Behold, I send an Angel before You

Every Sunday at Mass we proclaim our belief in all that God has revealed when we pray the Nicene Creed. We say, “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.” The Creator has made all that exists out of nothing. Things that are visible include the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, human beings, animals, plants and the sea.

Those things that God has created that are invisible include the angels. They are those pure spirits who adore and serve God unceasingly. The name “angel” denotes the service they perform as messengers of God. They are far superior to us in power and intellect and seek always to hasten our way to God and our salvation.
           
In the Book of Exodus God makes a promise to His people who are on the difficult journey from Egypt, the dark land of slavery, to the Promised Land, the place where He will provide for them abundantly. He told them, “Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Give heed to him and listen to his voice” (Ex 23:20-21).
           
On our own journey through this world, which can be difficult and arduous at times,   God sends angels before us to do His Will and to aid us on the way to salvation in the Promised Land of Heaven. They are these (most often) invisible spirits who surround us and keep us moving in the right direction.
           
On September 29 the Church celebrates the Feast of the Archangels, St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael. They are those angels of great importance specifically named in Sacred Scripture with missions that bring protection, healing and good news to God’s people. They could be thought of as God’s Special Forces who never cease to work for the salvation of men and women of all time.
           
The Feast of the Guardian Angels on October 2 reminds us of one of  the Church’s teaching—that every one has an angel assigned to him or her who enlightens, guides, guards, and governs. From the time of the early Church this teaching has inspired people with confidence in God’s providential love. He really does care deeply about us!  This cherished belief also gives us insight into the vast number of angels in the heavenly host: one for every single person who has or will ever live!  In addition, there is a beautiful tradition that every nation, region, city and other locale each has a guardian angel assigned for the safety and protection of their inhabitants. Remember that the angel that appeared to Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta of Fatima told them that he was the guardian angel of Portugal and the Angel of Peace.
           
Holy Scripture, both in the Old and New Testaments, is replete with stories of angels interacting with men and women, bringing messages from God, guiding individuals to do God’s Will and protecting them from evil. We need only think of the angel closing the Garden of Eden to Adam and Eve (Gen 3:23-24), the angel staying Abraham’s hand from sacrificing Isaac his son (Gen. 22:9-12), and angel who said he was the prince of the heavenly host appearing to Joshua before the Battle of Jericho (Jos. 5:13-15), and the angel in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Dan. 3: 16-30). Familiar to us are also the appearances of St. Gabriel the Archangel to Our Lady at the Annunciation (Lk. 1:26-38) and to Zachariah in the temple to foretell the birth of St. John the Baptist (Lk. 1:5 – 2:20), as well as the angel coming to St. Joseph in his dreams (Mt. 1:20-24: Mt. 2:13).
           
In the lives of many saints the angels played a major role. St. Hilary (d. 368) often saw his guardian angel, who protected him in times of danger. St. Isidore the Farmer (d. 1172) had angels assist him in his plowing so he could have more time for prayer. St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi (d. 1607) saw not only her angel, but also the angels of her companions. St. Humilitas (d. 1310), a wife, mother, and foundress of a religious order, frequently conversed with her angel and at the age of 30 received a second angel to assist her in her religious life. Pere John Edward Lamy, a French priest with a reputation for sanctity (1853-1931), saw angels and conversed with his guardian angel daily. St. Gemma Galgani (1878-1903), a laywoman attached to the Passionist Congregation, spoke to and saw her angel and even sent him on errands for the good of others. Padre Pio (1887-1968) often recommended to his spiritual sons and daughters that, when they were in the need of prayers, they needed only to send their guardian angels to him. Through these messengers, he immediately knew when his children were in danger or need. St. Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938) saw her guardian angel on a trip from Krakow to Warsaw. She said her angel accompanied her and was rapt in prayer for her protection.
           
Here is the challenge for us today. With this tremendously rich teaching on the angels given to us through the Scriptures, the Tradition of the Church, and in the lives of so many holy people, we cannot be satisfied with limiting our relationship with the angels to only two feast days in the fall or to a prayer infrequently offered to our angel learned when we were children. We must cultivate our relationship with the angels by conversing with them every day. We can certainly talk with them in our own words when we rise in the morning, on the commute to work, during the day and before bed. How foolish we would be if we did not go to them for help! Helping us is in their job description.
           
We are so very blessed in our diocese where Bishop Zubik has encouraged our priests, deacons and laity to pray the beautiful prayer to St. Michael the Archangel after each Mass. This prayer was composed by Pope Leo XIII after a mystical experience at Mass in 1884. We need the intercession of St. Michael now more than ever. It is a great source of power in seeking angelic protection!
           
I also suggest that we pray every day the following prayer to Our Lady Queen of Angels entrusted to a holy Bernadine nun by Our Lady herself. Let’s ask our Blessed Mother to send the holy angels to help us, enlighten us, protect us and guide us on our life’s journey free from all evil in body, mind and soul.
August Queen of Heaven! Sovereign Mistress of the Angels! You who from the beginning have received from God the power and mission to crush the head of Satan; we humbly beseech you to send your holy legions, that under your command and by your power, they may pursue the evil spirits; encounter them on every side; resist their bold attacks and drive them hence into the abyss of eternal woe. Amen.

Who is like unto God?
O Good and Tender Mother! You will ever be our love and our hope!
Holy Angels and Archangels, keep us and defend us. Amen.
My dear friends, let’s tap into the powerful army of God’s loving providence, the Angelic Host. Let’s get to know them, converse with them daily, and thank them for all they do! Who knows, perhaps you may turn around and see your angel smiling at you with a love that finds its origin in God Himself!

Most Reverend William J. Waltersheid
Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh