Oct. 2, 2015 Friday: Guardian Angels
Oct. 2, 2015 Friday: Guardian Angels
Guardian Dear
See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of My heavenly Father. — Mt 18:10
The dumbest angel is smarter than the smartest human being. The angels of heaven are immortal spirits who've lived since the dawn of creation, in service to the Most High. They can go anywhere God wills, any time, faster than a blink of an eye. And they care about you. More than that — they serve you.
Whenever you want to count the number of people in a room, you have to double the number. Why? Because according to the (small t) tradition of the Church, every single human being has at least one guardian angel.
Some of the saints and mystics have seen the guardian angels, both their own and the guardian angels of others. Director of the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy Dr. Robert Stackpole shares with us about St. Faustina Kowalska's visions of the angels:
Those who lean on the mercy of God can be sure that our Savior sends His angels to surround and protect them, even as He did for St. Faustina. When she was dangerously ill, a radiant seraph brought her Holy Communion for 13 days (see Diary of St. Faustina, 1676). She saw them defending a dying man for whom she was praying (see 1565), and giving glory to God in heaven (see 1604). She also recorded how her guardian angel defended her from an assault by evil spirits (see 419) and accompanied her on a visionary journey to purgatory and to hell (see 20 and 741). In general, St. Faustina was constantly comforted by the thought — and sometimes given supernatural assurance — that we are not alone in our struggles for faith and love, but are surrounded (whether we know it or not) by a "great crowd of witnesses" (Heb 12:1). She wrote:
One day, when I was at adoration, and my spirit seemed to be dying for Him, and I could no longer hold back my tears, I saw a spirit of great beauty who spoke these words to me: "Don't cry — says the Lord." After a moment I asked, "Who are you?" He answered me, "I am one of the seven spirits who stand before the throne of God day and night and give Him ceaseless praise." Yet this spirit did not soothe my yearning, but roused me to even greater longing for God. This spirit is very beautiful, and his beauty comes from close union with God. This spirit does not leave me for a single moment, but accompanies me everywhere (Diary, 471).
Elsewhere, St. Faustina wrote:
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.
...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 (Diary, 630).
The Lord God has countless numbers in the heavenly host, each one absolutely unique, each one a species unto itself. And one of those immortal spirits is assigned to you. Your guardian angel is with you all your life, at every moment of your life, tasked with aiding you to your heavenly home — if you'll allow it.
The more we invite our guardian angels to act in our lives, the more freedom they have to maneuver. Just like their Lord, the angels respect our free will and are bound if we refuse to cooperate with their loving assistance.
So pray the guardian angel prayer today (see below)! Talk to your guardian angel as a friend, as a companion on the long journey of life, and talk to the guardian angels of your friends, family and enemies. Ask the guardian angels assigned to your friends for every good thing within their power to give on behalf of your friends. Ask your family's guardian angels (especially the guardian angels of your children and godchildren) to protect and defend them, to lead them along straight paths to Jesus and all good. Ask the guardian angels of your enemies to help them toward conversion, toward holiness, toward the life and love of God.
Ask, and you shall receive the assistance, protection, and love of the mightiest creatures of God in the service of goodness, truth, and love.
Guardian Angel Prayer
Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side to light, to guard, to love, and guide. Amen.
http://www.thedivinemercy.org/news/Guardians-Dear-6039
Guardian Dear
See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of My heavenly Father. — Mt 18:10
The dumbest angel is smarter than the smartest human being. The angels of heaven are immortal spirits who've lived since the dawn of creation, in service to the Most High. They can go anywhere God wills, any time, faster than a blink of an eye. And they care about you. More than that — they serve you.
Whenever you want to count the number of people in a room, you have to double the number. Why? Because according to the (small t) tradition of the Church, every single human being has at least one guardian angel.
Some of the saints and mystics have seen the guardian angels, both their own and the guardian angels of others. Director of the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy Dr. Robert Stackpole shares with us about St. Faustina Kowalska's visions of the angels:
Those who lean on the mercy of God can be sure that our Savior sends His angels to surround and protect them, even as He did for St. Faustina. When she was dangerously ill, a radiant seraph brought her Holy Communion for 13 days (see Diary of St. Faustina, 1676). She saw them defending a dying man for whom she was praying (see 1565), and giving glory to God in heaven (see 1604). She also recorded how her guardian angel defended her from an assault by evil spirits (see 419) and accompanied her on a visionary journey to purgatory and to hell (see 20 and 741). In general, St. Faustina was constantly comforted by the thought — and sometimes given supernatural assurance — that we are not alone in our struggles for faith and love, but are surrounded (whether we know it or not) by a "great crowd of witnesses" (Heb 12:1). She wrote:
One day, when I was at adoration, and my spirit seemed to be dying for Him, and I could no longer hold back my tears, I saw a spirit of great beauty who spoke these words to me: "Don't cry — says the Lord." After a moment I asked, "Who are you?" He answered me, "I am one of the seven spirits who stand before the throne of God day and night and give Him ceaseless praise." Yet this spirit did not soothe my yearning, but roused me to even greater longing for God. This spirit is very beautiful, and his beauty comes from close union with God. This spirit does not leave me for a single moment, but accompanies me everywhere (Diary, 471).
Elsewhere, St. Faustina wrote:
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.
...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 (Diary, 630).
The Lord God has countless numbers in the heavenly host, each one absolutely unique, each one a species unto itself. And one of those immortal spirits is assigned to you. Your guardian angel is with you all your life, at every moment of your life, tasked with aiding you to your heavenly home — if you'll allow it.
The more we invite our guardian angels to act in our lives, the more freedom they have to maneuver. Just like their Lord, the angels respect our free will and are bound if we refuse to cooperate with their loving assistance.
So pray the guardian angel prayer today (see below)! Talk to your guardian angel as a friend, as a companion on the long journey of life, and talk to the guardian angels of your friends, family and enemies. Ask the guardian angels assigned to your friends for every good thing within their power to give on behalf of your friends. Ask your family's guardian angels (especially the guardian angels of your children and godchildren) to protect and defend them, to lead them along straight paths to Jesus and all good. Ask the guardian angels of your enemies to help them toward conversion, toward holiness, toward the life and love of God.
Ask, and you shall receive the assistance, protection, and love of the mightiest creatures of God in the service of goodness, truth, and love.
Guardian Angel Prayer
Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side to light, to guard, to love, and guide. Amen.
http://www.thedivinemercy.org/news/Guardians-Dear-6039
