| IV. Choir | 25 January |
|---|---|
| Angel at the Gate of the Priests | Octave of World Prayer ends |
He stands before the Lord like a shining pillar of fire, like the one that led the Israelite people through the Red Sea. He is at once a blaze and a warning and a lure, compelling and promising help. He acts like a mighty dynamo in the midst of the seraph-like Dominions, full of flowing life. The Seraphim carry the love of God and radiate it to the Dominions and Virtues. The Cherubim, however, are the dynamos of the highest Ring of Worship and they exude the power of the Word upon the Powers and Archangels.
Saint Goribiel,
intercepts both streams. As an angel of the Dominions of High Power, he stands second in the row of the twelve angels on the gates of the New Jerusalem, under the stream of love of the Seraphim. On his right stands the Archangel Saint Raphael, the Arrow of God’s Love, and on his left, the Angel of Loving Comfort and Healing.
Saint Goribiel stands at the Gate of the Priests, however, and all priests are of the Son and thereby fall under the care of the Cherubim in the highest choir position. Thus, Saint Goribiel also receives the mighty stream of power from this aspect. Both love and power also lie in his task and symbols. He wears the breastplate of the Old Covenant like a high priest for the Tribe of Ephraim, the tribe of love. He wears the fisherman’s ring of the New Covenant for the Holy Apostle Paul, the most powerful dynamo among priests. The Gate of the Priests which he has to guard is made of sapphire. It is the stone of victory, the signet ring stone and the stone of the End Times.
Different levels of angels are assigned to the twelve apostles, and it is significant that the Seraphim are assigned to that dynamo, Saint Paul. In this way, one recognises the effect of Saint Goribiel as standing under the Seraphim, and under that mighty Seraph assigned to the Son, who is called Jehove, Creator-God. Saint Jehove, like all seraphim, is threefold and yet simple; the other seraph is Saint Esch, the Burning God, who stands before the Father; the third seraph is Saint Alphai, Let there be light, who stands before the Spirit. The effect of each of these great angels can be closely observed in Saint Paul the Apostle.
Saint Goribiel, as Angel of the Priests, is of much higher power in his effect than is the Angel of the Priests in the ranks of the Virtues of the Church. In Saint Goribiel the Gifts of the Holy Ghost, the streams of the Word and of love, and the seven-fold power of the End Times, flare up with far greater intensity because of his membership of the Choir of Dominions. He is the strength of priests, the guide of priests, the fervour of love for priests, the cornerstone and fisherman’s ring and archway for priests.
Prayer: O Thou shining Angel of the Priests, Saint Goribiel, help our spiritual leaders to attain such an ardour of love that they shine as Thou shinest before the Face of God, that they may become cornerstones, as the holy Apostle Paul was and is a cornerstone… then the waves of the world will not harm them. Amen.