Memorial of the Guardian Angels

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

Religious art usually imagines guardian angels watching over children. They certainly need a lot of oversight, often more than their parents can provide. Believers who survive to adulthood usually remember hair-raising incidents and thank God for our tireless guardian angels. Some of those incidents are ancient – like the time I dove into a muddy pond and discovered it was only two inches deep; while other incidents are more recent, as when I broke a rib last month while exploring the MSF forest. It could have been so much worse.

Jesus says our guardian angels “always look upon the face of my heavenly father.” Their vigilance before God is our security. While they guard us, they are rapt with joy in the presence of God.  With that they model our care for one another.

Very often we forget God’s love and passionate concern for our loved ones as we try to help them. Trying to save them from themselves, we get in the way of God. And, worse, we lose our own tranquil spirit. We feel we cannot be saved unless the other is saved. The purpose of my life is to save another’s life. What can be more frustrating than trying to dissuade a diabetic from eating that donut? Or more dangerous than coming between the alcoholic and his bottle? What problem robs more people of sleep than “at-risk” grandchildren?

Our guardian angels teach us to pray first for our loved ones. We should keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is fixed helplessly to the cross. Our advice, our urgings, our offered assistance may be helpful, but our best work is the witness we give of serene confidence in God’s providential love. We believe with all our hearts that all things work together for those who love God. As Julian of Norwich said, “All will be well and all manner of things will be well.”