Feast Of The Guardian Angels

[Theologian in Training]

Have you spoken to your angel today?
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Believe it or not, each us have an angel at our side, as the popular prayer says: “to light and guard to rule and guide.” The Catholic writer, Peter Kreeft calls them our “bodyguards” and our “soulguards” and that without them we would be unprotected, both spiritually and physically, because they never leave us and have been assigned, as it were, just for us. We see this very clearly in our first reading when Elijah is threatened by unseen forces but who is guided and guarded by his angel.

Many saints had great devotion to their guardian angel, and, in fact, St. Pio would often say: “invoke your Guardian Angel who will enlighten you. God gave you your Guardian Angel for this reason,” he would say, “So make use of your Angel’s service.” He would often tell his spiritual children that if they were ever in any danger, they were to send their angel to his, and, in fact, there is a great story to this effect. “On one occasion,” it is say, Cecil, an English friend of Pio, was hurt in a car crash. A friend went to the post office to send a telegram to Padre Pio, requesting prayers for the accident victim. When the friend presented the telegram at the desk, the man gave him back a telegram from Padre Pio assuring him of his prayers for Cecil.

Later, after Cecil had recovered, he and his friend went to see Padre Pio. "How did you know of the accident?" both asked. "We got your telegram before we had sent ours."

Pio replied smiling: "Do you think angels go as slowly as planes?"

I know a very holy priest who used to often tell me to have great devotion to my guardian angel and would explain how he would send his all over the world, in order to pray on his behalf when he had work to do and could not get to a church to pray for a few hours. In fact, I will never forget how many places he told me he would ask his angel to go to, from Fatima, to Rome, to many other holy places throughout the world in order for him to keep up his devotion to the Holy Eucharist. And, one time asking him about praying the Rosary and falling asleep, he told me what countless saints had said before him, if that happens, your angel will finish it for you.

I know what you are thinking, these are holy people who loved their angel, and that your angel probably does not work as hard or you haven’t even spoke to your angel in a while. You should know though, it is never too late, your angel is always with, at your side, ready to protect and help you along the way.

I want to tell you a story to help drive this point home a little more, which concerns a retreat I had taken before I was ordained a deacon. It is believed that when a man is preparing for Holy Orders, the spiritual realm, both good and evil, are at war the most, because a priest is about to be born, and believe it or not, by virtue of their ordination, they are given great spiritual strength.

One night while I was at retreat in Chester, in a hermitage, I experienced this battle. It is hard to explain how I experienced it, but suffice it say, I did. I remember I was struck with fear, great fear, and prayed like I had never prayed before, and finally fell asleep while at deep prayer. The next day, I was at adoration and was allowed, as it were, to see, I guess you could say, in my mind’s eye, what occurred, the details are unimportant, but I was able to see standing next to me, two angels, both looking as though they were warriors, wielding shields and swords.

I know it sounds unbelievable it would to me as well, if I had not experienced it myself.

But I believe it is a testament that each us our given an angel to protect us to guide us to help us on our way. This is why I would like to end with that beautiful prayer, which I would encourage you to make your own.

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom His love commits me here, ever this day, be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

[Totus Tuus]

Thanks Theo!

Today Bishop Robert Baker will be installed in Birmingham

Is anyone involved with Opus Angelorum? I will be done with my probation year for making the consecration very soon!

[CatholicCid]

Great homily. I had never heard of sending your angel in your place to pray on your behalf. With all the trouble in the world, this is defianetly something we all should consider.

[Totus Tuus]

[quote name='CatholicCid' post='1396523' date='Oct 2 2007, 10:33 AM']Great homily. I had never heard of sending your angel in your place to pray on your behalf. With all the trouble in the world, this is defianetly something we all should consider.[/quote]

Yes I have read about several saints and other people who did that and miracles ensued. I [very happily] used Ann Carroll's high school theology course when I was a senior (gotta love Seton... seriously...) and there was this awesome chapter on Angels. I recommend it to anyone who can get their hands on it.

[Hashbrowns]

Hooray for Guardian Angels! Thanks be to God!

[kateri05]

sometimes, i hurt myself so much (i'm a clumsy, clumsy girl, just ask my hubby ), i think i might have two it would be too much for any one angel


i love this feast day. i need to start talking to and using my angel more often.


i love this children's book, "angel in the waters," about a baby growing inside his mom and then being born, and it talks about how the baby was never alone because his guardian angel was with him from the moment of his conception and beyond. i thought that was so beautiful

[PapaHilarious]

woohoo, guardian angel day! i just finished a new wallpaper for this.

*goes to update his post*

[jeffpugh]

This is pretty awesome. Thanks for that, Theo!

[MissScripture]

[quote name='kateri05' post='1396580' date='Oct 2 2007, 02:18 PM']sometimes, i hurt myself so much (i'm a clumsy, clumsy girl, just ask my hubby ), i think i might have two it would be too much for any one angel
i love this feast day. i need to start talking to and using my angel more often.
i love this children's book, "angel in the waters," about a baby growing inside his mom and then being born, and it talks about how the baby was never alone because his guardian angel was with him from the moment of his conception and beyond. i thought that was so beautiful [/quote]
I think there are some people who must have two guardian angels, or else their angels are getting paid major overtime! This family of six kids that I babysit for, MUST have more than one each. Six kids, 13 years, no broken bones. Especially one of the girls, she is ALWAYS getting hurt, but usually ends up being nothing more than a bruise or scratch.

I also like that book. I read it this summer to a family for four that I babysat for. They got it when they found out that their mom was pregnant with the fourth, so they kept talking about Zelie's angle (Zelie being their sister's name).

[Hashbrowns]

I'm sitting under a tree phatmassing, and some people about 20 feet away are basically discussing what you said, Theo.

[let_go_let_God]

I had a friend tell me that our Guardian Angels have names. I was skeptical at first but she kept telling me pray for the knowledge to know your Guardian Angel's name. This was the beginning of my senior year of high school and I began to pray about it. The name I kept coming to was Zeke. I thought this was nuts because I had a teddy bear which my father gave me when I was 2 named Zeke. I finally got fed up with God giving me that name so I asked for a sign. This was right before Thanksgiving and we were getting ready for our competition play. We went through auditions and such and were getting our roles and scripts. I found out I was cast as the head zebra in the play and my characters name was, Mama/Papa Zeke pending the sex of the person play it. Whether it was coincidence or the sign I asked for, it's what I've called my Angel that ever since.

Oh and that teddy bear my dad gave me, it hasn't left either my bedside or bed corner since that happened. So my friends and I joke about my Guardian Angel living in my teddy bear.

God bless-
LGLG

Edited October 2, 2007 by let_go_let_God

[Aloysius]

does that mean they get the day off? mine slept in today!

haha, no actually, I didn't ask him to wake me up. but I have asked him to wake me up in the past, and I have never been disappointed. of course, I don't use him like an alarm clock, only ask him to wake me up when there's something really important I have to be up for real early and I'm still up real late. when I do ask him to wake me up, as a sign of trust, I do not set an alarm clock. I always wake up on time, too.

my guardian angel's awesome, I bet he could beat up your guardian angel. I should've gotten him to wake me up this morning, as I had a chance to go to a latin mass. instead, I trusted a stupid alarm clock

[Carolyn]

Thanks, Theo! You've helped put to rest some of my "falling asleep with the rosary on my lap" concerns!

[zabbazooey]

I haven't really ever spoken to my angel, I think I will start today!

[Dreamweaver]

I remember some other people discussing that it isn't necessarily prudent to either give your angel a name or to ask him for his name. A while ago, I did pray to God that if it was His will, to reveal my angel's name to me, and all of a sudden, a biblical name did pop into my head out of the blue. I don't call my angel by that name, preferring just to call him "Guardian Angel". I'd prefer to err on the side of caution.

I had no clue it was the feast of Guardian Angels. The odd thing is that at work, I just "randomly" thanked my angel for watching over me, leading me to closer to Christ, praying for me.