Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels
Why We Need Angels
Who are the Angels? This question is answered by the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “St. Augustine says: "'Angel' is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is 'spirit'; if you seek the name of their office, it is 'angel': from what they are, 'spirit', from what they do, 'angel.' " With their whole beings the angels are servants and messengers of God. Because they "always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven" (Mt 18:10) they are the "mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word (Ps 103:20)."
Fr. Michał Sopoćko, based on the teachings of St. Tomas, wrote that "seeing God face to face is a reward for Angels for their first act of will, which was an act of perfect love of God. However, not all Angels deserved this award. Angels adore God, contemplate His Face, it is an irretrievable happiness for them. Considering their role in the work of creation should make us long for heaven, for irreversible happiness. In the case of Angels, it is perfect happiness”. Also, he wrote that “this happiness would not be like this if it were combined with the fear that it would be lost. Seeing God causes them to love Him above all, which prevents them from committing a sin that would cause them to lose their happiness". Being God's messengers, they are a reflection of His Mercy shown to man. They protect us from all evil, they lead us to the Father's house. They go ahead of us.
Although we are not always able to theologically explain the definition of Angels, we instinctively sense the need for their presence in our lives. One of the first prayers that parents teach their children is the prayer to the Guardian Angel. It is worth returning to it often. This is not just a prayer for children. On the contrary, it teaches us the attitude of a child before God. Lord God in His Mercy gave us "spiritual friends” because His Mercy has no limits. He came to call not righteous but sinners. By giving us Angels as our guardians, it makes it possible for us to achieve our goal of salvation - to stand face to face with God. Michael the Archangel assured St. Faustina about her help. This is how she wrote it in her Diary: On the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, I saw by my side that great Leader, who spoke these words to me: “The Lord has ordered me to take special care of you. Know that you are hated by evil; but do not fear – “Who is like God! ‟ “And he disappeared. But I feel his presence and assistance." (Diary 706)
St Faustina received a great help from St Michael and also from her Guardian Angel. I was actually surprised to find there are more than 70 places in the Diary where the angels are mentioned. Consequently, it means a lot, because when we read the Diary, we encounter the angels. They introduce themselves to us.
In the Diary 630, she wrote “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”. St Padre Pio had a great devotion to the angels; he was a great teacher in advising us on how to take the opportunity of using the angels. He said to one of his spiritual daughters: “Remember you are supposed to call and invoke your guardian angel a few times each day, so it becomes routine.” Sometimes we forget about calling on our guardian angel.
St Faustina prayed to her Guardian Angel and to St Michael each day - the exorcism prayer by Pope Leo XIII. She often experienced the protection of her guardian angel. Once, when she was on a train, she saw an angel present above each of the churches that she passed. Another time when she was acting as a doorkeeper she was worried about the convent and the sisters because of an uprising in the town and asked the Lord to help, instantly she saw an angel. In a vision Jesus said, “Immediately I sent my angel to take care of the sisters.” Jesus sends the angels to help us like he did towards St Faustina. An angel brought Holy Communion to St Faustina for 13 consecutive days when she was ill. It was an amazing mystical experience. “In the morning, I made my meditation and prepared for Holy Communion, even though I was not to receive the Lord Jesus. When my love and desire had reached a high degree, I saw at my bedside a Seraph, who gave me Holy Communion, saying these words: “Behold the Lord of Angels.” When I received the Lord, my spirit was drowned in the love of God and in amazement. This was repeated for thirteen days, although I was never sure he would bring me Holy Communion the next day”. (Diary 1676)
No human can become an Angel. However, when we achieve the goal of our life - heaven, we will become equal to the Angels. Jesus himself assures us of this in the words: " those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead (…) they can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. (cf. Luke 20:35-36)
We can already experience a foretaste of heaven here on earth. We can fill our hearts with the desire to see God. The Gospel shows us that the path to remain before the face of God is a pure heart. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" (cf. Mt 5: 8). Releasing such a desire makes us feel happy. The angels help us on this path - the measure of our efforts. They stand before God; they teach us with their attitude what it means to glorify God in His Mercy.
Only those who are able to stand before Him in truth about themselves as a creature and recognize God as the Creator and maker of all good in us and around us are capable of true prayer to praise God. To glorify God is to recognize the greatest holiness in Him, to recognize the truth about God's Mercy. The achievement of such an ability is a victory over evil, a rejection of sin, and choosing the path of freedom. "For centuries there has been a struggle between the truth of God's Mercy and the lie of distrust and denial of this Mercy," wrote Fr. Michał Sopoćko. There, the virtues of humility and trust prevail, and here the pride, that God naturally opposes, loses. (...) Let us focus under the banner of Michael Archangel, who first acknowledged God's Mercy and won with humility and trust, with the words: "May the Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 1:9). Let us accept his humble slogan: "Who is like God!"
We know well how difficult it is to let God work in our lives. But where there is love, there is no fear. For us, the saints prove that the way of the Gospel is possible. However, they would not attain the glory of Heaven if they did not, together with the Angels, glorify God on earth.
This is the pattern for us. Let us draw from the graces of God's Mercy in prayer and in praising God. When we pray, we are never alone, but all Heaven prays with us, with angels and saints.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george