October 2, 2010
Today is the feast of the Guardian Angels. From early times liturgical honor had been given to all angels to recognize their presence and their roles in God's plan of salvation. According to our faith, angels are pure spirits, persons but bodiless, created by God with more acute intelligence and greater power than have human beings. Their office is to praise God, to be His messengers, and to watch over man. We believe that God had assigned a particular angel, a guardian, to watch over us and communicate God's message to us. Tradition had developed a belief that Guardian Angels are particularly present to children. Stories had already been told about how children had been aided and miraculously saved by their Guardian Angels.
I remember when I was still a seminarian and was having my summer apostolate in Gapan, Nueva Ecija. One late night, the parish priest asked me to accompany him to a remote place in the parish. We rode his car and proceeded to go to the place. While we were navigating the highway, we saw some broken pieces of glass of a car. A car accident just happened. But there were no cars on the road. We decided to stop and looked around for the car. Suddenly, we heard some cry from children and moans from suffering people. The jeep they were riding turned turtle from the main road to the rice field on side of the road. We went to them and saw that the adult passengers were either unconscious or crying in pain. The children, about three of them, were lying on the ground near the jeep crying but miraculously unhurt. We called for help and everyone was brought to a nearby local hospital. We were glad that nobody was in danger of death. What was startling was the good conditions of the children. By the way the jeep was lying on the field, it was hard to think that anyone, much more a child, would go unhurt from such an accident. Me and the parish priest could not believe it. In the end, both of us attributed it to the guardian angels of the children.
But we know that it was not always the case. In our present times, we know of children who had been victims of violence and immoral acts of adults. Children are caught in cross fires between two warring groups. Children are being killed (aborted) by their very parents. Children are being forced to work. Children are being maltreated and abused. Where are their guardian angels? This is definitely hard to reconcile. But this must lead us to an accurate understanding of guardian angels.
As defined above and by the very meaning of the word "angel", they are spirits serving as messengers of God. They are God's presences to us. By presence, it means, that God communicates Himself to us and makes His presence felt by us. Because of angels, we are never alone. Angels assure is one of us God's company. That company maybe done in different ways; actually saving children from accidents, guiding adults in determining what is right and wrong, assisting in discerning where the Spirit blows, allaying fear in the face of danger, giving courage against a spiritual challenge, etc. An angel is not God. But an angel makes possible God's active presence. At every moment in our lives, we must remember that we have angels ready to guide. This is not hard to believe because we know our God to be caring and loving. In His love for us, we expect His active presence. Therefore, providing and sending a personal messenger, like an angel, are truths that are not difficult to accept for the God that we have.
Our angels had been working for us since we were born. They will continue to work for us until we die. Have we given them the recognition and appreciation they deserve? Have we sought their guidance and listened to their messages? Let us remember that they have a counterpart from Satan. There are also evil angels who make Satan's presence active in us. They always counter the messages and guidance of our guardian angels. When we commit sins, the evil angels prevailed over our guardian angels. On this day, we do not celebrate their feast only to remember their presence but to renew our belief and commitment to them. Listening to them is not for their goodness but for us. Today's feast is therefore for our benefit. Only when we forge a union with them can we topple the evil angels and let God's message reach us and form us.
Our Catholic prayer is very appropriate on this occasion;
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!
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