The Holy Guardian Angels

"Mt 18:1-5, 10"

Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven."

A good father will never send his child alone on a dangerous road with threatening robbers on the prowl. On our way to Heaven we are threatened by the devil and Our Lord, the Best of Fathers, won't allow us to walk on our own. Think about it: Such a majestic, beautiful and powerful creature has been assigned only to me; I don't share my Guardian with anyone else. He is no 'second-hand' Angel. He waited for millions of years until I was born and is now faithfully at my side fulfilling this mission: leading me to Heaven.

St Josemaría saw God's providence in the fact that Opus Dei was born on the feast of the Guardian Angels. He recommended keeping up a daily conversation with our Guardian Angel, asking him for help many times during the day and greeting other people's Angels as well. One day, he received the visit of his very good friend archbishop Marcelino Olaechea, accompanied by his secretary. St Josemaría greeted him and then asked him playfully, "Marcelino, let's see if you can guess - whom did I greet first?" The archbishop replied, "You greeted me first." "No," St Josemaría said, "I greeted the VIP first." Archbishop Olaechea, understandably perplexed, replied, "But of the two of us, my secretary and me, I am the 'VIP'." Then the saint explained, "No, the VIP is your Guardian Angel." Let's be good friends with the Guardian Angels of our relatives and friends.

St John Vianney suggested that if we find it difficult to pray, we should "hide behind our good Angel and charge him to pray in our stead." A little girl preparing for her First Holy Communion gave the priest a wonderful lesson: "Since I'm so little" she explained, "I ask my Guardian Angel during the Mass to fly to the Altar and kiss Jesus on my behalf." Mary, Queen of Angels, help me to keep my Guardian Angel busy the whole time. My Guardian Angel, intercede for me!