and inside: it was a delightful sight on both sides. To his amazement, he said, "Dear comrade, what does this vision mean?"
The young man [the Angel] replied: `It means suffering and then suffering, and still suffering, and again again suffering that God wants to give you, and that is the four red roses in both hands and both feet. The servant [the Blessed] sighed and said: `Ah, tender Lord, suffering hurts man so much, and yet it embellishes him so spiritually as to be a wonderful disposition of God! '.
In his life experienced by great travails, slanders and diseases of all kinds, the greatest interior support was, for Blessed Suso, the constant assistance of the Angels of Heaven.
He used to turn to them, with confidence, in his distress and ask them to come to his aid. For this reason, he went up to the mountain where there was a chapel dedicated to the Holy Angels and went around the chapel nine times, always praying, in honor of the nine choirs of the angelic hosts. "
Once, being in danger of death, he recommended himself to them like this: “Dear Angels, do you think that my heart, in all my days, smiled only to hear you mention, how often, in my misery, you have caused me heavenly joy, and you have guarded me from enemies [demons]; O sweet Spi-rites, now only I have reached my last agony, and I need help; help me and protect me from the horrendous sight of my enemies, evil spirits! "
This is an example to never forget, dear friends of the Angels: by entrusting ourselves to them every day in prayer, we assure ourselves, as of now, the help of these our Guardian saints in the extreme moment.
In his other works (the "Libretto dell'Eterna Sapienza" and "L'orolo-gio della Sapienza"), Blessed Suso tells us that he received from God the singular grace of contemplating the immense joy of Heaven and of see “with what extraordinary beauty and nobility the innumerable multitude of Angels are arranged, arranged in Hierarchies and Choirs. Wonderful Gaudi and wonderful visions of singular delight! '
Dear friends of the Angels, the experiences of the Saints, which enrich the immense spiritual patrimony of the Church, are willed by God and handed down also for our teaching.
By learning about it, let's re-profit from it for our lives. First of all, we know how to discern the essential, evangelical nucleus of the accessory apparatus, made up of extraordinary graces, which are not common to every soul, neither necessary nor required to achieve holiness.
From the spiritual experience of Blessed Enrico Suso we learn, therefore:
- constant commitment in the practical exercise of God's love ("If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (Jn 14,15:XNUMX).
- patient and trusting abandonment to God in the trials of life.
- the recourse to the help of the Angels and the certain confidence of their benevolent response.
- the hope of the eternal beatitudi-ne, which comforts and encourages.
Happy journey of holiness, dear friends! From Monastery "Carrmelo San Giuseppe" CH. Locarno - Monti
THE ANGELIC CROWN
Angelic crown shape
The crown used to recite the "Angelic Chaplet" is made up of nine parts, each of three grains for the Ave Maria, preceded by a grain for the Our Father. The four grains that precede the medal with the effigy of St. Michael the Archangel, remember that after the invocation to the nine angelic choirs, four more Our Father must be recited in honor of the Archangel Saints Michael, Ga-briele and Raphael and of the Holy Guardian Angel.
Origin of the angelic crown
This pious exercise was revealed by Archangel Michael himself to the servant of God Antonia de Astonac in Portugal.
Appearing to the Servant of God, the Prince of Angels said that he wanted to be revered with nine invocations in memory of the nine Choirs of Angels.
Each invocation had to include the memory of an angelic choir and the recitation of our Father and three Hail Marys and end with the recitation of four Our Father: the first in his honor, the other three in honor of St. Gabriel, S Raffaele and the Guardian Angels. The Archangel still promised to obtain from God that the one who had venerated him with the recitation of this chaplet before Communion, would be accompanied to the sacred table by an Angel from each of the nine choirs. To those who had recited it every day, he promised the continuous particular assistance of himself and of all the holy Angels during life and in Purgatory after death. Although these revelations are not officially recognized by the Church, nevertheless this pious practice spread among the devotees of the Archangel Michael and the holy angels.
The hope of receiving the promised graces was nourished and supported by the fact that the Supreme Pontiff Pius IX enriched this pious and salutary exercise with numerous indulgences.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
O God, come save me. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father and the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning now and always, forever and ever. Amen.
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in the struggle, to be saved in extreme judgment
1st Invocation
With the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly chorus of the Seraphim, may the Lord make us worthy of the flame of perfect charity. Pater, three Ave at the 1st Angelic Choir.
2nd invocation
At the intercession of St. Michael the Archangel and the Celestial Choir of the Cherubim, may the Lord give us the grace to abandon the life of sin and run into that of Christian perfection. Pater, three Ave at the 2nd Angelic Choir.
3nd invocation
At the intercession of St. Michael the Archangel and the sacred Choir of Thrones, infuse the Lord into our hearts with the spirit of true and sincere humility. Pater, three Ave at the 3rd Angelic Choir.
4nd invocation
At the intercession of St. Michael the Archangel and of the celestial choir of Dominations, may the Lord give us grace to dominate our senses and correct corrupt passions. Pater, three Ave at the 4th Angelic Choir.
5nd invocation
At the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of Powers, the Lord deigns to protect our souls from the snares and temptations of the devil. Pater, three Ave at the 5th Angelic Choir.
6nd invocation
At the intercession of St. Michael and the Choir of the admirable heavenly Virtues, do not allow the Lord to fall into temptations, but free us from evil. Pater, three Ave at the 6th Angelic Choir.
7nd invocation
With the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial choir of the Principalities, fill our souls with the spirit of true and sincere obedience. Pater, three Ave at the 7th Angelic Choir.
8nd invocation
With the intercession of St. Michael and the Celestial Choir of the Arcange-li, may the Lord grant us the gift of perseverance in faith and in good works. Pater, three Ave at the 8th Angelic Choir.
9nd invocation
At the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of all the Angels, the Lord deigns to grant us to be guarded by them in the present life and then introduced into the glory of the heavens. Pater, three Ave at the 9th Angelic Choir.
Our Father in San Michele.
Our Father in San Gabriele.
Our Father in San Raffaele.
Our Father to the Guardian Angel.
Let's pray
Almighty, everlasting God, who with prodigy of kindness and mercy, for the salvation of men you have chosen the prince of your Church the glorious Saint Michael, grant us, through his beneficial protection, to be free from all our spiritual ne- cats. At the hour of our death, the ancient adversary does not molest us, but let your Archangel Michael lead us to the presence of your divine Majesty. Amen.