“Have the angels as your familiars, my brothers, visit them with attentive consideration and devout prayer, for they are always present to guard and comfort you.” — St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on Psalm 90
Until a few years ago, I hardly thought of my guardian angel. Although I accepted the Church’s teachings on guardian angels, I never considered what it meant to have a spiritual companion by my side. It was while reading about the lives of two great priests, St. Pio of Pietrelcina and Fr. Gabriele Amorth, that the seeds of angelic devotion were planted in my heart.
As an exorcist, Fr. Amorth witnessed the role of guardian angels in spiritual warfare. For Fr. Amorth, angels were not just an optional theological concept. They are essential in protecting us from evil. In his book, An Exorcist Explains the Demonic, the exorcist instructs everyone “to invoke often their guardian angels, who protect us from dangers and who give us the proper suggestions at the right moments.”
Fr. Amorth was inspired by the life and work of Padre Pio and even had the opportunity to regularly meet the saint. From an early age, Padre Pio had a friendship with guardian angels. He could see and converse with not only his own angel, but also the guardian angels of his spiritual children. When people needed him, Padre Pio would often advise people, “Send me your angel!”
After reading about these holy priests, I realized that guardian angels were not just something to believe in passively. I knew that if I truly believed in the angels, I had to accept that God gave me a particular guardian angel to help me get to heaven. After many questions and reading the lives of other saints, I slowly began to love the angels and give thanks to God for their help in my life.
As St. Bernard indicated above, the angels do so much for us! They guard us, but also give us comfort, guidance, and prayer. The mission of our guardian angels reflects God’s love and goodness towards us, and His angels love us just as God loves us. How can we not also love the angels, especially the particular ones that guard us?
The Feast of the Guardian Angels (October 2nd) invites us to reflect on the divine gift of a guardian angel. If you are like me and just never considered this part of our spiritual lives, the feast gives us an opportunity to change that. Here are a few easy ways to grow in devotion to the guardian angels in your life.
1. Call On Your Guardian Angel as a Personal Patron Saint
“As guardian angels, they are sent by the Lord to stand by our side and to become our ‘personal patron saints,’ praying for us, protecting us from the terrors of darkness, and perhaps even prodding our consciences to bring us back from spiritual perils.” — Fr. John Horgan, His Angels at Our Side
Fr. Horgan’s idea of seeing your guardian angel as a personal patron saint is a great way to start thinking about it. Our guardian angels are not merely invisible security guards, but they are personally involved in our entire lives. They pray for us and offer moral guidance while keeping a watch for spiritual dangers.
If you’re like me and struggle to keep daily prayers, ask your guardian angel for help. You can also turn to your guardian angel to help pray for you and your petitions. This practice will help you to spiritually grow, while at the same time helping you to grow in friendship with your guardian angel.
2. Pray for the Angels of Your Friends (and Enemies!)
In his book, Devotion to the Holy Angels, Fr. Henri-Marie Boudon offers this practical advice, “Be devout to the Guardian Angels of your friends; they render you in many instances greater services than you are aware.” Friendship is a powerful thing, and history is full of holy friendships among the saints. So, pray for your friends and ask God to help their guardian angels.
Likewise, Fr. Boudon suggests praying for the angels of your enemies, saying: “Honor the angels of your enemies, of those who are opposed to you in any way whatever: this is the true means to soften their hearts.” Calling upon God to assist your enemy’s guardian angel is a way to soften your heart, but, as Fr. Boudon notes, it can also soften the heart of your enemy so that reconciliation might occur.
3. Read About the Angels
Angels reflect God’s loving work in a profound way. Anyone who reads and meditates on the angels will grow to love them and, hopefully, imitate their love and devotion. As it is with Our Lord and His saints, reading about the angels is a great way to experience spiritual growth.
St. Bernard’s sermon on guardian angels is a fantastic place to begin. Likewise, St. Thomas Aquinas offers many answers in his writings on guardian angels in the Summa. Both saints are always a joy to read, but their words on guardian angels are especially inspiring.
Encounters with Angels by Odile Haumonté is a fantastic source for learning about saints who had incredible experiences with the angels. Many of the accounts in this book also feature saints conversing with their guardian angels. Similarly, The Diary of Saint Gemma is a spiritual masterpiece from a saint who frequently encountered her guardian angel.
I already recommended two books—Devotion to the Holy Angels and His Angels at Our Side—and both are great reads. Devotion to the Holy Angels has been an inspiration in my own life and work, as Fr. Boudon persuasively argues for angelic devotion while offering pastoral advice. Meanwhile, His Angels at Our Side can be the perfect primer on angels.
No matter how you begin, do not be afraid of loving your guardian angel! They watch us, guard us, and inspire us to act rightly. Like the other angels, your guardian angel’s mission is to help you get to paradise. With such powerful friends and patrons, our hearts should ever be grateful and confident.
Image from Wikimedia Commons
