Our Guardian Angels
1. Among the many expressions of God’s goodness towards us is His designation of a heavenly spirit to accompany and to assist each of us on our journey through life. The human eye cannot see him, because he is always on guard by our side. Even while he is near us he enjoys the beatific vision of God.
This is a wonderful thought. During the day, when we are preoccupied with so many affairs which can cause us to forget God, our angel is beside us to inspire us to love God more. When we are asleep, he is watching over us and praying for our welfare. When we pray, he gathers our feeble supplications and offers them to God. When temptation presses hard, it is he who sustains us and encourages us to resist with Christian fortitude. Finally, when by some misfortune we fall into grave sin because we have been deaf to the appeals of our Creator, he takes pity on us and inspires in us remorse for our misdeeds and the desire to be restored as soon as possible to God’s favour.
We should be deeply grateful to our kind Guardian Angel and should pray to him often, especially in times of spiritual or bodily danger. We need his help when we are tempted or afflicted. We should place much greater trust in him, remembering that he is always close at hand to fulfil the mission entrusted to him by God of enlightening and directing us.
2. The realisation that our Angel Guardian is always close at hand should also be a warning to us. It should prevent us from doing anything displeasing to God. Would we venture to do anything unbecoming in the presence of our father or mother, or of anyone for whom we have any regard? Definitely not, and still less should we dare to perform an evil action in the presence of our Angel, to whom we owe such gratitude, and in the presence of God, our Creator, Lord and Redeemer, Who could at any moment snap the thread which binds us to life and plunge us into eternity. Furthermore, when pride convinces us that we are of some importance, let us turn to our Angel and pray for the virtue of humility. When we begin to seethe with anger and long to utter words which are harsh and injurious, let us ask him for the gift of Christian gentleness. When the devil fills our minds with impure images and thoughts, let us ask our Angel to beseech God to give us the Christian fortitude to resist temptation and to imitate his angelic purity. Finally, when tepidity is sapping the vigour of our interior life, let us pray to our Guardian Angel in the hope of obtaining a share in his intimate union with God.
3. Let us form the habit of saying this prayer to our Guardian Angel, especially in the crises of life:
“O Angel of God, my Guardian dear,
To whom God’s love commits me here,
Ever this day (or night) be at my side
To light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.”
When there is not enough time to say this prayer, let us at least turn to our Angel with an act of faith and love and say: “My Guardian Angel, enlighten me. My Guardian Angel, help me. My Guardian Angel, protect me.”
He will certainly come to our assistance and will implore for us from God the graces which we need.
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