Feast of the Guardian Angels
One
What do we know about Guardian Angels?
We are a composite of body and spirit or soul. Angels are pure spirits. They are persons with no physical body, but real persons nonetheless. They are vastly superior to us in their intellect, strength, and power.
Their primary task is to serve God and glorify him. Their secondary task is to guide and protect humans as we journey through this life to our home in heaven, while under the attack of the devil and his demons.
The Catechism (336) teaches that every human has his own special Guardian Angel from the moment of his conception.
Think of this: an angel was sent from heaven the moment you were conceived in your mother’s womb and charged with the mission of bringing you safely to heaven. He has waged a long and relentless battle on your behalf. And we…half the time we have acted as his ally and the other half as his enemy and the enemy of God.
Yet while we vacillate, He never waivers. He is our constant ally. When everyone deserts your fight, He says, I’ll go with you, I’ll go with you.
Two
St. Gemma Galganni saw her Guardian Angel with her eyes, touched him with her hand as if he were a being of this world, and spoke with him as one friend would with another.
I want to share with you the kinds of conversations she had with her Angel. She would say, “Tell me, my Angel, what was the matter this morning with the confessor who was so very serious that he would not listen to me? And will the Father write to me from Rome, and when, in answer to the letter I wrote him, asking him how I should act in a certain case? And that sinner for whom I am striving, tell me dear Angel, when will Jesus convert him for me? And what answer should I give that person who has come to ask my advice? And what do you think of me? Is Jesus contented with me, or what must I do to keep Him so?”
She made known to him her own wants and those of others. In her sufferings, she wished to have him always by her side. She charged him to lay several matters before the throne of God, before the Divine Mother and her Patron Saints, giving him also closed and sealed letters for them with a request to bring her back the answers in time. Those letters, as a matter of fact, disappeared.
Three
Our Guardian Angel is a witness to all our words and actions.
Again St. Gemma Galganni writes, “My Angel is a little severe, but I am glad of it. During the past days he brought me to order as often as three or four times a day.” And indeed sometimes it almost appeared as if he had gone too far. “Yesterday while at table”—it is Gemma who is speaking— I raised my eyes and saw the Angel looking at me with a severity that would frighten one. Later when I went to rest a little, O my God, how angry he was! I looked at him but lowered my eyes immediately. “Art thou not ashamed,” he said, “to commit faults in my presence?” He cast such severe looks at me! And I did nothing but cry and recommend myself to my God and to my Blessed Mother, that they might take me away, because I could not bear it much longer. Every now and then he repeated: “I am ashamed of thee.” I prayed also that others might not see him so angry; for if they did, no one would come near me. I suffered a whole day and could not recollect myself. I had not courage to say a word to him, for whenever I raised my eyes he was looking at me with severity. I should have so liked to ask pardon, but when he is angry there is no chance of his granting it. Yesterday evening I found it impossible to go to sleep, and at last about two o’clock I saw him approach; he put his hand on my forehead, saying: “Sleep, my poor child,” and disappeared.
Four
St. Faustyna and her Guardian Angel
In her diary St. Faustyna writes of a profound experience with an angel, (630) “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 who was 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. When I entered the convent gate at Warsaw, the spirit disappeared. 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! Remember, sinners, that you likewise have a witness to all your deeds.”
Five
You wanna make it real? Then develop a friendship with your guardian angel.
The best way is by talking to your guardian angel in your mind or out loud. Angels have intellect-to-intellect communication. So thank him. Ask for help, guidance, and protection. Think about his presence, which makes you aware of his presence.
If I am aware my guardian angel is present, then I guarantee I will think, speak, and act better. Awareness of the presence of an important person puts us on our best behavior. Practice the presence of your angel. Take delight in the company of one who shares your pursuit of the good. That is the essence of friendship.