Angel of God, my Guardian Dear.

How much do you know about your guardian angel? Everyone has one. (Priests have two!) Learning about angels is part of every religious formation curriculum. Their feast day is October 2. But, do you two have a relationship?

Earlier this month I was driving to my parents’ for the weekend to celebrate my dad’s birthday. My favorite companion on weekend road trips? Relevant Radio. It’s a four hour trip, but luckily I can stream it online on my phone when I get out of radio range.

I was fortunate to hear for the first time Deacon Dr. Bob McDonald’s talk “The Eucharist: Our Very Life” on the “On the Journey” program. It was amazing! I could go on an on about it, but I couldn’t do it justice. It’s distributed by Lighthouse Catholic media – get it.

Anyway, one tangent that Deacon Bob made regarded angels. Have you ever asked your guardian angel to do something for you?

Deacon Bob encouraged listeners, in times of need or thanksgiving, to instruct their guardian angel to go to Jesus either exposed or in a tabernacle, and to praise Him and pray for our petitions. And, that angels leap in excitement to do so! I imagined the excited voice of a kid, “You mean you WANT me to go see Jesus??” and laughed out loud at the image.

But in all seriousness, if we were able to see God as He is, wouldn’t we wish to be continually in His presence?

“See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” Mt 18:10

I can see why our guardian angel would desire to do so as well. If I knew heaven but God’s will called me elsewhere, I’d be quite homesick. Although, maybe guardian angels don’t get “heavensick” since being among us is their purpose. (That and, well, God is everywhere.)

Nevertheless, my guardian angel has been a little busy since I heard Deacon Bob’s talk. Immediately as I was listening to it, I asked my angel to go to Our Lady of Corpus Christi, a church with perpetual adoration that I pass on the last 10 mile stretch home, and asked for his petitions for a safe journey. (But not without that internal image of a kid leaping [flapping? Just kidding.] in air, first.)

Throughout the weekend, I even wondered if going home for me was the same for my angel. After all, it had my family’s angels to work around now again, too.

“Often remember his presence; thank him; pray to him; respect him; be in constant fear of offending the purity of his gaze.”

St. Padre Pio

To that effect, Deacon Bob told a story regarding his daughter’s guardian angel. She was driving home one winter during a horrible storm and he was sick with worry, as fathers are known to do. He petitioned his own angel to go to her aid and help bring her home safely. And wouldn’t you know that when she got there, she said the drive was as easy as could be?

I’m actually kind of glad that I’ve come to utilize my angel. It’s a blessing (and kind of like being a superhero with a super sidekick!).  If you haven’t yet, I strongly encourage it. I can compare the relationship to having a friend who knows someone famous, and you really hope that the friend introduces you.