“In the presence of the Angels I will praise you, my God”(Psalm 138)

The Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

Joy surrounds this memorial for me. Remembering the always present love of God manifest in the guardian angels brings me such comfort. Of course you probably think of these holy beings as something from your childhood and perhaps have discarded the thought of your own guardian angel as a product of youth and innocence. Comes to mind the holy card of two small children crossing a dangerous chasm while hovering gigantically over them in protection is a winged being. Hard to put that image into your adult life.

What do you imagine when you think of the angel assigned to you? Perhaps a fluffy little cherub floating with tiny wings on a fresco somewhere in a cathedral in Rome? Or a magnificent figure, grand in stature, serious, humble, made truly awesome by its always beholding the face of God, yet there just for you? Always there to whisper God’s loving will to you, His message of grace and joy and warning and guidance. Not just a cute figure perched on your right shoulder counterbalanced by an equally harmless little red devil with horns and a pitchfork on your left shoulder, both prodding you to good or evil, as depicted in so many cartoons. No, a serious, loving meeting with our very Lord, assigned to each of us even before our birth.

Children used to be regarded as chattel, tools to be used,  small versions of adults without unique needs and gifts. As human consciousness evolved, we grew to see children as they are - simple, humble, with special complexities and needs. Jesus showed his disciples a child as a model of the greatest in the kingdom of heaven when they argued who would be greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I try to place myself back there when I was a child, trusting simply in the goodness of God, knowing there is a special angel there to bring me all of God’s love and care. A being I can communicate with, ask favors of - as when I asked my angel to nudge the angel of another to delay evening Mass for five minutes so I wouldn’t be late…..and it happened! When I told the celebrant what I had asked and the amazing result - he was never late celebrating Mass - he said that was the best thing that had happened to him in quite a while. To know the joy of God’s love manifest in our guardian angel.

So I invite you to remember your guardian angel with thanks and awe that there is a conduit to the face of God.