ounced by messengers of
greater dignity. But the mystery of the Incarnation is the greatest
of all things announced by angels to men. It seems, therefore, if it
behooved to be announced by an angel at all, that this should have
been done by an angel of the highest order. But Gabriel is not of the
highest order, but of the order of archangels, which is the last but
one: wherefore the Church sings: "We know that the archangel Gabriel
brought thee a message from God" [*Feast of Purification B.V.M. ix
Resp. Brev. O.P.]. Therefore this announcement was not becomingly
made by the archangel Gabriel.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Luke 1:26): "The angel Gabriel was
sent by God," etc.

_I answer that,_ It was fitting for the mystery of the Incarnation to
be announced to the Mother of God by an angel, for three reasons.
First, that in this also might be maintained the order established by
God, by which Divine things are brought to men by means of the
angels. Wherefore Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. iv) that "the angels
were the first to be taught the Divine mystery of the loving kindness
of Jesus: afterwards the grace of knowledge was imparted to us
through them. Thus, then, the most god-like Gabriel made known to
Zachary that a prophet son would be born to him; and, to Mary, how
the Divine mystery of the ineffable conception of God would be
realized in her."

Secondly, this was becoming to the restoration of human nature which
was to be effected by Christ. Wherefore Bede says in a homily (in
Annunt.): "It was an apt beginning of man's restoration that an angel
should be sent by God to the Virgin who was to be hallowed by the
Divine Birth: since the first cause of man's ruin was through the
serpent being sent by the devil to cajole the woman by the spirit of
pride."

Thirdly, because this was becoming to the virginity of the Mother of
God. Wherefore Jerome says in a sermon on the Assumption [*Ascribed
to St. Jerome but not his work]: "It is well that an angel be sent to
the Virgin; because virginity is ever akin to the angelic nature.
Surely to live in the flesh and not according to the flesh is not an
earthly but a heavenly life."

Reply Obj. 1: The Mother of God was above the angels as regards the
dignity to which she was chosen by God. But as regards the present
state of life, she was beneath the angels. For even Christ Himself,
by reason of His passible life, "was made a little lower than the
angels," according to He