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| “The Guardian Angel” by Pietro Da Cortona, 1656 |
Note: for this memorial the Gospel of the Proper is used.
Reading 1: Nehemiah 2:1-8
In the month Nisan of the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,
when the wine was in my charge,
I took some and offered it to the king.
As I had never before been sad in his presence,
the king asked me, “Why do you look sad?
If you are not sick, you must be sad at heart.”
Though I was seized with great fear, I answered the king:
“May the king live forever!
How could I not look sad
when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins,
and its gates have been eaten out by fire?”
The king asked me, “What is it, then, that you wish?”
I prayed to the God of heaven and then answered the king:
“If it please the king,
and if your servant is deserving of your favor,
send me to Judah
to rebuild it.”
Then the king, and the queen seated beside him,
asked me how long my journey would take
and when I would return.
I set a date that was acceptable to him,
and the king agreed that I might go.
I asked the king further: “If it please the king,
let letters be given to me for the governors
of West-of-Euphrates,
that they may afford me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah
also a letter for Asaph, the keeper of the royal park,
that he may give me wood for timbering the gates
of the temple-citadel and for the city wall
and the house that I shall occupy.”
The king granted my requests,
for the favoring hand of my God was upon me.
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Commentary on Neh 2:1-8
This reading from the Book of Nehemiah is one of the “memoirs” of Nehemiah depicting his request to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and the temple. Nehemiah was contemporary of Ezra, a layman called to extraordinary service and effort. He demonstrates a constant faith that God was supporting him.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
R. (6ab) Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!
By the streams of Babylon
we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion
On the aspens of that land
we hung up our harps.
R. Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!
Though there our captors asked of us
the lyrics of our songs,
And our despoilers urged us to be joyous:
“Sing for us the songs of Zion
R. Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!
How could we sing a song of the LORD
in a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem
may my right hand be forgotten!
R. Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!
May my tongue cleave to my palate
if I remember you not,
If I place not Jerusalem
ahead of my joy.
R. Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!
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Commentary on Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
The sadness that drove Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to rebuild is reflected in this communal lament. The people of God, dispersed throughout the region, recall the joys of being in God’s presence in Zion (Jerusalem). We feel in this hymn our own anticipation of being together in God’s presence as a community of faith.
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Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10
The disciples approached Jesus and said,
"Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?"
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
"Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever humbles himself like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
"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."
The disciples approached Jesus and said,
"Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?"
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
"Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever humbles himself like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
"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."
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Commentary on Mt 18:1-5, 10
Commentary on Mt 18:1-5, 10
This Gospel passage is used on the Feast of the Guardian Angels each year. The event is also recorded in St. Luke’s Gospel at Luke 9:46-50. The major difference is that here, in St. Matthew’s Gospel the Lord speaks directly of the guardian angels who protect and watch over the children in the presence of the Heavenly Father, as opposed to going on to another saying of Jesus. The emphasis in this passage changes from a treatise on humility to one which emphasizes God’s care for those who are most helpless, his children.
CCC: Mt 18:3-4 526; Mt 18:3 2785; Mt 18:10 329, 336
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Reflection:
Taking the flow of celebrations in the Church over the days leading up to this date, it almost seems as if we have been building up to the memorial of Guardian Angels. We have celebrated the Feast of the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, and just yesterday the Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. From divine messengers and saints who invite us to be as children in accepting their divine aid, the guardian angels present themselves in this memorial, an angelic presence, reminding us that God cares for us all and is with us constantly.
It is an opportunity for us all to reflect upon this question: If Jesus tells us the guardian angels exist and are real (“I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father"), do we accept and believe that aid is at hand, or do we continue to fear, thinking we are alone, fighting against the world with only our own strength to protect us? After all, we do not see the angelic messengers. We do not observe them actively participating in our lives. Unlike their depiction in the movies, objects and people do not fly around, guided by the hosts of heaven.
Ultimately we are given God’s assurance that his messengers are here with us, that at once they face outward watching over us and inward, worshiping God and His Son in the Heavenly Kingdom. We are called once more today to have the faith of a child as we go about our day’s activities. We should also not forget all those times we have been rescued by our guardian angels. May we accept God’s angelic aid and feel the peace flowing from his Son on this day.
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Reflection:
Taking the flow of celebrations in the Church over the days leading up to this date, it almost seems as if we have been building up to the memorial of Guardian Angels. We have celebrated the Feast of the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, and just yesterday the Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. From divine messengers and saints who invite us to be as children in accepting their divine aid, the guardian angels present themselves in this memorial, an angelic presence, reminding us that God cares for us all and is with us constantly.
It is an opportunity for us all to reflect upon this question: If Jesus tells us the guardian angels exist and are real (“I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father"), do we accept and believe that aid is at hand, or do we continue to fear, thinking we are alone, fighting against the world with only our own strength to protect us? After all, we do not see the angelic messengers. We do not observe them actively participating in our lives. Unlike their depiction in the movies, objects and people do not fly around, guided by the hosts of heaven.
Ultimately we are given God’s assurance that his messengers are here with us, that at once they face outward watching over us and inward, worshiping God and His Son in the Heavenly Kingdom. We are called once more today to have the faith of a child as we go about our day’s activities. We should also not forget all those times we have been rescued by our guardian angels. May we accept God’s angelic aid and feel the peace flowing from his Son on this day.
Pax
[1] The picture used today is “The Guardian Angel” by Pietro Da Cortona, 1656.
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
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