Our Guardian Angel - Weekday Homily Video
"A real friend walks in when the rest of the world walks out." We all cherish friends who make life more exciting and joyful with their presence. With friends around, life becomes easier and more exciting. Our spiritual journey also follows this concept. God, the author of life, has blessed us with a friend in His all-powerful wisdom. This friend, known as our Guardian Angel, accompanies us and strengthens us.
The following is a story taken from the book, The Next 500 Stories, by Father Frank Mihalic, SVD.
Dr. W.S. Mitchell was a specialist in nervous diseases. He had just finished a long, tiring day in his office in suburban Philadelphia when he was awakened by a knock at his door.
He made his way down the steps in the middle of the night, and on his doorstep, he found a little girl poorly dressed and deeply distressed. She pleaded with him to come to her mother, who was seriously ill, a couple of blocks away. Although it was snowing heavily, he decided to follow the child to her home, and he found the mother in bed with severe pneumonia.
He treated her, gave her medication, and then complimented her on the love and devotion of her child. The woman looked at him strangely and said, "My daughter died a month ago," and then added, "Her shoes and clothes are still in the closet there."
Amazed and perplexed, Dr. Mitchell opened the closet door. There, he found the clothes in which the girl had appeared to him. They were warm and dry and had not been out that cold night. Who, then, came to him on that errand of mercy? Could it have been a ghost? Or an angel? As a professional doctor, he had no scientific answer.
"Guardian Angel" refers to the belief that each soul has an angel available to guide them through life and help lead them to God. The above story of that mysterious girl who called for a doctor illustrates this. Guardian Angels come in any form. It could be the man who picked up your wallet and returned it, or a benevolent man who gave you some cash when you needed it most, or a stranger who helped you change your flat tire.
We have all heard stories of someone who felt a firm grip on their shoulder, stopping them just as they were about to step off the curb in front of an oncoming car, or of a person walking under a construction site who felt a sudden force pulling them back just as a heavy object fell from above, missing them by inches. Or someone who woke up in the middle of the night, sensing an urgent presence, only to discover a small fire starting in the kitchen; or a person who felt an unseen hand push them towards the shore, allowing them to catch their breath and swim back safely.
An Ancient Concept
The concept of each soul having a personal Guardian Angel is also ancient and has long been accepted by the Church, even if the Church has never defined it as an article of faith. Saint Jerome explains the Guardian Angel’s role, saying,
''So sublime is the dignity of the soul that from its birth there is appointed to each one a ‘Guardian Spirit’ to enlighten, protect, guide and pray for the person entrusted to his care. He enlightens by inspiring and disposing the mind to receive truths of faith and spiritual revelations. He protects us from the danger of sin and the devil's malice and also from physical harm. He guides us in choosing our vocation, lifting and strengthening us at every fall, and keeps showing us the way to heaven. He carries our prayer to the throne of God, uniting it with his own that of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints throughout our life until our death.”
May we always cherish the companionship of our Guardian Angel, trusting in their divine guidance and protection as we journey towards God.
Angel of God, my guardian dear. To whom His love, commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
- Father Boby's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and Rosary) at the 30-minute mark on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
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About Father Boby John, C.S.C.
Father Boby John, C.S.C., ordained a priest in the Congregation of Holy Cross in 2008, worked as a pastor and as an educator with tribal populations in Northeast India for thirteen years. Originally from Kerala, India, Father Boby grew up with three siblings. He is a dedicated and detailed educationist with experience in educational leadership. He is currently working as an executive assistant at the world headquarters of Holy Cross Family Ministries, North Easton, Massachusetts.