Angels of God: The Bible, the Church and the Heavenly Hosts

by Mike Aquilina

“Angels are a large part of reality and, as with other large parts of reality—speeding Mack trucks, for example, or looming brick walls—we benefit greatly from their service, and we ignore them at our peril.”—From the Introduction

Angels are everywhere—as a matter of fact, right at your side. Forget the sweet-faced cherubs of popular culture, however, and brace yourself for a far more potent powerful heavenly beings who play a significant role in the personal drama of daily life—your life.

The audio edition of this book can be downloaded via

Genres: Catholic, Religion, Faith

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2009

About the author

Mike Aquilina is author or editor of more than thirty books, including The Fathers of the Church, The Mass of the Early Christians, and A Year with the Church Fathers. He has co-hosted eight series that air on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). He has co-authored books with Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., and theologian Scott Hahn. He is past editor of New Covenant magazine and The Pittsburgh Catholic newspaper. He appears weekly on Sirius Radio's "Sonrise Morning Show." Mike and his wife, Terri, have six children, who are the subject of his book Love in the Little Things.

In 2011 Mike was a featured presenter of the U.S. Bishops' Diocesan Educational/Catechetical Leadership Institute. He also wrote the USCCB's theological reflection for Catechetical Sunday in 2011.

His reviews, essays and journalism have appeared in many journals, including First Things, Touchstone, Crisis, Our Sunday Visitor, National Catholic Register, and Catholic Heritage. He contributed work on early Christianity to the Encyclopedia of Catholic Social Thought.

Mike is a also poet whose works have appeared in U.S. literary journals and have been translated into Polish and Spanish. He shared songwriting credits with Grammy Award-winner Dion DiMucci on the forthcoming album "Tank Full of Blues."

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't a thick book, but I had to read it slowly because it made me stop and think so many times. The author does an effective job using Biblical references and historical writings from various theologians and saints, mixed with his own friendly style.

If you've never taken the time to ponder angels and think about the existence of such intelligent, powerful creatures in the wider universe, this book is a good introduction. I recommend it.

[Gerri Bauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of angels from a Catholic perspective. I appreciate Aquilina's straightforward approach and reliance on religious sources. Too often, secular media portrays angels with sentimental hype.

[Kerstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book as part of a class on angels our priest is teaching. It is not long, but a good primer who angels are and aren't, their purpose and function, and how they fit into Creation.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book. Brings familiarity with those we should not ignore.

[Dennis J. Waszak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent studies of angels

I found this book to be a wonderful discussion on holy angels and the reality of how they are with always. The author provides numerous examples and biblical proof that angels exist and are here to help us. Excellent and easy read.

[ryj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read

[Trevor Ledet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but I thought it was about angel higharchy. Still enjoyable.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a book to relook at the role of angels in our lives. To investigate angels in the Bible and in the Church. Aquilina draws a picture of angels as vital in our lives. He does away with the saccharine, light and fluffy 21st century new age version of angels. Instead he displays them as powerful and awe –inspiring. His version is drawn directly from scripture and the early fathers where holy men and women experienced angelic intervention in their lives. Intervention that transformed them and drew them closer to God, to Jesus. The angels often acted as messengers. We all have guardian angels if only we would look for and pray to them. They are there to help us reach heaven. Angels are throughout both the New and Old Testament and help us see their role in our context. They are in the Mass because of their role in the Bible. If we look closer at the Mass we can see how we offer them up in praise and worship. The three angels mentioned in this book are the ones most mentioned in the Bible and early fathers writings, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael. They each have had important roles to play in the history of Christianity. Finally, spiritual warfare, Aquilina believes that it is to Satan’s power that we not believe in the fallen angels. Satan is able to work his evil magic where we do not believe. There is a warfare going on even now between God’s angels and those that have fallen for the human heart. We need to believe in angels and inparticularly our own guardian angels to help the good fight. So, this book although seemingly about a subject matter that most think is a myth not a reality. That most think is a superficial matter of pictures of smiling angels with pretty wings. Instead we are being asked to study closer, to believe more, to fight for God’s sake. To acknowledge a powerful presence there to help you come face to face with God. Angels are this and so much more. I recommend this book to those that want to believe.

[Robert Corzine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angels of God is yet another excellent book by Mike Aquilina. It's a pretty quick read but he manages to pack a great deal into it without seeming to rush. What angels are, their various appearances in scripture and their role in salvation history, angels in the writings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, your guardian angel, the archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, spiritual warfare and exorcism, satan and the other demons are all covered.

But he doesn't write merely to satisfy our curiosity. Throughout the book, there is a constant awareness of the question "what difference does this make?" Sanity is seeing the world as it really is; sanctity is the fruit of responding and cooperating with all of the means of grace that God gives us (including angels). This book will be helpful towards both.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really short book that I had to read for my religion class about the different kinds of angels and who they are. The concepts here are rather basic. It gives some information about what they are, what they do, the kinds of angels and the names and functions of three major archangels. The book is merely a quick overview of angels throughout the Bible although it doesn’t provide a whole lot of depth or discussion; the book is good for anyone beginning to read about the study of angels.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Mr. Aquilina's book about angels. It was an easy read and I didn't realize the number of times angels are mentioned and described in the bible. I loved the chapters on the specifics on Micheal, Gabriel and Raphael and the information about our own personal guardian angels. I will be looking at a few other books by this author to add to my book shelf.