"Megan McKenna focuses her spiritual ken in this book on the messengers of God who have played such important roles in Hebrew and Christian scriptures. She writes about Michael, the protector; Gabriel, archangel of truth; Raphael, companion angel; and Uriel, archangel of death and conversion. At one point McKenna calls angels "mysteries of God's imagination." As usual, the author spices up this material with stories from many different religious traditions. McKenna concludes that the guardian angels of the poor, the dispossessed, and the persecuted are deeply appreciated. This is one book on angels that refreshingly stays grounded on earth." --Spirituality and Practice "Angels are evidence that God is taking notice of us. They ask the same always: surrender, obedience, submission, radical abasement and humility before the Holy One. Some say they make us homesick for heaven. They are always present, ministering, even though we are unaware of them. They hover near wombs, caves, gardens and tombs, but almost any place is made holy by their visitation. They stand in silent rage against inhumanity, knowing that it is up to us to oppose it, not them. They love earth even more since the Incarnation, and they come to visit and linger in the houses of the poor, in the byways and on the roads. They seem always to be asking us to make alliance with them and so comfort God, who has come to save us all and restore earth to the original dream of holiness. As the angels retie the bonds between heaven and earth, the mysterious plan from the beginning will be fulfilled." --from the Introduction +