The Holy Guardian Angels – Readings
Commentary on Exodus 23:20-23; Matthew 18:1-5,10
Coincidentally, the Gospel reading for today’s Memorial to the Holy Guardian Angels is the same as yesterday’s for the feast of St Thérèse of Lisieux (unless her feast falls on a Sunday). The emphasis on St Thérèse’s feast was on the childlike qualities of Thérèse. There, Jesus was saying that true greatness only comes to those who in a spirit of complete docility and trust submit themselves totally to the will of their Father in heaven.
Today the focus is more on Jesus’ statement at the end of the reading where he says:
Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.
The meaning is that those considered as of least consequence—children, the poor, the marginalised—are all very special in God’s eyes and, through their angels, can be sure of God’s loving concern.
The First Reading is from the Book of Exodus. It comes from a long passage of commandments covering a wide range of issues which Yahweh gave to the Israelites. This happened after Moses had gone up Mount Sinai and spoken face to face with Yahweh. The passage, beginning with chapter 20, starts with the giving of the Ten Commandments. These are then followed by a long list of instructions on how the Israelites are to behave.
Towards the end of Yahweh’s words (in chapter 23) we have the short passage which is today’s reading. It is a promise of God’s protection for his people as they continue their long and dangerous journey through the desert on their way to the Promised Land:
I am going to send an angel in front of you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.
It is the promise of Yahweh’s protection over his people. But they are warned to listen to the voice of the angel; there will be no forgiveness for their failure to obey—because Yahweh’s authority resides in his angel.
But if they follow Yahweh’s angel in everything:
…then I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes.
Their angel will go before them and will help them defeat the various peoples—Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites—who will try to prevent them reaching the goal promised them by God.
Today, we pray that God’s ever-loving protection will be always with us and that he will guide us on the right paths. Help us always to follow the paths shown to us by Jesus our Lord.
Read more
The Holy Guardian Angels
The Church has never formally declared that every individual has a protecting angel. However, a writer as far back as St Jerome said it was the “mind of the Church”. He wrote in his commentary on the Gospel of Matthew:
How great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from birth an angel commissioned to guard it.
Belief in guardian angels was common among many cultures in ancient times. Examples can be given from Menander, Plutarch and Plotinus as well as from the Babylonians and Assyrians. In fact, it was their belief which was taken up by the Jews following their periods of conquest and exile.
In the Old Testament, the evidence of protecting angels is frequent. For example, an angel led Lot to safety before the destruction of Sodom. During the Exodus, an angel is appointed as leader of the Israelites. As well, God tells Moses in today’s Memorial’s First Reading:
I am going to send an angel in front of you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. (Exodus 23:20)
There is also the lovely story of the angel (Raphael) who took protective care of Tobias as he went in search of a bride and for medicine to heal his blind father (Tobit chap 5).
In Psalm 91:11 we read:
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
Ironically, these same words were used by Satan tempting Jesus to jump from the top of the Temple.
In chapter 10 of the Book of Daniel, angels are entrusted to take care of particular districts. It is clear the Old Testament understood God’s angels as messengers carrying out his will, including the protection of people.
In the New Testament, angels are frequently the links between God and his people. We hear Jesus saying:
Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. (Matt 18:10)
There was the angel who consoled Jesus during his Agony in the Garden (Luke 22:43), and it was an angel who delivered Peter from prison (Acts 12:6-10). And finally, in the Letter to the Hebrews we read:
Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? (Heb 1:14)
As children, many of us remember the prayer we were taught to say every night before sleep:
Angel of God, my guardian dear
to whom God’s love commits me here.
Ever this day/night be at my side
to light, to guard, to rule and guide.
Amen.