The Holy Guardian Angels; 2nd October

“Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared”.

Book of Exodus (23:20)

“According to Church tradition we all have an angel with us, who guards us, who makes us hear things. After all we have often heard: ‘I should do this this way... this is not good, be careful!. It is really “the voice of our travel companion”. We can be certain that he will lead us to the end of our life with his advice. This is why it is necessary to hearken to his voice, do not rebel against him. On the other hand, rebellion, the desire to be independent, is something that we all have: it is arrogance itself, which our father Adam had in the earthly paradise. Do not rebel, follow his advice!”.

Pope Francis

Morning Meditation, 2 October 2014

Catechism of the Catholic Church

• CHAPTER ONE I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER

  • Article 1 "I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH"

    • Paragraph 5. HEAVEN AND EARTH

I. THE ANGELS

The existence of angels - a truth of faith

328 The existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls "angels" is a truth of faith. the witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition.

Who are they?

329 St. Augustine says: "'Angel' is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is 'spirit'; if you seek the name of their office, it is 'angel': from what they are, 'spirit', from what they do, 'angel.' With their whole beings the angels are servants and messengers of God. Because they "always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven" they are the "mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word".

330 As purely spiritual creatures angels have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures, surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendour of their glory bears witness.

Christ "with all his angels"

331 Christ is the centre of the angelic world. They are his angels: "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him. . "They belong to him because they were created through and for him: "for in him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities - all things were created through him and for him." They belong to him still more because he has made them messengers of his saving plan: "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?"

332 Angels have been present since creation and throughout the history of salvation, announcing this salvation from afar or near and serving the accomplishment of the divine plan: they closed the earthly paradise; protected Lot; saved Hagar and her child; stayed Abraham's hand; communicated the law by their ministry; led the People of God; announced births and callings; and assisted the prophets, just to cite a few examples. Finally, the angel Gabriel announced the birth of the Precursor and that of Jesus himself.

333 From the Incarnation to the Ascension, the life of the Word incarnate is surrounded by the adoration and service of angels. When God "brings the firstborn into the world, he says: 'Let all God's angels worship him.' Their song of praise at the birth of Christ has not ceased resounding in the Church's praise: "Glory to God in the highest!" They protect Jesus in his infancy, serve him in the desert, strengthen him in his agony in the garden, when he could have been saved by them from the hands of his enemies as Israel had been. Again, it is the angels who "evangelize" by proclaiming the Good News of Christ's Incarnation and Resurrection. They will be present at Christ's return, which they will announce, to serve at his judgement.

The angels in the life of the Church

334 In the meantime, the whole life of the Church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of angels.

335 In her liturgy, the Church joins with the angels to adore the thrice-holy God. She invokes their assistance (in the Roman Canon's Supplices te rogamus. . .["Almighty God, we pray that your angel..."]; in the funeral liturgy's In Paradisum deducant te angeli. . .["May the angels lead you into Paradise. . ."]). Moreover, in the "Cherubic Hymn" of the Byzantine Liturgy, she celebrates the memory of certain angels more particularly (St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, and the guardian angels).

336 From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life." Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.

Guardian Angels protect us from three things

1. Not getting started on the journey of life

2. The danger of going astray

3. Going off the road and loosing oneself

"But I want to ask you a question: Do you speak with your angel? Do you know the name of your angel? Do you listen to your angel? Do you allow yourself to be led by the hand along the path, or do you need to be pushed to move?"

There is the danger of not going on the journey. And how many people settle down, and don’t set out on the journey, and their whole life is stalled, without moving, without doing anything… It is a danger. Like that man in the Gospel who was afraid to invest the talent. He buried it, and [said], “I am at peace, I am calm. I can’t make a mistake. So I won’t take a risk.” And so many people don’t know how to make the journey, or are afraid of taking risks, and they are stalled. But we know that the rule is that those who are stalled in life end up corrupted. Like water: when the water is stopped up in a place, the mosquitos come, they lay their eggs, and everything is corrupted. Everything. The angels help us, they push us to continue on the journey.

And the Lord says, “Have respect for their presence.” The angel is authoritative; he has authority to guide us. Listen to him. “Hearken to his voice, and do not rebel against him.” Listen to the inspirations, which are always from the Holy Spirit – but the angel inspires them.

Our angel is not only with us; he also sees God the Father. He is in relationship with Him. He is the daily bridge, from the moment we arise to the moment we go to bed. He accompanies us and is a link between us and God the Father. The angel is the daily gateway to transcendence, to the encounter with the Father: that is, the angel helps me to go forward because he looks upon the Father, and he knows the way. Let us not forget these companions along the journey.

Pope Francis, Homily, 2 October 2018

SAINTS WHO SAW THEIR GUARDIAN ANGELS

St. Frances

"His aspect is full of sweetness and majesty. His eyes are generally turned toward Heaven, and words cannot describe the Divine purity of that gaze. His brow is always serene; his glances kindle in the soul the flames of ardent devotion. When I look upon him, I understand the glory of the angelic nature and the degraded condition of our own."

St. Pio

"Oh, if all men could understand this great gift that God, in his excess of love for man, assigned to us; this celestial spirit. Often remember his presence; you must fix on him the eyes of your soul; thank him; pray to him; he is so refined, so sensitive. Respect him; be in constant fear of offending the purity of his gaze. Invoke often this guardian angel, this benevolent angel, and repeat the beautiful prayer: ‘Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day, be at my side, to light and guard, rule and guide. Amen.'"

Diary of St. Faustina

"When we took our seats on the train from Warsaw to Cracow, once again I saw my Guardian Angel at my side. He was absorbed in prayer and in contemplating God and I followed him with my thoughts. The next morning I saw my guardian angel, who accompanied me throughout the journey as far as Warsaw. He disappeared when we entered the convent gate" (Diary, 490).

"Then I saw one of the seven spirits near me, radiant as at other times, under a form of light. I constantly saw him beside me when I was riding on the train. I saw an angel standing on every church we passed, but surrounded by a light which was paler than that of the spirit accompanying me on the journey, and each of these spirits who were guarding the churches bowed his head to the spirit who was near me" (Diary, 630).

"I have great reverence for Saint Michael the Archangel, he had no example to follow in doing the will of God, and yet he fulfilled God’s will faithfully" (Diary, 667).

"On the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, I saw by my side that great leader, who spoke these words to me: ‘The Lord has ordered me to take special care of you. Know that you are hated by evil; but do not fear – Who is like God.’ And he disappeared. But I feel his presence and assistance" (Diary, 706).

"My guardian angel told me to pray for a certain soul and in the morning I learned that it was a man whose agony had begun that very moment. The Lord Jesus makes it known to me in a special way when someone is in need of my prayer. I especially know when my prayer is needed by a dying soul. This happens more often now than it did in the past" (Diary, 820).

"In my communing with the angels I thanked God for His goodness, that He gives us angels for companions. Oh, how little people reflect on the fact that they always have beside them such a guest and at the same time a witness to everything" (Diary, 1200).

Pope Francis, Morning Meditation, 2 October 2014

“How is my relationship with my guardian angel? Do I listen to him? Do I bid him good day in the morning? Do I tell him: ‘guard me while I sleep?’ Do I speak with him? Do I ask his advice? Is he beside me?”