Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love entrust me here, ever this day be at my side to lead and guard, rule and guide. Amen.
This is what the church teaches about angels, "from its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life. Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God." Catechism #336
Think about Luke 2:8-14; here the angels are sent to evangelize proclaiming the good news on the birth of Christ, "Do not be afraid, for i proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all people."
Think about Luke 1:26-38 when the angel Gabriel comes to Mary to announce that she will conceive a child whose kingdom will have no end, "In those days the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth...
Think about Luke 22:43 when an angel is sent to strengthen Jesus in the garden as he prepares to embrace the way of the cross to give himself for all.
These are just a few references of the importance angels in our life.
When we pray asking the assistance of our angels, we are not commanding them to do anything they are not already given charge to do by our Heavenly Father, but rather we are praying to be open to their guidance and counsel.
As Jesus reminds us in today's gospel, the angel always beholds the face of our heavenly father. The primary way the angel guards and protects us is by adoration. Through their adoration we are strengthen and guided by goodness.
When we imitate the angels by bowing in adoration before our heavenly father we too grow in goodness and in our own ability to recognize God's plan and to assist others in growing in strength and goodness as well.
Be mindful of your guardian angels and the guardian angels of others. Just as God seeks to give us divine assistance along the way so too he desires to give that same assistance to every one we meet along this way. This alone should give us a pause when dealing with others.
Just as our angel beholds the face of our Heavenly father so to the angels of others behold the same face.
May this reality spur us on to greater depth of gentleness and goodness in our life.
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