A few weeks ago, when I was visiting with my niece and her family, my grand-niece proudly announced that she had learned a prayer at school which she wanted to recite for us. The prayer was the Guardian Angel Prayer, which she prayed with great attention and a big smile. It gave me tremendous consolation to see this young girl recognize, celebrate and ask for help from her guardian angel- a practice that too many Christians have forgotten in our secular world.
The simple truth is that guardian angels are real, present in our midst and our great spiritual companions in the life of faith. To neglect their presence or to forget to ask for their help is no loss to them, only a loss for us. They always stand by us, seeking ways to help us to avoid evil and do the will of the Father who sent them to our aid. The only thing we need to do is ask.
Saint Bernard said it best when he wrote, “And so the angels are here; they are at your side, they are with you, present on your behalf. They are here to protect you and to serve you. But even if it is God who has given them this charge, we must nonetheless be grateful to them for the great love with which they obey and come to help us in our great need.”
On the feast of the Guardian Angels, do you not think that the time has come for every Christian to acknowledge the presence of the guardian angels and to ask for their help!
The previous reflection originally appeared on Bishop Frank Caggiano’s Facebook page. Follow the Bishop for daily reflections and weekly videos.
