ANGELS ALL AROUND

“For My angel will go before you…” – Exodus 23:23

I was late for work but the warning light on my gas gauge had been lit since I left the house. So I pulled into the nearest gas station and asked the attendant to pump only P500 worth of fuel.

“You accept credit cards?” I asked the gas boy.

“Yes ma’am,” he replied and took my card.

He returned and said that their credit card machine rejected my card. I didn’t have any other card and I was almost sure I didn’t have P500.

I got all the money I had in my wallet and in the car. I came up with P485.

“This is all I have,” I told the attendant sheepishly.

“It’s OK, ma’am, I’ll take care of the difference,” he replied.

I drove off and prayed a blessing for the gas boy.

A few days after, I returned to the gas station to repay the attendant. I described him to the other gas boys there but they said nobody worked there with that description. He must have been an angel.

Many times, angels come our way- Godsends who aid us, rescue us and protect us. Rissa S.

 REFLECTION:

“Make yourself familiar with the angels, and behold them frequently in spirit; for without being seen, they are present with you.” (St. Francis de Sales)

Dear Lord, send angels to go before me to guard me and lead me where You want me to go. 

Exodus 23:20-23

The angels are servants of God who, once they have chosen a path for life, cannot change their minds. Today we celebrate a particular role of some of the angels, that of being our guardians who protect us from evil and lead us along the right way to God. Many of the saints had an active relationship with their Guardian Angels. This does not seem to be the case with most of us, however, we can be sure that we all have them.

20 “See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. 21 Be attentive to him and heed his voice. Do not rebel against him, for he will not forgive your sin. My authority resides in him. 22 If you heed his voice and carry out all I tell you, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes. 23 My angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites; and I will wipe them out.”

P S A L M

Psalm 91:1-2, 3-4, 4-6, 10-11

R: The Lord has put angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.

1 You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, 2 Say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (R) 3 For he will rescue you from the snare of the fowler, from the destroying pestilence. 4 With his pinions he will cover you, and under his wings you shall take refuge. (R) His faithfulness is a buckler and a shield. 5 You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day; 6 nor the pestilence that roams in darkness nor the devastating plague at noon. (R) 10 No evil shall befall you, nor shall affliction come near your tent, 11 for to his angels he has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways. (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 18:1-5.10

Trust is so important in the life of a disciple of Jesus. Without trust our relationship with God is highly likely to be very testy. Just as a small child generally seems to know implicitly that the desire of his/her parents will be for his/her good, so too should we trust God in this way. God sends us angels to minister to and protect us from evil. We can choose to believe this or completely ignore it! It would be such a pity to waste the goodwill that God demonstrates to us through his angels.

1 At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a child over, placed it in their midst, 3 and said,“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. 10 See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

my reflections

think: God sends us angels to minister to and protect us from evil.

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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR  1 Maccabees 3-4

We all know the experience of being comforted. That reassuring touch, the knowing smile, a word of encouragement or some other gesture or word that makes us feel understood, noticed and loved. Just to hear the words “I am with you” can mean so much at a particular time or circumstance.

Today’s feast of the guardian angels is really a celebration of the presence of God who is with us. There are many ways in which God reveals his presence to us. I often find the presence of God revealed in creation. There are many personal experiences we can share of God’s presence with us. We find the revelation of God in the presence of another person or a friend. God reveals himself to us in the sacred scriptures, divinely inspired by the Spirit. God reveals himself to us in the sacraments of the Church, primarily and especially in the Eucharist.

Our God has not abandoned us nor has God left us unaided. God sends us an angel to guard and guide us in our life’s journey. The Church teaches us that “beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading us to life.” We read in the Bible many stories of angels. The angel meets with Abram to tell him of a future son born to him: an angel walks with Tobit and brings relief from pain to Tobias. The angel appears to Mary announcing the birth of the Savior. These are heavenly messengers sent by God to fulfill the will of God.

In today’s reading we hear that God will send His angel “to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared”. This seems a great comfort to all of us to know that we are not alone on our journey of faith. Another proof of the love and concern God has for His people. I am reminded of a painting (artist unknown) that some might know. The drawing depicts the artist’s impression of the guardian angel. The angel is walking beside the small child as she crosses the bridge. It illustrates well to us the notion of the angel – again a telling illustration of God’s constant protection over us. Let us be reminded of the truth of God’s love for us. For that is what St. John tells us in his letter: “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” Fr. Brian Steele

REFLECTION QUESTION: God guides us in many ways. How have I experienced the guidance of God in my life? Do I believe that God is with me? He never leaves me abandoned for he watches over me always.

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here. Ever this day be at my side to light, to guard, to rule and guide Amen.

 St. Eleutherius, pray for us.