We cannot see ANGELS with our physical eyes, but they truly exist. They were created by God out of pure love. All of us have a Guardian Angel that God gave to us at the very moment of our conception. How few people know of these powerful friends, much less pray to them.
In this very simple article we invite all of our readers to strive to give more attention to your GUARDIAN ANGEL. He is your dear friend on earth and desires more than anything else to help you get to heaven. What then can we do to foster our knowledge, love, and attention to our Guardian Angel? We will offer five simple but very concrete ways to foster this union with our Guardian Angel.
1. PICTURE, PAINTING, OR STATUE. Given that our Guardian Angel is invisible to our physical eyes, it is important that we call attention to him by means of some sacramental such as a picture, painting, or statue. In your room, in the car, in the basement, in your office or study, on your Bible—all of these are places where you can post an image of your Guardian Angel and call attention to his presence.
2. BIBLE AND ANGELS. Pay attention to the many times that angels are mentioned in the Bible and meditate upon their presence, purpose, and role in the history of salvation. Just to mention a few, we would like to direct you to the Mysteries of the most Holy Rosary. In many of the Mysteries we encounter the presence of an Angel. The Annunciation in which the Archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will be the Mother of God. The birth of Jesus is announced by a Choir of Angels to the Shepherds watching over their sheep at night. Then in the Garden of Gethsemane, as Jesus sweats Blood for our redemption and the Apostles sleep, an Angel comes to console Jesus. Of course at the Resurrection, the angels are present at the empty tomb… and much more. As you read through the Bible and encounter the angels, stop to think about them, and then talk to them and ask for their help. You will feel and experience their presence in your life.
3. REMEMBER OCTOBER 2ND! We should never forget that the Catholic Church officially celebrates the presence of the Guardian Angels on October 2nd. Why not make a novena to the Guardian Angels every year? By the way, this novena to your Guardian Angel can be any time; the angels are always waiting for us to call upon them for assistance.
4. One of the primary purposes of the Guardian Angel is to communicate to us LIGHT. We all have moments of darkness, obscurity, confusion, a certain spiritual blurred vision. Why not call upon your Guardian Angel to cast out the darkness? Imagine going through a dark tunnel, a very dark tunnel. Finally, the tunnel comes to an end and you enter into the light of the day. Our life casts many shadows, better yet tunnels! Turn to your Guardian Angel and beg for the grace to exit those dark moments so as to live in the Light of God’s presence. This darkness might even be desolation in your soul. Beg your Guardian Angel to grant you consolation. He will not fail you, if you call upon him. He is waiting for you to ask!
5. AN ANGELIC MISSIONARY. Talk to others about the reality of the angels. Given that we live in a world dominated by an almost all-pervasive materialism where money, having, and consuming dominates the hearts of so many, it is time to invoke the angels to pull us out of this sewage of materialism. Many people do not believe in angels, possibly even many Catholics, due to a lack of good catechesis. It is time to speak out in honor of the Angels, to honor them, pray to them, promote their presence and power.
MARY AND THE ANGELS. The Hail Mary that we pray every day has another official name—THE ANGELIC SALUTATION! Why this name? For the simple reason that it was the Archangel Gabriel who came to greet or salute Mary. May Our Lady Queen of the Angels help us to be more aware of the presence of the angels in our daily lives, most especially our own Guardian Angel.
Let us pray every day: Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here. Ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
Father Ed Broom, OMV, is Associate Pastor of St. Peter Chanel Church in Hawaiian Gardens, California. He is a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and was ordained by Saint John Paul II on May 25, 1986. Fr. Ed teaches Catholic Ignatian Marian Spirituality through articles, podcasts, a radio show, retreats and spiritual direction.
