In this morning’s Reading at Mass, taken from the Letter to the Hebrews, we hear that the Son of God is “as far superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.” We are reminded that angels are real and serve a very important spiritual purpose.
Angels are spiritual beings who serve the mission of God in part by accompanying you and me in our ordinary lives. They protect us against evil, inspire us when we make decisions and accompany us each day. As such, it can be said that the angels stand with us in every moment of our lives, so that we might walk with confidence and joy towards our home in eternal life.
My mother used to call me her “angel” as a little boy when I would help her around the house. What I did not realize at that time was that she was thanking me for standing by her side, loving her in the daily ways that only a child can give.
As we start this great campaign to bring renewal to our diocesan Church, I am asking that you and I stand with our neighbors in need. In some sense, the campaign is an invitation to imitate the angels. Are you and I willing to stand by the sick, poor, homeless, our young people, the immigrant, refugee, the lost, abandoned and those forgotten, just as the angels stand by us? Are we willing to be like an angel to those who need us most?
The Fathers of the Church used to remind their people that the angels can be seen by anyone who has the eyes of faith. Let us show the world that the angels are real but standing by our neighbor, just as they stand by us.
The previous reflection originally appeared on Bishop Frank Caggiano’s Facebook page. Follow the Bishop for daily reflections and weekly videos! Do not miss Bishop Frank’s latest video: What Does it Mean to Stand with Christ?
