This week on the way to church in the dark and rain I almost hit a pedestrian, but I was able to break just in time. The next day I was preparing to give a workshop far away on the west side when I just happened to glanced at the schedule and saw that it was the day for the one nearby on the east side. My guardian angel has been working overtime to protect me from myself! I didn’t think much about angels until a few years ago.
When a group asked me to speak about angels, my first thought was Why angels? There are so many more important topics in the Church today. Soon after, two sales reps invited me and Sister Julie to dinner while they were in town. The older man drove us in his brand new car, which he was very proud of. At the meal, the waiter tried to persuade Sister and me to have dessert, but we declined. When we went to the parking lot, we discovered that the car lights had been on and the battery was dead. The manager of the restaurant, who just happened to have his truck parked right next to our car, came out and tried his jumper cables. No luck.
“The car is too new,” he said. “My cables don’t fit right to make the connection.” Nevertheless, he tried over and over. Eventually because I had angels on my mind, I prayed to Leo’s guardian angel. “Leo is such a kind man, a real gentleman. Please help out here.” In an instant the engine turned over. We thanked the manager and he responded, “Next time have dessert.” Sister Julie and I did return a few days later for dessert.
Ever since, I’ve been a firm believer in the power of angels. I even wrote an activity book for children about angels. In the process I discovered that St. Padre Pio, the Franciscan who died in 1968 and who was favored with the stigmata, could see angels, his own and other people’s. People sent their angels to him when they needed his prayers. Padre Pio advised a woman to treat her angel not as a friend but as family.
St. Frances of Rome, St. Catherine Laboure, St. Gemma, and the Fatima children also saw angels. And Jesus referred to children’s guardian angels. In these troubled times, parents might turn to the guardian angels of their children and pray to them for extra protection. They might also make sure that their children know the Prayer to the 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 to guard, to rule and to guide. Amen.
Are you friends with your guardian angel? Has he or she ever come to your aid?
