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Memorial of the Guardian Angels

Information on the Church and Guardian Angels

Readings for Monday

Reading 1 Jb 1:6-22

Responsorial Psalm Ps 17:1bcd, 2-3, 6-7

R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.

Gospel Mt 18:1-5, 10

Reflection:

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.

Today as the Church celebrates the Memorial of Guardian Angels we hear this simple children’s prayer with which we teach our children not to fear, that God is with them always in the person of the guardian angels. We hear Jesus in the Gospel today tell his disciples that the Lord so protects them as he says;

“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.”

In the history of the Church, our belief in these spirits (as St. Jerome called them) has evolved. St. Thomas Aquinas published a whole section in his great work, the Summa Theologica. While the belief and study of angels has waned in recent years as we have become more rational and less mystic (one might call that trend a loss of innocence) the current teaching document of the Catholic Church still teaches our belief (although not as an article of faith):

335 In her liturgy, the Church joins with the angels to adore the thrice-holy
God. She invokes their assistance (in the funeral liturgy's In Paradisum
deducant te angeli. . .["May the angels lead you into Paradise. . ."]).
Moreover, in the "Cherubic Hymn" of the Byzantine Liturgy, she celebrates the
memory of certain angels more particularly (St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St.
Raphael, and the guardian angels).[1]

Where do we take ourselves with this celebration today? We are forcefully reminded that there is also an evil spirit, Satan, who comes; “From roaming the earth and patrolling it.” If we believe that there is an evil mystical presence can we not have hope that the Lord has maintained his vigilance with his angels. Perhaps today we should remember an adult prayer and let it be our own today;

Dear Angel, in his goodness God gave you to me to guide, protect and enlighten
me, and to being me back to the right way when I go astray. Encourage me when I am disheartened, and instruct me when I err in my judgment. Help me to become more Christlike, and so some day to be accepted into the company of Angels and
Saints in heaven. Amen.

Pax

[1] Copyright permission for posting of the english translation of the CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH on the Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Church web site was granted by Amministrazione Del Patrimonio Della Sede Apostolica, case number 130389