MY ANGEL IS WITH YOU
We have a promise from God in Baruch 6:7, “My Angel is with you, and he is watching your lives”. God cares for us at all times. To illustrate this I will share a true story with you. A man from Kerala told me about a brutal attack that he survived when he was twenty four years old. One day he was walking with two of his friends. After walking a few miles, one of them suggested taking a break as they were tired, so they sat down on the veranda of a school to rest for a while. It was already getting dark and unknown to the man, his two companions had plotted something sinister in advance. Suddenly they attacked him and tied him to a nearby chair. Using a towel they started to strangle him, trying to choke him to death. He was totally overpowered by the two thugs and he could offer little resistance. They beat him so badly that he became unconscious, and then they disappeared off and left him for dead. Many hours passed, but no-one came to help him in that lonely place and he was unable to move. He was afraid to make any noise in case his attackers should come back and finish him off. As he regained a bit of consciousness he feared for his life and thought about his family. He realized that only God could save him and began to pray.
Suddenly he saw a bright light coming from the sky. He began to tremble with fear but was unable to move. The light came closer to him and a beautiful person with two wings emerged from it and touched him gently with his wings. He felt a strange feeling of calm and soothing inside. The continued flapping of the wings gave him comfort and gradually he came back to his full senses. He felt strong enough to get up and managed to find his way home in the early hours of the morning. With good care from his family he soon recovered. He is convinced that he is alive today only because of the mercy of God manifested through the intervention of his wonderful Guardian Angel.
ST PETER’S ESCAPE
St. Peter had a miraculous escape from prison with the help of a Guardian Angel as we see in the account in Acts 12:1-11. Herod, the king of Israel was persecuting the early church. He had killed James, the brother of John and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he then arrested Peter and put him in prison. He made sure that Peter was well guarded, because he wanted to present Peter to the crowds the following day. But the all-powerful God intervened in this difficult situation. Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with chains, and with sentries guarding the doors when an Angel of the Lord appeared before the apostle. He shook Peter and woke him up and immediately the chains around his hands fell off. The Angel told Peter to get dressed and follow him. Peter obeyed and on the way out every gate that they had to pass through opened before them automatically. Peter could not believe what was happening. He thought he was dreaming. Once they had left the prison and were out on a street, the Angel disappeared. Only then did Peter realize that the Angel had been sent by the Lord to rescue him. This happened at a time when the Holy Spirit was working in a mighty way among the Christian people. The Apostles were fearlessly going about evangelizing and healing many with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Many signs and miracles were taking place by the power of the name of Jesus.
A VISION OF ANGELS
Let me give you another personal testimony. Once, a family came to the Sehion Retreat Centre for a five-day retreat. On the fourth day, their young daughter had to be rushed to the nearby hospital with a bad fever and severe vomiting. The father and the other siblings stayed on for the retreat and the mother stayed with the child in the hospital. The anointing and healing session was scheduled for the final evening. When the mother realized this, she was very upset that she would miss it.
She prayed, “Lord, you know how much I wanted to be there for the last anointing prayer along with the others.” Immediately, she got an inner urge to recite the Rosary. After completing the Rosary she closed her eyes, and then she had a vision. She saw a multitude of Angels surrounding the compound of the Retreat Centre, singing and dancing with joy and praising God. A large magnificent and beautiful Angel was seen covering the entire Attapadi Sehion Retreat Centre. By this time, she and her child were bathed in sweat and her daughter showed signs of recovery. When the doctors examined the girl, they found her completely healed so they were able to join the last prayer and healing session and testify before hundreds of people.
Once, a parish priest shared with me an interesting way of keeping young children quiet in the Church. He advised the faithful to submit their noisy children to the care of their Guardian Angels to enable the parents to concentrate on the Mass without distraction. The parents did exactly that and it worked wonderfully well. The children were very peaceful and calm throughout the service.
WATCHING OVER US
The presence of the Holy Angels is real; they are watching over us night and day. God has assigned an Angel for every person, every community, every country and nation, for example, the Guardian Angel for Israel is St. Michael as we read in the book of Daniel. By the protection of our Guardian Angels we have divine help in every trial and tribulation, the same way as they stood by the disciples to save them from persecution and danger for being followers of Christ. They guided and protected them from every evil. But those who live in sin and are led by worldly pleasures cannot feel the power or presence of the Guardian Angels in their lives. You will understand their protection and power when you live in holiness.
On the Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels, on 2nd October, Pope Francis said “I believe in Guardian Angels and everyone should listen to their advice.” He added, “It is dangerous to chase away our travelling companion. It is only pride stopping people hearing their voices.” So, when you go to school, or before you start a journey or travel or go for an interview, rest assured, your Guardian Angel will be with you throughout. God has given you His Angel to help you, guide you, instruct you and save you from all dangers on your path and they are always nearby. They are invisible, but invincible as well, because they are sent by the most powerful God. So you will be in safe hands.
Let’s take this moment to pray to our Guardian Angel: “Angel of God, sent by God as my companion and friend on earth, protect me from the temptations of the devil, and help me to walk always as a true child of God, my Creator.”
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2
Written by Father Xavier Khan Vattayil