I sometimes wonder if angels are actually jealous, or a little envious of us. Them existing as spiritual beings without bodies, while we (humans) on the other hand are incarnate spiritual beings; body and soul entwined till death.

We humans view our bodies as a limitations to the greatness we can achieve; it can be diseased, sickened, cut, wounded, maimed, and ultimately is a stumbling block in achieving immortality. Our bodies are also subject to the laws of nature, gravity and the like. How we wish we could be mere spirits and move where we wanted, whenever we wanted. The body is a curse, a prison for our souls.

Then what is there to be envious of? But we forget that the body makes visible the invisible. How the angels long to be seen, to be felt, to be touched, to be embraced. The mere spirit is now the prison - the prison which chains love to itself. Love is the sincere gift of self to another, and this is the self that is fully physical and spiritual at the same time. We are blessed to be able to give as Jesus gave - ”This is my body, given up for you”.

And yes. Perhaps, just perhaps, the angels are envious of us.

Thoughts and reflections from Theology of the Body. This idea of angels being envious was adapted from the movie “Constantine”; in it Angel Gabriel was jealous of humans (for the grace and forgiveness God showed to them) and wanted to bring destruction on earth. I don’t think it is theologically correct to say that angels are envious of us (I don’t even know if they have feelings!) but I’m just using it as a literary device in this context (:

I am also wary about how some people might misinterpret this post and feel that the body shouldn’t be put on a pedestal. The Catholic Church begs to differ, as evinced in the last line of the Apostles’ Creed, ”I believe in…the resurrection of the body”. Our ultimate destiny is the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.