Posted on 08/28/2012 1:24:20 PM PDT by NYer
[1]When you were a kid you were told that you have a mysterious spirit that supposedly floats around wherever you go. You learned that this mysterious spirit was good and that he would keep you safe. You probably even learned that famous prayer [2]. In short, you and I learned that we have a lifelong companion whom we still know very little about. What do you know about your guardian angel?
Our own guardian angels are chosen by God from the last of the nine choirs of the spirits of light. They form part of the third hierarchy of angels of which the principalities and the archangels are also a part. Each guardian angel reflects God’s goodness in a particular way and they are ever ready to go wherever the will of God sends them. They are the guardians of our safety and salvation, and they obtain for us the grace of final perseverance.
Catholic belief not only acknowledges the existence of guardian angels but, throughout most of Church history, asserts that every human during his lifetime has its own guardian angel not assigned to anyone else. This is true for Christians and non-Christians alike, whether they are in grace or in sin.
The ministry of the guardian angels consists in extensive duties: warding off dangers to body and soul, removing occasions of sin and helping us to overcome temptation, preventing Satan from suggesting evil thoughts, inspiring and fostering in us holy thoughts and pious desires, offering to God our prayers and praying for us, correcting us if we sin, helping us in the agony of death, strengthening and comforting us, and conducting our souls to heaven or to purgatory to console us there. Our guardian angels do all that they can to help us, but since they are not omniscient it is up to us to expose our intimate thoughts to them by an act of free will. It is to our benefit to have no secrets to hide from him, because he is surely our best friend after God and Mother Mary.
[3]We cannot sensibly perceive our guardian angels, yet they are with us from the moment of our conception. Their task is not completed until we gaze with them on the Vision of God. Our guardian angels’ tenderness is nearly above all words: “He fights for us and asks no thanks, but hides his silent victories and continues to gaze upon God” (Father Faber). Until the morning of our resurrection we will not know from how many dangers he has delivered us, nor how much of our salvation is actually due to him. His work is beyond the power of meriting, because his work is a work of love. How many times have we felt his presence and power rescuing us from danger? In him we have an unseen friend.
St. Bernard comically teaches his disciples, “Always remember that you are in the presence of your guardian angel…Never do in the presence of your guardian angel what you would not do in my presence.” Continually reminding ourselves of their presence is an excellent means of overcoming temptation. Let us frequently invoke their intercession in the time of temptation and trial. Let us revere their presence, bless their benevolence, and trust in their care.
We owe filial devotion to our guardian angels for kindly warning us and earnestly exhorting us.
The best gift of thanksgiving you can give to your guardian angel, as I mentioned in my last article [4], is to offer Holy Communion in gratitude for their ministry. It is also a good idea to take up the practice, as did many saints, of consulting our guardian angels before undertaking anything both great and small. Moreover, it is also a good practice to not only continuously remind yourself of your guardian angel but also to acknowledge and to greet the guardian angels of others.
Your guardian angel sees in his charge a soul of priceless value since it was redeemed by the Precious Blood of God. A soul becomes more and more radiant through the Blood of Christ. A soul in the state of grace is a beautiful thing for our angels to joyfully gaze upon. Let us not sadden our heavenly companion by staining our souls with sin, but if stained we become, let us make haste to run to the Blood of Christ flowing from all the seven sacraments.
[5]
My first grade teacher, a nun, told me of my guardian angel. I was actually affronted at the suggestion that I could have someone watching over me and yet my life be the mean, pointless slog that it was. I seriously doubted the whole thing. I have never been able to warm up to the idea since.
Here’s the part of the score sheet I can recall, regarding life saves:
Rolling down a very steep rock hill (all rip rap),
Near drowning in irrigation ditch,
Military orders changing, that would have put me at very high risk,
Dozens of near misses on the highway,
Cancer,
Nearly bleeding to death, internally,
Abandon on night dives...in the ocean,
etc...
And I'm not telling you what you "should" do. Pray, extend the same courtesy.
Hm.. talking is ok heh. *bows*
Since you missed the post above, here is Matthew 18:10:
“Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven THEIR ANGELS do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” (emphasis mine)
Cheers. And may the Angels guide your steps.
That children have angels assigned is implied from the above verse. What they are allowed to do or not, is not said.
I,too, was in an auto accident that should have killed me. I was driving a Geo Storm and I was hit by a tractor trailer on I-95. He drifted into my lane, bumped the driver’s side toward the rear, and spun my car sideways so that I was perpendicular to him.
My car then slid sideways, quite a bit away from him and still perpendicular. Next, he slammed into me on the driver’s side. I walked away with some little cuts on my arm from the broken glass.
The ambulance was called just because that is the standard procedure, and the two EMS people were amazed. But I guess my Guardian Angel was not.
They pointedly advertise that "every professor has the Mandatum."
I know that my Gaudian Angel protects me, especially when I am driving.
BTW, I have a name for my guardian angel.
Of course it is ... perhaps you missed it.
Exodus 23:20-23, Judith 13:20. Psalm 34:7, Psalm 91:11-13, Daniel 10:13, Matthew 18:10, Acts 12:14-15, Acts 16:9 ... along with other scriptural references. Take some time to get to know your guardian angel. You will not regret it.
What a beautiful prayer! Thank you for posting it. Do you pray this on a regular basis?
I ASK my Guadian Angel to help me all the time.
I’m not praying to her/him. I am asking......got it?
Indeed! These guardians are here to protect us in life. Apparently, it was not your time and your guardian angel intervened. Great story ... thank you for the post and ping!
All creatures, be they physical or spiritual, have been named by God. Perhaps, if you develop a solid relationship with your guardian angel, you could ask him/her to reveal its name to you, but how would you recognize it. My angel has a name, unrevealed to me, which I respect.
Awesome post! Thank you for sharing your reflections and insight with all of us. I too am very grateful for my guardian angel who has assisted me many times in very difficult situations. Each night, I thank God for this gift.
We know we have ‘Guardian Angels’. We have experienced them numerous times in our lives. On occasion they have been seen. Now, I will share something that is very personal for my wife and I, but it is something that the Lord has Himself told us we may share. We do from time to time over the past several years get messages from the Lord. He ‘speaks’ to us, we hear and write it down, as He has told us to do. Here are five of those messages that refer to those Angels surrounding us, to give us peace and to protect us, to protect us and to provision us, protecting all that is Mine, assigned to protect us.
Here are the messages...shared for the edification of anyone reading who will be edifided and encouraged by the words shared. These were given to us over the past four years. If you understand, be blessed. If you do not understand, be blessed.
“There are those who would see you fail and not accomplish the work I have given you. These are dark side forces. Your protection from these forces is this wall of My Host, My angels surrounding you and all that I have given in your care as part of the work I have given you. Have no fear. Nothing that comes against you can succeed.”
“I see the turmoil, the undercurrents of fear, even doubt going on inside you. I sent My Angel of Peace to give you peace and to protect you. He will remain with you. He is not alone. There are others guarding what is Mine. Lay aside all doubts and fears and rest in the peace I give you.
You are absorbing My peace. Let Me again see the joy that I give you. Let Me see that you feel that joy!”
“Be comforted in My presence. Be comforted in My love, My peace, My joy. No harm, no distractions, no assaults touch you in My presence. My angels are with you to protect you and to provision you. They are your friends, My messengers, your protectors.”
“You are experiencing another year of change. Some 40 days have passed and there have already been numerous changes. My change is always for good. Your lives are changing as I direct events around you. As I make ready your path for your part in changing My world the evil you see is itself being overcome in many ways that you don’t see. It is being overcome by My power. My power protects you. My angels protect all that is Mine. All that you have is Mine, protected by My power and by My angels. No one can touch you. No one can touch what I have given in your care. Be at peace. Be joyful. Share My peace. Share My joy. Share My love wherever you go.”
“Never forget that I am in control. I see all, know all. There is evil in the land. Their own evil will destroy them. They know no peace. They refuse to know Me. Be ready to move with Me as their systems collapse. Their evil systems have become a house of cards. They cannot touch you. My messengers, My angels are assigned to protect you. Give thanks now for what you are about to witness, what your are about to see Me do.”
Excuse me for speaking in frustration, but what does it take to get across to people like you not every Christian believes Scripture is the sum total of God's Word?
It's fine if you believe it is, but replies like yours sound exactly like being called a "racist" for not agreeing with a liberal's policy, to us of the more Catholic persuasion.
It's not a comment that is going to alter our opinions, and ultimately, all it does is serve to reinforce the pride of those who share your doctrine.
OK, here’s my story:
I was driving a small sports car, convertible, with a rollbar over the seats. I had driven that route a number of times, and had noticed a roadside restaurant that had a sign advertising snapper soup. For some reason, this time I decided to stop to try the soup. It was strange, I almost felt like I was eating a last meal, but I finished and got back into my car.
I had always been a seat belt user, and still do to this day, but this one time, I didn’t fasten the belt. As I was driving, I kept thinking that I should buckle it, but it was tricky to do with one hand, so I decided to wait until I had to stop.
In my youthful foolishness, I was driving too fast, and failed to notice a sharp curve just over a hill. I didn’t make the turn, and got the nose of the car under an old style wire rope guardrail, with wooden posts supporting it.
When the dust had settled, I noticed that there was a brown scuff on the driver’s headrest and a serious dent in the roll bar right above that seat. The convertable top was torn away. The only thing that could have done all that was one of those wooden posts.
If I was wearing the seat belt, that post would have hit me right in the face. It would have killed me instantly, but instead I was bouncing around out of harm’s way.
What intervened to make me stop at that restaurant, and then not buckle that belt?
I think we all know.
“Many interpreters believe that the last part of verse 10 teaches that God has guardian angels who take special care of small children. However the context of verse 10 is not talking about small children but disciples who need to be as humble as small children. “
“Furthermore the angels in this passage are continually beholding God’s face in heaven, not watching the movements of small children on earth. “
“Evidently the angels in view are the supernatural messengers (the normal meaning of “angels”) who assist God’s people (Heb. 1:14). This seems to me to be more likely than that they are the spirits of believers after death who constantly behold God’s face (cf. Acts 12:15).”
“Another view is that they are the spirits of children who have died.”
“Are there guardian angels for children? I like to think there are because of God’s concern for children (e.g., 19:14–15), but I cannot point to a verse that teaches this explicitly.”
TC
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