Angels
Image: Photo by Fr Lawrence Lew of St Michael’s window, Great St Mary’s, Cambridge
I always recall at the seminary our Vice-Rector preaching on the feast of the Guardian Angels, he began with a quote from a song, by a famous band that some of you might remember: “I believe in angels.” Often and sadly, devotion or belief in the angels can be dismissed, but they are a wonderful gift given to us by God and of course are present throughout scripture. Gabriel brings the great message of salvation to Our Blessed Lady, we hear how the angels ministered to Jesus at the beginning of His ministry in the temptations in the wilderness and then at the end of His ministry in the Garden of Gethsemane. Then in the Acts of the Apostles, an angel frees St Peter from prison and in Revelation the seven angels sound their trumpets.
Since the sixteenth century the Church celebrates a feast in honour of the Guardian Angels. The Roman Catechism taught “By God’s Providence the task is given to the angels of protecting the human race and individual human beings, so that they may not suffer any serious harm whatever.” Scripture testifies that all the angels are in the service of mankind. In Hebrews 1:14 “Are they not all ministering angels, sent to minister for them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation?”
According to the general teaching of many theologians, it is not just the baptised who receive a Guardian Angel. Rather, every human being has their own Guardian Angel from birth. This view is biblically founded on the words of Jesus in St Mathew’s Gospel: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” St Basil remarked “Every one of the faithful has an angel standing at his side as educator and guide, directing his life.” St Jerome comments “How great is the value of the human soul that every single person has from birth received an angel for his protection.” The angels are there, present in scripture and all around us to guide and protect us throughout our lives and so it is right that we should cultivate our own devotion to these angelic beings. In 1884, Pope Leo XIII, mandated that this prayer to St Michael along with others be said after every Low Mass, for the defence of the independence of the Holy See.
Holy Michael, the Archangel, defend us in the day of battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God thrust down into hell Satan and all wicked spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.