angel of God, my guardian dear

image at Mont Saint Michel, France

A quick glimpse at the current television lineup or a list of recent movies exposes a myriad of shows about angels living among us and “true life” reports of everyday miracles, the afterlife, heaven, ghosts, or heavenly spirits.

We may poke fun at some of these presentations, but the fact is that reality is full of inexplicable situations. And in spite of our elitist cultural skepticism, we have an innate desire to understand the spiritual reality that surrounds us, and that, no matter how hard we try, we cannot entirely rationalize.

Yet what our minds cannot comprehend, our hearts often recognize as Truth.

The Bible is full of stories where God sends angels as his messengers. Did you know that in the New Testament alone, there are at least 17 references to angels? most of these appeared to someone in need or at a critical moment. 

• ·      the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, announcing the birth of Christ (Luke 1:26–28).
• ·      Angels appeared to the shepherds in the fields, proclaiming the birth of the Messiah (Luke 2:9).
• ·      Peter was freed from prison by an angel of the Lord (Acts 12:7).

I have no problem believing in angels. It’s not something I need to prove, it’s something I know, in the sense that St. Ignatius describes when the heart and mind simply understand.

One of the things I miss about not having my dear friend Pat is that she and I often shared with one another moments where we felt, saw, or simply knew there were angels in our presence. Sometimes they made us laugh, like the angel that got in her way at her home's entry way! Often, the angels reassured us in moments of need—such as many difficult days on our Camino pilgrimage.

Our kids even named their guardian angels! Does yours have a name?

image at Mont Saint Michel, France

Angel of God, my guardian dear, be at my side today.