On 2nd October we celebrate the feast of the Holy Guardian Angels. Guardian Angels are a beautiful expression of God’s love for us. In Roman Catholicism, Guardian Angels are believed to act as intermediaries between God and Man. The Eastern Church teaches that “each man has a guardian angel who stands before the face of God. This angel is not only a friend and protector from evil, but sends good thoughts and is our spiritual kin”.

According to Christian tradition, everyone of us has a guardian angel who accompanies us from the moment we are born, staying at our side until the moment of our death. St. Jerome stated, ”How great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from his/her birth, an Angel commissioned to guard it.”
In the Old Testament there are numerous examples of angels of the Lord being sent to guard and protect people. In Psalm 91,the psalmist proclaims, ”For He will command His Angels to guard you in all your ways. They will lift you up with their hands so that your foot will not hit a stone.” We can read in the Old Testament that God is surrounded by a genuine count of heavenly figures who worship Him and perform actions in His name.
In the New Testament, Revelation 5:11,St.John writes, ”Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and elders.” In Matthew 18:10,Jesus invites us to respect even the smallest and the humble, because of their angels who watch over them from heaven and contemplate the face of God at every moment. The Guardian Angel is therefore linked to anyone who lives within God’s grace.
The Fathers of the Church, maintained that a guardian angel existed for each person. From the 17th century onwards the spread of the devotion to the guardian Angels increased and Pope Paul V, added the feast of the Guardian Angels to the calendar. Then on ,sacred pictures of guardian Angels began to appear depicting Angels in the act of protecting children from harm.
The word Angel means ‘Messenger’, and when you connect with the angel in your life you may soon notice how they communicate and send messages as we go about our everyday life. Angel Messengers can take various forms. Some portray them as winged figures of light, some are described as messengers that appear in human form. Their purpose is to impart wisdom from God through signs, promptings and inspirations. By simply asking your guardian angel for help and guidance, just as you would ask a friend, you can soon experience a realm of Love and Light in your life. Open your heart and mind, be patient and you will find your guardian angel, sharing wisdom, protection and healing. All you have to do is ask and your Angel will respond.
As children we were encouraged to talk to our Guardian Angels, to address our prayers to them. However as we grow up this blind trust begins to fade. Each of us can evaluate our relationship with our guardian angel, who beholds the face of God, who is in heaven. Do we listen to him? Do we speak to him and ask his advice? Do we bid him in the morning and in the night ask him “to guard me when I sleep”? When you ask your guardian angel for a sign, pay special attention to recurring themes. Magazines or books may lay open on a specific page, leading you to something useful; all suggesting that angels are listening to you and want to help you. Angels are sent to strengthen and comfort you and give you courage to do what is right.
The four main Archangels are—Gabriel the Messenger who brought the announcement of the birth of Christ to Virgin Mary; Michael the Dispenser of Justice; Raphael the Healer and Protector of travellers and Uriel the Angel of Prophecy and Wisdom.
Angels and their divine energy bless and surround us everyday. None of us know how much we are indebted to these Angels for our deliverance and that of our children from imminent dangers, diseases and malicious evil plots of men and devils.
Pray regularly and tell Jesus how much help you need to communicate with your guardian angel to grow spiritually. Teach your children to pray…”Jesus, let your Holy Angel be with me, so that the evil foe may have no power over me.” But angels are not God. We need to be careful about getting too caught up in the role they play in our life.
As I end this article, I boldly say that my Guardian Angel answered my prayer and helped me to write it in one continuous sitting!! May you also experience the help of your Guardian Angel in your day to day activities and encourage your children to do likewise.

J. Rodrigues