Relationship with the angel sent to guard me

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the relationship we have with God that guides our decisions throughout the day.

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Pope Francis points to the image of the angel in the Book of Exodus 23:20-23.

There are two images — the angel and the child — Francis pointed out, which “the Church shows us in today’s liturgy”. The Book of Exodus (23:20-23a), in particular, proposes “the image of the angel” that “the Lord gives to his people to help them on their journey”. It reads, in fact: “Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared”.

In the Gospel from Matthew, Jesus addresses arguments about the Greatest in the Kingdom among the disciples with the example of a child who has an angel facing God.

* [18:10] Their angels in heaven…my heavenly Father: for the Jewish belief in angels as guardians of nations and individuals, see Dn 10:13, 20–21; Tb 5:4–7; 1QH 5:20–22; as intercessors who present the prayers of human beings to God, see Tb 13:12, 15. The high worth of the little ones is indicated by their being represented before God by these heavenly beings.

The Summa Theologiæ of St. Thomas Aquinas addresses eight articles concerning the relationship of angels to humanity.

A reflection of Pope Francis on the Gospel today (2 October 2014) concludes that we all have an angel.

“This is the way”, the Pontiff indicated, and not that of determining “who is the greatest”. In truth, he stated, repeating the words of Jesus: whoever humbles himself like a child will be “the greatest”. And here the Lord “makes that mysterious connection that cannot be explained, but it is true”. He says, in fact: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven”.

Andy Alexander, S.J. recalls Catholic grade school and the prayer to his Guardian Angel that became a part of his night prayers.

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

Don Schwager quotes Chromatius, an early Christian scholar and bishop of Aquileia, Italy. He was a close friend of John Chrysostom and Jerome. He died in 406 AD. Jerome described him as a "most learned and most holy man.

"It is not right to despise anyone who believes in Christ. A believer is called not only a servant of God but also a son though the grace of adoption, to whom the kingdom of heaven and the company of the angels is promised. And rightly the Lord adds, 'For I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.' How much grace the Lord has toward each one believing in him he himself declares when he shows their angels always beholding the face of the Father who is in heaven. Great is the grace of the angels toward all who believe in Christ. Finally, the angels carry their prayers to heaven. Hence the word of Raphael to Tobias: 'When you prayed along with your daughter-in-law Sara, I offered the memory of your prayer in the sight of God (Deutero-canonical book of Tobit 12:12). Around them there is also the strong guard of the angels; they help each of us to be free from the traps of the enemy. For a human in his weakness could not be safe amid so many forceful attacks of that enemy if he were not strengthened by the help of the angels." (excerpt from TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 57.1)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 18:1-5, 10 notes that the Church teaches that every one of us has a guardian angel to accompany us throughout our lives.

St. Padre Pio called him “my friend since infancy.” They were close companions from a young age and spent a lot of time together. They talked to one another before bed and stayed in touch throughout the years. Padre Pio was convinced that this friend always had his back, through all the highs and lows of his life. Who was this treasured friend? His guardian angel.

A post by Franciscan Media comments on the link to the monastic tradition of guardian angels.

Devotion to the angels began to develop with the birth of the monastic tradition. Saint Benedict gave it impetus and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, the great 12th-century reformer, was such an eloquent spokesman for the guardian angels that angelic devotion assumed its current form in his day.

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the attitude of the childlike that Jesus emphasizes in the Gospel. He lists some trivial concerns we sometimes question about angels. Friar Jude reminds us to remember how we may have been directed from making evil choices.

The meditation of Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, resonates with images of good and evil today. He comments that for several centuries, Christianity in the West has been in a defensive mode, a siege mentality where not-knowing and the mystical tradition are considered too risky.

All things on earth are a mixture of darkness and light. When we idolize things as totally good or condemn otherness as totally bad, we get ourselves in trouble. Jesus simplifies this task by saying: “God alone is good” (Mark 10:18). Even the good things of this world are still subject to imperfection, wounding, and decay. I find it very hard to admit, but often tragedies produce much good fruit and good people

The story of our life journey contains occasions where we acted to resist or reject temptations that likely would have led us into trouble. The recognition that God has been there to guide us is the foundation of our celebration of Guardian Angels.

References

(2014, October 2). We all have an angel (2 October 2014) | Francis. Retrieved October 2, 2018, from https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/cotidie/2014/documents/papa-francesco-cotidie_20141002_we-all-have-an-angel.html
(n.d.). Matthew 18. Retrieved October 2, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/matthew18.htm
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved October 2, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 2, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved October 2, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Saint of the Day – Franciscan Media. Retrieved October 2, 2018, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/source/saint-of-the-day/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 2, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/