By Fr. Joy Prakash, OFM –
The notion of heavenly beings worshipping God and ready to do his bidding has been taken from Jewish thought and placed in the heart of Christian worship.
The ancient Jews believed that angels served both individuals and nations. Jesus accepted this idea too. He said the angels would support him at his second coming. Once he took a little child and spoke to his followers about becoming like children and caring for them. “See that you do not despise one of these little ones,” Jesus said: “For I tell you that their angels always behold the face of my Father in heaven.”
The notion of Guardian Angels is implicit in Our Lord’s own teaching. And in his own life on earth they are recorded in the Gospels many times. They minister to him in the wilderness and they care for him in the Garden of Gesthemane. Had he wished, they would have fought against his captors. They are present at his resurrection.
The belief that we each have a guardian angel has been common to Christians for many centuries.
The picture of a guardian angel that we often see is an angel protecting a little child as he or she walks over a small bridge.
In 1608, Pope Paul V added today’s feast to the calendar of saints and celebrations. It is very encouraging to know and believe that we each have an angel guarding and protecting us. Our guardian angel is a gift from our loving God.
St Bernard wrote: “In any great trouble, in any strong temptation, call upon your Guardian Angel who is your guide and your helper, in any difficulty and in any time of need.”
Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love entrusts me here. Ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
God’s presence with his people is confirmed again by Jesus when he says of these small children, “Their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” God never leaves us alone—ever! He is with us always in some way, shape or form, leading us home. Our guardian angels remind us of this. God’s enduring love and providential care extended to each person day-in and day-out.
In today’s Gospel Jesus links children with angels and so illustrates how important they are to him. He speaks of the serious consequences of misleading them with false teaching or abusing their trust. Just as important is his teaching that we must become like little children if we are to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Small children are trusting and expect to be loved. They are open to change and take risks. This makes them vulnerable to being hurt or misled but, in the care of loving parents, they mature physically, mentally and in faith.
Jesus says we must be like them. How willing are we to put ourselves in the hands of our heavenly parent? Are we really prepared to trust that all will be well?
Devotion to the angels is, an expression of faith in God’s enduring love and providential care extended to each person day-in and day out until life’s end.
God’s presence with his people is confirmed again by Jesus when he says of these small children, “Their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” God never leaves us alone—ever! He is with us always in some way, shape or form, leading us home. Our guardian angels remind us of this.
Honouring angels is a way of acknowledging that no matter how broken or sinful our world is, God does not abandon us. This world is saturated with God’s care and love for us. We humans have named that presence “angelic”, a word that means messenger. Throughout Scripture we read of heavenly messengers coming in dreams, in meeting with strangers, in times of trouble and times of rejoicing. Today let us listen to those messengers, let us make room in our hearts and lives for our guardian angels.
Angels have been around since the dawn of creation. Their job is one of ministry to God and to the people he created. In OT, angels protected Lot, saved Hagar and her child, assisted the prophets and announced births and callings. In the NT we see them in Jesus’ life from his birth to the Ascension. Nothing important happens without them being present.
If we do not become like children we will not grow or mature but remain trapped, blaming others, feeling sorry for ourselves or competing for the highest places. If we learn from them we will always be ready to minister to God and the people he created. Then one day we will be continually in the presence of God – just like angels.