2 October 2012 The Holy Guardian Angels Scripture is full of stories of angels coming to help patriarchs. Each person has his own Guardian Angel. As God’s messengers, their mission is to take care of us, protect our way on earth, and share with Christians the apostolic zeal to get souls closer to God. An angel liberated St Peter from jail. Our Lord spoke of angels of children who constantly behold his Heavenly Father’s face. Our Guardian Angels are our friends. (Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ [Eds], “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1658) Our Guardian Angels: Their dignity and services Among the most precious gifts of God’s mercy to men is that communion which he has established between us and the holy angels. God’s order to these blessed spirits is to take care of each of us. They are pure spirits created after the image of God, endowed with beauty, power, agility, and intelligence, beyond all human conception. This angel is day and night by my side. I believe this truth, but I hardly ever think of it. What consolation it would be in telling him all my troubles and anxieties; asking for counsel, strength, courage in my doubts, sufferings, and temptations! The ardent faith and tender devotion of many saints towards their guardian angels obtained for them the grace of seeing and conversing familiarly with him, eg, St Camillus, St Frances of Rome, and St Rose of Lima. “He will give his angels charge over you, to guard you in all your ways.” (Ps 91:11) In obedience, our guardian angel first, watches with tender care over the preservation of our body, health, and life from so many dangers; second, takes still greater care of our immortal soul and our spiritual interests. He teaches us, brings good thoughts to our minds, and shows us the snares laid for us. He encourages and sustains us in the spiritual combat, secretly reproves us for our faults, and draws us by gentle inspirations to perform our duties; third, does for us what Raphael did for young Tobias: guides us through the dangers of life; and fourth, assists us especially at the hour of death. What are our obligations towards our guardian angels? St Bernard mentions three in particular: First, respect for his presence, devotion or gratitude for his charity, confidence in his vigilance. How can we fulfil them? We can and ought to testify first, our ‘respect’, by acting in his sight, especially when we are alone, as if we were in the company of some great person. This thought will help us do so: ‘One day my angel will bear witness for or against me of what I am doing at this moment.’ Second, our ‘devotion’ or gratitude, by being very docile to his inspirations, thanking him ‘every night’ for what he has done for us. Third, our ‘confidence’, that by consulting and invoking him in all our doubts and wants, it will never be in vain. Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp561-3 Angels God “makes his angels, spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire”. (Heb 1:7) The angels, all created in sanctifying grace, also at the beginning of time, are pure spirits. The Scripture says their number was a countless multitude; and nine different choirs or hierarchical orders are mentioned: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, Angels. At times, they appeared in corporeal form. Their gifts are most eminent. “Great is the dignity of human souls, that each one has from the dawn of its nativity an angel assigned for its custody.” (St Jerome) Our Guardian Angel prays for us, protects us from evil, and encourages us to be good. Our Lord said: “See that you despise not one of these little children; for I say to you, their Angels in heaven always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” (Mt 18:10) Ref: Cf Jesus Maria Cavanna, CM, “Basic Christian Doctrine”, p41 Holiness in the middle of the world On this day in 1928, God finally made St Josemaria Escrivá see His Will. For many years he had been asking for this light. A clear, unmistakable call, it fully confirmed the ‘intimations’ he had felt in his heart from his youth. It all happened in a simple, deep and unexpected way; in ‘God’s style’. He was on retreat in the Central House of the Vincentian Fathers in Madrid. As he re-read some notes in which he had written inspirations he had received from God over the previous ten years, ‘he saw’ with utter clarity, the mission God was entrusting to him: to open a path to holiness in the middle of the world through daily work and one’s ordinary duties. From that day, he knew absolutely that this was the task to which he had to devote his whole life; what he had been praying for since his adolescent years. He had ‘seen’ it while the bells of the nearby Church of Our Lady of the Angels were ringing out. [‘To see’ was the verb he always used to describe this decisive moment.] During his seminary days, he had a statuette of Our Lady of the Pillar; on the base he carved the aspiration: ‘Domina, ut sit’ (Lady, let it be) he had been saying for years. His theme never varied: How to fulfil God’s Will. But, what was that Will? What did God want of him? What was the ‘thing’ he had ‘intimations’ of in his soul? He did not know. ‘Domine, ut videam!’ (Lord, let me see!) he pleaded ceaselessly. ‘Ut sit! Ut sit!’ “May that, which You want [but] I do not know, come about.” Ref: “St Josemaria Escrivá: Founder of Opus Dei”, 21, 26-8 Meditations on the Litany of Loreto ‘Holy Mary’ -- The name of Mary is a name of salvation. This came from heaven: hence St Epiphanius says it was not given by her parents, but was imposed on her by the express will of God. Therefore, after the name of Jesus, the name of Mary is above every other name; for God has filled it with grace and sweetness, that every blessing may be obtained by him who names it. My Lady, had I always invoked thee in my temptations, I should not have fallen. For the future I will never cease to invoke thee, saying: ‘Mary, help me; Mary, succor me.’ Do obtain for me the grace always to invoke thee in time of spiritual danger. Ref: “The Glories of Mary”. In “Documentation Service”, V:318 • Our Lady of the Assumption, at Naples, built by the canonesses regular of St Augustine, out of gratitude for the favour which the Mother of God did them, by warning them to leave a house which fell down as soon as they were gone out of it. — Triple Couronne, n. 42. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Our Lady of the Assumption, Naples, Italy. 11th Century. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) • Our Lady of the Assumption (also known as “Vergine Assunta”). Chapel in the abbey of Montecassino. Basilica in Trieste. Cathedral in Tlaxcala, "mushroom capital of Mexico". Featured on the Acadian flag. Coat of Arms of state of Aguascalientes, Mexico. Patroness of confraternity of prayer for reunification of Catholic and eastern churches; of the Acadian and Cajun people; of the Church in Tobago; of Óbidos, Portugal. Devotion of Italian immigrants in Perth, Australia. Namesake of Asunción, Paraguay (full name, "Nuestra Señora de la Asunción"), and of numerous churches and schools, and the Assumptionist religious order. (Note: Assumption itself is celebrated on August 15.) (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Patronage of Our Lady. Moveable feast -- A day in October or November. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • “Cap de Madelaine”, Canada. National shrine. History. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Mary, Queen of Angels. (www/mariedenazareth.com)