Reflection: Guardian Angels...

Today is the feast day of The Guardian Angels. Every person on earth has a guardian angel who watches over him and helps him to attain his salvation beginning at the moment of birth. Prior to this, the child is protected by the mother's guardian angel. It continues throughout our whole life and ceases at the moment of death. Our guardian angel accompanies the soul to purgatory or heaven, and becomes our coheir in the heavenly kingdom.

Dear friends, the Lord is always near and active in human history, and follows us with the unique presence of His angels, that today the Church venerates as 'Guardian,' in other words those who minister God's care for every man. From the beginning until death,” he said, “human life is surrounded by their constant protection.  Pope Benedict XVI

The Pope's comments were made on the Feast of the Guardian Angels, a day celebrating the Catholic Church's teaching that each person is assigned an angel to help protect and guide them through life. It was Pope Clement X who first extended the feast day to the entire Church in the early 17th century.

Guardian Angels are servants and messengers from God. "Angel" in Greek means messenger. In unseen ways, the angels help us on our earthly pilgrimage by assisting us in work and study, helping us in temptation and protecting us from physical danger.

See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.  
Exodus 23:20

The idea that each soul has assigned to it a personal guardian angel has been long accepted by the Church and is a truth of our faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that "the existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls 'angels' is a truth of faith (328)." From our birth until our death, man is surrounded by the protection and intercession of angels, particularly our guardian angel. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.

There have been many times in my life when I have felt the presence of my guardian angel's protection. There have been many times when I have felt the presence of the guardian angels of my loved ones. This prayer ministry began through prayers for a precious little baby, Lily Grace. When she needed heart surgery as an infant, I believe Our Blessed Mother was standing with her and she was surrounded by angels. This comforted me knowing our Mother Mary had Lily Grace under her loving protection.

Brethren, we will love God's angels with a most affectionate love; for they will be our heavenly co-heirs some day, these spirits who now are sent by the Father to be our protectors and our guides. With such bodyguards, what are we to fear? They can neither be subdued nor deceived; nor is there any possibility at all that they should go astray who are to guard us in all our ways. They are trustworthy, they are intelligent, they are strong why, then, do we tremble? We need only to follow them, remain close to them, and we will dwell in the protection of the Most High God. So as often as you sense the approach of any grave temptation or some crushing sorrow hangs over you, invoke your protector, your leader, your helper in every situation. Call out to him and say: Lord, save us, we are perishing. Saint Bernard

Guardian Angels, protect all the little ones and all those for whom we pray.