Since the moment of your conception, you are accompanied by a great spiritual being known as a guardian angel. Their mission is to guide and protect you and do everything they can to guide you to heaven. They are the faithful companions that have never left our side. It feels almost too incredible to be true.
October is a good time to focus on our guardian angels. It’s more than because the feast of the Holy Guardian Angels is October 2nd. Many of the feast days of this month feature saints with very strong relationships with their angels.
While the angels desire our good more than we can understand, they aren’t able to control us or force us to do anything we’re unwilling to do. It’s also up to us to listen and cooperate with them. There are several things you can do to build a relationship with your angel, but you can also do a few things to thank your angel too.
“We should show our affection for the angels, for one day they will be our co-heirs just as here below they are our guardians and trustees appointed and set over us by the Father.”
– St. Bernard of Clairvaux
The Lord’s angels are in perfect union with Him and are without sin, so they don’t feel a lack of anything without our gratitude. Our acknowledgment of their work is more of a benefit for us to build a better partnership. Here are some ways to say thank you to your angel.
1. Pray with your angel
Your angel constantly sees God while simultaneously watching over you. They are already praying for you and doing everything they can to help us be holier and more faithful to our baptismal call. When you pray with your angel, they join and enhance your personal prayer.
“If you find it impossible to pray, hide behind your good angel and charge him to pray in your stead.”
– St John Vianney
2. Talk to your angel
This one can seem a little odd to think about communicating with a being that has no body or audible voice to converse with us. It can seem like you’re talking to yourself. Angels are not allowed to read your mind, but they can hear you through thought if you allow them. It’s somewhat like speaking telepathically and can be a more comfortable way to ease into speaking with them. Just like any other relationship, communication is essential to strengthen the connection.
“Make yourself familiar with the Angels, and behold them frequently in spirit. Without being seen, they are present with you.”
– St. Francis de Sales
3. Participate in the Sacraments
Each of the sacraments is a direct encounter with the living God, and hosts of angels are always present at sacraments. Your angel rejoices each time you receive a sacrament because it strengthens your connection with them and God. The ones we engage in the most, are our lifeline to the discipleship life. Confession repairs and strengthens your bond to heaven while the Eucharist unites us body and soul to our Lord. Angels help with the expiation of our sins. When entering into these mysteries, and acknowledge the co-participation and presence of our angels, they are pleased.
“When Mass is being celebrated, the sanctuary is filled with countless angels who adore the Divine Victim immolated on the altar.”
– St. John Chrysostom
4. Go to Adoration
Eucharistic adoration is a unique form of prayer when we are in the presence of Jesus’s body, blood, soul, and divinity. In many ways, we lack the fullness of understanding or ability to enter deeper forms of prayers on our own. Angels can guide, inspire, and reveal a deeper connection in our prayer.
5. Work together
All of us were given gifts to live out our mission in this world, and the Lord has assigned an angel created to compliment those gifts. Angels are constantly trying to help us, but there is a big difference in between ignoring them and cooperating with your angel to do the work of your mission.
“You are amazed that your guardian Angel has done you such obvious favours. And you should not be amazed: that’s why our Lord has placed him beside you.”
– St. Jose Maria Escriva, The Way, 565
Prayer to Your Guardian Angel
Angel of God,
my guardian dear,
To whom God’s love
commits me here,
Ever this day,
be at my side,
To light and guard,
Rule and guide.
Amen.
