Sharing in the Glory of the Thrones, Cherubim, and Seraphim
The highest angelic triad consists of the Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones. These three choirs, while distinct, are so interconnected within a pure adoration and illumination of God’s divine authority, wisdom, and essence that we will consider them together. The descriptions of these three stages are beyond earthly words and concepts because these angelic choirs are fully devoted to the contemplation of the Beatific Vision. The Seraphim contemplate and illuminate God’s perfect and pure essence, the Cherubim His perfect wisdom, and the Thrones His infinite authority.
The mystery of the Rosary we will use as the source of reflection for these three final stages is Pentecost. As the Apostles were gathered in the upper room with the Mother of God and other disciples, tongues of fire descended upon them, just as Jesus had promised, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Thus, the event of Pentecost presents us with disciples who were open to the numerous graces bestowed by the Holy Spirit. Though they might not have entered into the perfection of Divine Union at that moment, they did receive all they needed to do so with the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The full outpouring of the Holy Spirit was a divine pledge to provide the perfection of every spiritual gift and virtue to those who are fully open to and cooperative with those gifts and virtues.
In the Summa Theologica (II-II Q. 1–46), Saint Thomas Aquinas teaches that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit—wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord—perfect the moral virtues of temperance, fortitude, justice, and prudence and the infused virtues of faith, hope, and charity. He also correlates those virtues and gifts with the Beatitudes and the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The reflection that follows will consider each of these gifts as they were evident in the disciples after the gift of the Holy Spirit. We will especially use the way that Father Réginald Marie Garrigou-Lagrange, OP organized Saint Thomas’ work in his foundational classic, The Three Ages of the Interior Life.
As explained in more detail in Part One, Chapters Six and Eight, Saint John of the Cross speaks of the Passive Night of the Spirit, where the memory is purified through unknowing so as to be prepared for a new form of knowing and loving. The intellect is infused with obscure but more certain faith, and permanent Divine Union is received as the fullness of charity is infused into the will. Saint Teresa of Ávila’s Seventh Dwelling Place, the Presence Chamber, is entered as the soul perfects these final steps. “Receiving, revealing, and anointing” are the terms Saint Bonaventure applied to the final triad. God gives the soul the Thrones’ authority, reveals the Cherubim’s wisdom, and anoints the soul with the Seraphim’s charity.
Pentecost: The Spirit’s Purification by the Holy Spirit
Quotes in these reflection are taken from the RSV-CE translation
Scriptural Reflection for Step Seven: “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1–4).
The gift of the Holy Spirit powerfully transformed the Apostles and the other disciples at Pentecost. Perhaps some of them were more open than others, but they were all changed. As time progressed, their transformation increased and their virtues grew as the Gifts of the Holy Spirit took root in their lives.
As we ponder the human participation in the glory and activity of Step Seven, we turn to the angelic choir of the Thrones. As the Thrones contemplate and illuminate God’s authority and justice, the holy souls who share in their level of glory and grace are transformed by that authority and walk firmly in habitual contemplation. Since God’s authority and justice establish peace and harmony in the world and in our lives, we will reflect upon the spiritual gifts that perfect the moral, or natural, virtues, leading to that interior peace and harmony.
Fear of the Lord: After Pentecost, Peter and the other apostles preached with boldness to the devout Jews of Jerusalem. After Peter’s sermon, the people asked him what they should do. Peter told them to repent and be baptized, and about 3,000 did so. Afterwards, “…fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles” (Acts 2:43).
Why would “fear” come upon these new converts? Because the fear they received was not fear in a natural sense but in a supernatural sense—the spiritual gift of the Fear of the Lord. The gift of fear begins with “servile fear.” We avoid sin for fear of punishment. The gift of fear becomes perfect when it transitions to “filial fear,” the fear of a son or daughter in love with his God. We love God so completely that we are compelled to avoid doing anything contrary to His will, not out of fear of punishment, but out of love. We want to please God, glorify Him, and fulfill His divine will.
The spiritual gift of the Fear of the Lord especially perfects the natural virtue of temperance. Saint Thomas also relates it to supernatural hope, which we will cover later. Temperance is the virtue that enables us to have self-control and to avoid sin. When souls are gifted with Fear of the Lord and when that fear becomes filial fear, wonder and awe of God drive us to avoid anything that is contrary to His will, choosing instead all that gives God glory. Then temperance is strengthened and perfected. This perfection of temperance might be painful in the sense that natural temperance is purified and transformed. It is also spiritually consoling as this purification is experienced.
Reflect upon this gift as you consider any ways that you lack self-control, giving into sinful desires instead. Pray for the gift of holy fear so that you will avoid every intemperate temptation. Allow holy fear to fill you with a love of God that directs all you do and helps you avoid all that is contrary to that love and God’s glory.
As the Thrones contemplate and illuminate God’s authority, they are fully aware of how that divine authority can transform us. Pray for that authority to be exercised in your life, asking that the illumination the Thrones receive be transmitted to you.
Fortitude: Shortly after Pentecost, Peter and John were in the Temple area and came upon a crippled man who was begging. Peter went up to him, told him to look at them, and said, “I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3:6). When the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees saw this and heard them preaching about Jesus, they became “disturbed” (Acts 4:1-2) and had the apostles arrested.
The next day, Peter and John were brought before the high priest Annas, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. They asked Peter and John by what authority they had acted. Peter responded with boldness, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a cripple, by what means this man has been healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man is standing before you well. This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the head of the corner. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:8–12). Verse 13 continues, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they wondered; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
Fortitude, or courage, enabled the apostles to preach the Gospel boldly, even in the face of persecution. Despite being threatened by the same authorities who had crucified Jesus, Peter and John responded that they had to preach in His name. They were driven to do so with courage. The spiritual gift of fortitude perfects the natural virtue of fortitude/courage—fortitude is both a natural virtue and a supernatural gift. Naturally speaking, one can form a habit of being courageous in the face of danger, such as when a soldier enters into battle over and over again. The more he enters battle and risks his life, the more the natural gift of courage is strengthened. But only the spiritual gift of fortitude can strengthen a person to face persecution and even death for the sake of the Gospel. When this happens, fear is purged from the bodily appetites and emotions, and new strength and freedom are found.
Reflect upon how courageous you are in proclaiming the Gospel. When you meet with opposition, do you back away? Do you give into fear? Pray for the gift of supernatural fortitude and you will discover a strength beyond your natural abilities, helping you to fulfill the missions God gives to you.
Piety: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). After the 3,000 repented and were baptized, the spiritual gift of piety, also called godliness or devotion, took hold of them. This gift perfects the virtue Saint Thomas refers to as religion, which is part of the natural virtue of justice. We all have a natural tendency to seek the divine. Our very nature senses the supernatural, our spiritual souls, and that which is beyond us. The gift of piety will inspire us to practice our faith, to devote ourselves to the teachings of the Apostles, and to join in fellowship and divine worship with other Christians.
Ponder your natural desire for the supernatural, and pray for the gift of piety. Allow that gift to perfect the practice of your faith through personal and communal prayer, fellowship, and study. Faith must be lived and put into practice. The spiritual gift of piety will help with that practice. Allowing the gift of piety to change you into a devout believer who practices your faith will require change. The old self must diminish as the new worshiper of God takes hold.
Counsel: As the Church continued to grow, controversies arose and prudential decisions needed to be made. Acts 15 relates to us the story of the first Church council, the Council of Jerusalem. At that time, a division arose among the Christians. Some believed that Gentile converts to the faith needed to go through the Jewish rite of circumcision. Others believed they did not need to. Peter preached in favor of not requiring circumcision, as did Paul and Barnabas. Finally, James, the leader of the Church in Jerusalem, stood up and summarized the views, concluding by saying, “Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and from what is strangled and from blood. For from early generations Moses has had in every city those who preach him, for he is read every sabbath in the synagogues” (Acts 15:19–21).
James and the other apostles manifested the gift of counsel. Counsel perfects the natural virtues of prudence and justice. Prudence, perfected by counsel, leads one into right judgment, making decisions in accord with the mind of God. Justice gives God his due and respects the rights of others, making decisions that will help lead them to salvation. Justice respects rightful authority, which is seen in James listening to and respecting Peter’s authority as the Prince of the Apostles, the first pope.
Reflect upon the ways that you are called upon to make prudent decisions that enact God’s divine justice. Do you always respect the rights and dignity of others? Do you make decisions that assist them in living the Christian faith? Or do you sometimes tie up heavy burdens for them to carry? Pray for the spiritual gift of counsel so that your decisions will always be in accord with God’s will, will respect the legitimate authority God has established, and will give God His due and respect the spiritual good of every person.
Scriptural Reflection for Step Eight: The Cherubim, who contemplate the wisdom of God, communicate all that they behold in the Beatific Vision to the lower angels and saints. The holy souls who enter into this stage of spiritual development while on earth share in their comprehensive knowledge of the mind of God. For this to happen, prior to the Beatific Vision, one’s intellect must ascend to the heavenly realm through the prayer of infused contemplation, receiving a profound and direct knowledge of God.
Once faith is perfected in the intellect, the memory of all former ideas needs to be purified and emptied so that a new supernatural hope can be born. As long as the memory holds onto lower forms of knowledge, it cannot become fully directed to the new supernaturally infused knowledge of faith. This new faith, illuminated by the Cherubim, enables the soul to long for the fulfillment of that faith. This is hope in its purest form.
Though Saint John of the Cross goes into much greater detail about this spiritual transformation in his teachings on the Dark Night of the Spirit, it suffices as a source for our reflections to ponder some of the Scripture passages relating to the faith and hope experienced by the disciples after Pentecost.
Faith: We begin by pondering the virtue of faith as it is present in Peter’s preaching. Clearly, Peter was a different man after Pentecost. Prior to it, he had listened attentively to countless sermons Jesus preached, saw His miracles, and was a witness to Jesus’ Resurrection. Throughout Jesus’ public ministry and Passion, Peter manifested faith but only as a beginner. Recall that when Jesus asked the disciples Who He was, it was Peter who said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Shortly afterwards, Jesus revealed to the disciples that He “must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Matthew 16:21). As soon as Jesus spoke of His sorrowful Passion, Peter was filled with fear and said, “God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you” (Matthew 16:22). Jesus rebuked Peter’s lack of faith: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men” (Matthew 16:23).
When Jesus was arrested, Peter attacked the high priest’s servant with a sword, cutting off his ear. Afterwards, he denied he knew Jesus three times. After the Resurrection, Peter and the other disciples remained hidden behind locked doors out of fear. But when Peter and the other disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, everything changed.
Peter’s faith did not begin to be perfected until he received the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Not even three years with Jesus, listening to sermons every day from the Son of God, was sufficient for the perfection of his faith. After Pentecost, Peter is a different man as is seen in the following sermon he gave to the Jews in Jerusalem immediately after being filled with the Holy Spirit:
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. But God raised him up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it…This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which you see and hear” (Acts 2: 22–24; 32–33).
Saint Thomas Aquinas says that the gift of understanding, one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, perfects faith. Understanding is a gift that enables one’s mind to “penetrate into the very essence of a thing” (II.II.8.1). Although Jesus’ sermons were the perfect articulation of divine Truth in human words, in order for that Truth to lead Peter into the perfection of faith, he had to understand all that Jesus taught. He needed to comprehend the very essence of Jesus’ message, the deeper mysteries, and this is only made possible by the spiritual gift of understanding. Though Jesus was the perfect source of Truth, Peter was an imperfect recipient until he received the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
The same is true in each of our lives. When we read the Gospels, hear a sermon, or read the Catechism, the words we read will not automatically lead to faith unless we are open to the spiritual gift of understanding. Only to the extent that we understand the divine mysteries are we able to believe them.
Connected to the gift of understanding is the gift of knowledge. Saint Thomas explains that knowledge enables us to “have a sure and right judgment on [divine mysteries]” (II.II.9.1). This right judgment helps in distinguishing truths to be embraced from falsehoods to be rejected in daily living. While understanding deepens our comprehension of divine mysteries—such as the Most Holy Trinity and Christ’s life, death, and resurrection—knowledge empowers us to integrate these mysteries into our daily living, guiding the practical application of divine truths. It enables us to view the world and our actions through a divine lens, encompassing both speculative insights on moral truths and practical wisdom for navigating life’s decisions in alignment with God’s will. Together, these two gifts equip the soul with a complete spiritual wisdom that transforms both belief and action.
In response to Peter’s powerful sermon, many asked what they should do. Peter responded, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). And that is what they did. About 3,000 were baptized that day. We see the gift of knowledge active in Peter’s response to the Jews. With the gifts of understanding and knowledge, Peter understood the mysteries of salvation and knew how to lead others into those mysteries—by repentance and baptism.
According to Saint John of the Cross, as faith becomes perfected, it becomes more obscure yet more certain. It becomes “obscure” in the sense of what is known is beyond this sensory world. The soul begins to know and believe in a way that is purely spiritual. The Holy Spirit purifies its former way of knowing (concepts) and imparts a deeper light of faith through the bestowal of pure understanding, which reveals to the soul divine mysteries that are above human reason. This understanding is a deeper, more intimate communion with God Who transcends all human categories of understanding. The spirit alone is capable of receiving these divine mysteries and by the perfection of faith, also knows how to act upon them in a mysterious way.
Hope: As this more obscure faith grows within the soul, supernatural hope follows. Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire and expect from God both eternal life and the grace necessary for attaining it, trusting in God’s grace as the all-powerful source of salvation. Without faith, hope is not possible. Faith points to that which we hope for. We understand God’s promise of holiness leading to eternal life and know how to attain it, producing hope which drives us.
As soon as the 3,000 were baptized, “fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles” (Acts 2:43). As explained in the previous step, Fear of the Lord perfects the moral virtue of temperance, but it also perfects hope. The gift of fear becomes perfect when it turns to “filial fear.” We love God so completely that we are compelled to avoid doing anything contrary to His will because we love Him, not because we fear punishment. We want to please God, glorify Him, and fulfill His divine will. Once faith is perfected by understanding and knowledge, Fear of the Lord is necessary to perfect hope by supernaturally driving us out of love toward the end for which we hope.
Reflect upon your level of hope. What do you hope for? Does your understanding of God and knowledge of His ways produce a deep faith? If so, do you hope for the fulfillment of that Truth? Hope becomes supernatural when the object of our hope becomes supernatural faith. Look within your soul and examine the various objects of hope therein. Where you see yourself hoping for anything but the greatest good—God Himself—pray for purification. Strive to let go of every lesser hope so that you are consumed with only the greatest goods that will draw you into greater perfection. This requires a complete purgation of our intellects and memories so that God alone is known and hoped for.
Scriptural Reflection for Step Nine: The Apostles were not the only ones to experience a profound depth of spiritual transformation after Jesus ascended into Heaven. Many who accepted the Gospel, were baptized, and filled with the Holy Spirit began to share not only in divine wisdom, but also in supernatural charity. Among them was Saint Stephen, one of the first seven deacons and the first Christian martyr. What follows is the conclusion to a lengthy sermon he preached just prior to his death.
“‘You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.’ Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth against him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.’ But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together upon him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ And he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:51–60).
Charity: Prior to this passage, Stephen articulates a full understanding of the history of salvation from Abraham, Moses, and the prophets, leading up to Jesus. His words reveal a supernatural level of charity. Even calling those who resisted the Gospel “stiff-necked people” was charitable because they needed to be challenged for their unbelief and rejection of Christ. True charity always seeks the conversion of hearts. Stephen spoke truthfully to them without any concern for his own well-being. He was willing to lay his life down for the Gospel and for the hope of the salvation of the souls to whom he preached. This is charity perfected. We love and glorify God and do all we can to draw others into that same love, sacrificially giving ourselves to this mission.
According to Saint Thomas, the spiritual gift of wisdom perfects charity. Wisdom enables a person “to judge and set in order all things according to Divine rules” (II.II.45.1). Wisdom enables the soul to experience the inner nature of divine realities not just understand them. It is a loving and experiential knowledge that unites the intellect and the will in contemplation of God and His mysteries. With wisdom, the soul not only sees things from God’s perspective, it also loves them with God’s own love. This brings about a harmony between the human intellect and divine truth, allowing one to see and judge all things from God’s perspective and for God’s glory.
The perfection of wisdom is contemplated and illuminated by the Cherubim. The soul understands divine realities and knows how to act in accord with them—first, in relation to the love and glory of God; second, in relation to others. We love God for God’s sake because we see God as He is and understand He is worthy of all love. We also see God in all things and realize that loving God necessitates the love of all that He loves, especially His sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters.
When wisdom floods the mind, it then transforms the will, leading one to act with the perfection of charity. The Seraphim especially contemplate this perfect charity, which is the fullness of the divine essence. Those who receive the infused gift of wisdom from the Cherubim and act on it by the mediation of the Seraphim, perfect their charity and enter into the highest heights of glory.
The perfection of faith, hope, and charity, and one’s participation in glory of the Thrones, Cherubim, and Seraphim can be spoken of in obscure ways but can only be comprehended and lived by a grace that is beyond description. Despite the obscurity of the descriptions of these mysteries, put your faith in them. Believe that faith, hope, and charity can be perfected in you. Though that requires the most profound depth of transformation, modeled by the greatest of saints, it is possible by a complete and ongoing cooperation with God’s grace.
Some who read about the highest heights of holiness become discouraged because they see how far they are from the ideal. Do not give into discouragement. Pray for faith so that you will have hope. Act on your hope that you may grow in charity. Exercise charity so that it will grow with wisdom as your guide.
Summary of Step Seven through Nine: Divine Union
Empowered by the Thrones, the soul approaches closer union with God and enters a stage of profound spiritual purification. This involves a deep cleansing of the soul’s deepest recesses, preparing it for a more complete union with God. The soul experiences a transformative sense of God’s transcendence and immanence, leading to a radical transformation of the entire being. By God’s authority and justice, the moral virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance are perfected by the spiritual gifts of counsel, piety, fortitude, and fear of the Lord.
Enlightened by the Cherubim, the soul experiences an extraordinary infusion of divine light, resulting in the perfection of the virtue of faith. This is a stage of spiritual enlightenment that cannot be expressed in human language. The mysteries of faith become vivid and deeply understood, leading to unwavering hope. The soul lives in constant awareness of God’s presence and sees all things in the light of this presence. It’s a period of harmonious peace and joy, marked by a deep longing for eternal communion with God. Its longing and yearning for God draw it even more deeply into the joyful embrace of its final purification.
United with the Seraphim, the soul achieves the ultimate goal of spiritual life—Divine Union, Mystical Marriage, and Seraphic Glory! This is a state of sublime love and union in which the soul’s will is fully aligned with God’s will. The soul experiences a new sense of oneness with God and all creation. It thinks not about itself but of God and others. It’s a foretaste of the beatific vision, marked by a deep, abiding peace and an unshakeable joy in the Lord. The soul, now transformed, becomes a beacon of God’s love in the world, drawing others towards the divine with relentless pursuit.
The grace needed for these stages can be found modeled in the third Glorious Mystery: Pentecost: The spirit’s purification by the Holy Spirit.
Next: Conclusion
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