In honour of our Guardian Angels
IN HONOUR OF OUR GUARDIAN ANGELS
Mario D’Couto
This article is a follow up to the
one about the Archangels. Each of us has a Guardian angel. The ministry of the
Guardian Angels consist in the following,
Ø In warding off dangers to body and soul
Ø In preventing Satan’s suggesting evil thoughts
and other occasions of sin and helping us to overcome temptation.
Ø In enlightening and instructing us and
fostering in us holy thoughts and pious desires.
Ø In offering to God our prayers and in praying
for us.
Ø In correcting us if we sin.
Ø In helping us in the agony of death, in
strengthening and comforting us
Ø In conducting our souls to heaven or to
purgatory to console us there.
Although they cannot penetrate the
inner sanctuary of the human heart which God has reserved for Himself, they do
all they can to help us. However, it is in our power by an act of our free will
to expose our intimate thoughts to our angelic companion and it is to our
advantage for such confidence in his enlightened guidance of great benefit to
our soul. After God and our Blessed Mother, he is our best friend and if we
really love him, we will have no secrets to hide from him.
Even though we do not sensibly
perceive him or hear no whisper or warnings in our ear or touch him or look at
him with our eyes, he is there with us. From the moment we begin our lives, he
guards us, and he will not have completed his task until as we trust, we shall
gaze with him in glory of the Vision of God. All in all, our Guardian Angels
see in us, souls of priceless value since we are redeemed by the Blood of God.
It is said that before our Guardian
Angels, human beings are modest and respectful; yet their dignity is
incomparably less than that of the lowest of the angels. Therefore, we should
always conduct ourselves piously and modestly before our holy angel, refraining
from every word, gesture or actions which could displease or grieve our
heavenly friend and guide. This continued remembrance of the presence of our
holy angel is also an excellent means of overcoming temptation.
If we truly love our Guardian Angel,
we cannot fail to have boundless confidence in his powerful intercession with
God and firm faith in his willingness to help us. This will inspire us
frequently to invoke the aid and protection especially in time of temptation
and trial. It will prompt us also to ask his counsel in the many problems which
confront us, in matters both great and small. Many of the saints made it a
practice never to undertake anything without first seeking advice of their
Guardian Angel.
When in the state of grace, a soul
is a thing of beauty for our dear angel to gaze upon and he rejoices as it
becomes ever more and more radiant through the Blood of Jesus. Let us then
never sadden our heavenly companion by sin, but should that misfortune happen
to us, may we hasten to the fountain of the Precious Blood which will restore
to us our former whiteness.
Thus, to sum up, the devil who shows
himself so formidable to our human nature is really a coward when we face him
bravely by the example of a good Christian life not forgetting that it is
through God’s help and not by our own merit. Let us take courage therefore and
while confiding in the protection of our heavenly companion, let us also thank
God whose loving kindness thus provides for our eternal welfare. St. Ambrose
says that from our time of conception in our mother’s womb till our
glorification in heaven, our Guardian Angels have been appointed to look after
us.
As these blessed spirits are so
closely united to us, devotion to them ought to be part of every Christian
household. Parents should cultivate first, in themselves and in their children.
Family joys would be sweeter if shared with those gracious angels and in turn
they would repay the affection shown to them with untold spiritual and even
temporal benefits.