Divine guidance from powerful spiritual beings

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today commemorate Guardian Angels. This is one way for believers to explore the experience of not being alone in our spiritual journey. This life experience is often identified in reflection on where we are and how we got here. In Canada, the first reading is from Exodus and it describes the angel which will go before the Israelites in their conquest of Canaan. This angel is a powerful spiritual creature which is a different portrayal than the pet-like creature which Friar Jude Winkler warns us some modern cultural presents as our angel guide. The American Catholic Blog details specific lifelong roles of angels in the lives of individuals. The first reading from the USCCB is from the Book of Job. Friar Jude Winkler comments that the struggles of Job have convinced him that he has a goel, a vindicator or a redeemer who will be present to Job after death. This is noted by Friar Jude as a very early Biblical mention of resurrection. The message of Jesus to His disciples in the Gospel today from Matthew sets the priority for disciples to seek a lifestyle of simplicity which Jesus personifies in a child, who is declared to have Divine Guidance in the form of an angel in the Presence of God (Matt 18:19) Father Ramon Claro comments on the practical ways we are called to be angels to others. We may find that the opportunities cited by Daniel Patrick O'Reilly are pathways we already know in our experience of not being alone on the Way