Nineteenth Day
The third choir of the hierarchy of the angels are the virtues, archangels, and angels. The virtues are the first of these, and represent the acts of God towards individuals. Those works of God which surpass the power of man, such as miracles, or inward movements of grace, are performed by the virtues of the Most High; they hold an intermediate station between heaven and earth.
Archangels are the great messengers, whom God has sent to His intelligent creation. The name is given because the goodness and kindness of God have distinguished them from the myriads of other angels, and given them an office, that of bearing to men the words of God; they also carry the prayers of the faithful on earth, and lay them before God's throne in heaven; and they are sent to conduct souls to the portals of heavenly bliss. The archangels have the duty of protecting the Church; those who occupy high positions in the Church or State are said to be under the guidance of an archangel. In this manner, the higher grade of archangels represents the higher degree of providence shown by God toward individuals. Let us unite ourselves with the choir of the archangels and praise God in them—those glorious spirits who have so perfectly conveyed God's messages to men.
Prayer
O angel of God, my guardian dear, To whom His love commits me here. Ever this day be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule, and guide.
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