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The Angels: Guides and Protectors

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Father Acervo’s Corner: September 28, 2014

1. I want to give a special “thank you” to everyone who contributed to our golf outing. Thank you to all of our golfers, volunteers, sponsors, benefactors, and those who donated items for our prizes. Thank you to the Black River Country Club for hosting us. Above all, thank you to Mike and Jean Mayer for coordinating and for giving so much of their time to put it all together. May God bless you all for your generosity. I hope that this is something that we can do again next year and beyond!

2. With the Feast of the Holy Archangels taking place tomorrow (September 29) and the Feast of the Guardian Angels coming up on Thursday (October 2), I thought that it might be helpful to give a short catechesis on the angels. Unfortunately, many derive most of their understanding of the angels from Hollywood or contemporary art rather than from the Church.

The Church says that the angels “are purely spiritual creatures, incorporeal, invisible, immortal, and personal beings endowed with intelligence and will. They ceaselessly contemplate God face-to-face and they glorify him. They serve him and are his messengers in the accomplishment of his saving mission to all” (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 60). They are our guides, companions, protectors, and helpers. Despite the popular practice of depicting angels as cute, little, pudgy babies with wings sitting on fluffy clouds, the Bible describes them as those who are endowed with great power and intellect. When they took human form in Scripture, it was usually for the purpose of delivering some message from God. In fact, the word “angel” comes from the Greek word the means “messenger.” As messengers, they can reveal to us the Will and power of God.

Three angels in particular are named in Scripture. They are the Archangels – St. Michael, St. Raphael, and St. Gabriel. The Book of Revelation tells us of the war that broke out in Heaven and how St. Michael and his angels battled and defeated Satan (cf. Rev. 12:7). St. Raphael appeared to Tobit as his guide, servant, and mentor. St. Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary bringing to her God’s message that she would be the Mother of God (Luke 1:26-38).

What about the guardian angels? Our faith tells us that one is assigned by God to care for each person. St. Jerome says that our belief in the guardian angels is a testimony to the great dignity of the human soul that one would be assigned to guard it from its very beginning. How awesome it is to have these allies at our side at all times? Angels are mighty warriors who defend us in our fight against the devil. We would certainly be wise to call on them everyday especially during times of trial and temptation. Sometimes, all it takes for us to avoid falling into sin and giving into temptation is a guardian. This is part of the mission of our guardian angels.

Our belief in angels also reminds us that we are never alone. But while they accompany us here on Earth, they are also citizens of Heaven who perpetually see and adore the face of God. They are also present with us wherever Mass is celebrated. They remind us that the Mass that we celebrate here on earth is united with the perpetual worship of Christ in Heaven where the angels continuously adore Him (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1326).

This, by the way, is one of the reasons why we pray the Prayer to St. Michael at the end of Mass here at St. Edward’s, and why I encourage you to make it part of your everyday prayer. Pope Leo XIII composed the Prayer to St. Michael for protection against the attacks of the devil against the Church. It used to be prayed regularly after Mass until the time of the liturgical reformation last century. But then St. John Paul II urged the faithful to personally pray it daily. Far from mere literary devices, the angels can be mighty allies for us on our road to Heaven – a road that can be littered with many obstacles. May the Holy Angels always be for us our constant companions.

Yours in Christ,
Fr. Acervo



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