With a touch of irony today's first reading might contribute to reflections about the Holy Guardian Angels. As we come to the end of the Book of Job, we hear God's complaint against Job the Complainer. It seems that God has Hugely Important Matters to tend to and cannot be bothered with this Nobody's issues. But, in fact, the Lord had heard his complaints and responded; and Job, though humiliated, was grateful and - secretly - pleased.
I know little of the ancient near east, but it appears not unlike our world today. That is, it was managed by muddled bureaucrats who were overseen by distant oligarchs; and the rulers neither knew nor cared what happened among the common folk who provided their food, built their roads, dug their canals, and defended their boundaries.
So, if the monarch was far removed from the people, their gods seemed even farther away. And when bad things happened to good people, they found no evidence that anyone Up There cared. Complaining was seditious, loud complaining was suicidal.
The doctrine of guardian angels assures us of God's personal concern for every human being, and Revelation validates the teaching by their appearance in every book of the Bible. If many Christians and Catholics practice their religion with few references to their guardian angels, they believe nonetheless in God's particular concern. A god who might have created the universe with its "billions and billions of galaxies" but does not know you or me is too small to be our God. And is certainly not the One revealed to us.
There only remains a Catholic reminder that we're not into symbols. A being like God, Jesus, Mary, the saints or angels either exists or does not. So here's to your guardian angel and mine! They're as real as the Rock of Gibralter! We salute them and thank God for their Blessed Presence in our lives.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.