A group of angels from the
2009 Christmas Pageant.
2009 Christmas Pageant.
Today is October 2, the Feast of the Guardian Angels. Because it is Sunday, we will not celebrate the festive Mass for the Angels this year (we will offer the Sunday Mass for the 27th Week in Ordinary Time). Since the Sunday Feast overrides the Guardian Angel Feast this year, I want to reflect on these spiritual beings and their role in our lives.
Probably most of you remember learning the child’s prayer to our angels: “Angel of God/ My Guardian Dear/ To whom God’s Love commits me here// Ever this Day be at my Side/ to light and guard, to rule and guide.” Our good parents taught us that prayer in the hopes that we would always be mindful of our particular Guardian Angel, and commit ourselves to their guidance and care.
In our parish, the priests of the “Work of the Holy Angels” (Fr. Wolfgang and Fr. Wagner) have given several missions. Many of us have consecrated ourselves to our own Guardian Angels, including yours truly. I renew my consecration to my Angel every day, with these words: “Holy Guardian Angel … I thank you with all my heart for your loving care. I commit myself to you, and promise you my love and fidelity.” Promising fidelity to our own Guardian Angel is promising fidelity to God himself, for the Angels can do nothing apart from the will of God. Think often that you have a friend, one who loves you, of unimaginable protective power and with a superhuman capacity to love you. He is never apart from you, and links you with God, for he has his eyes continually on God’s Face, obeying His perfect will in everything. God sends these angels, whose existence is a doctrine of the Catholic Church, to guide us through life. My prayer continues, “I beg of you: protect me against my own weaknesses and the attacks of the wicked spirits.” When you are at the end of your rope, you must think of and call on the loving strength of your own Guardian Angel. If you promise your love and fidelity to him, he will guide you through the most difficult and dark moments. Trust, and pray to, your Guardian Angel.
Probably most of you remember learning the child’s prayer to our angels: “Angel of God/ My Guardian Dear/ To whom God’s Love commits me here// Ever this Day be at my Side/ to light and guard, to rule and guide.” Our good parents taught us that prayer in the hopes that we would always be mindful of our particular Guardian Angel, and commit ourselves to their guidance and care.
In our parish, the priests of the “Work of the Holy Angels” (Fr. Wolfgang and Fr. Wagner) have given several missions. Many of us have consecrated ourselves to our own Guardian Angels, including yours truly. I renew my consecration to my Angel every day, with these words: “Holy Guardian Angel … I thank you with all my heart for your loving care. I commit myself to you, and promise you my love and fidelity.” Promising fidelity to our own Guardian Angel is promising fidelity to God himself, for the Angels can do nothing apart from the will of God. Think often that you have a friend, one who loves you, of unimaginable protective power and with a superhuman capacity to love you. He is never apart from you, and links you with God, for he has his eyes continually on God’s Face, obeying His perfect will in everything. God sends these angels, whose existence is a doctrine of the Catholic Church, to guide us through life. My prayer continues, “I beg of you: protect me against my own weaknesses and the attacks of the wicked spirits.” When you are at the end of your rope, you must think of and call on the loving strength of your own Guardian Angel. If you promise your love and fidelity to him, he will guide you through the most difficult and dark moments. Trust, and pray to, your Guardian Angel.
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