Matt GaspersOctober 2020 Edition Now Available – Preview HERE
Oct. 2, 2022
Feast of the Guardian Angels
Dear Friends in Christ,
Amidst the daily grind of work, school, domestic duties, and all the other facets of “the cares of this life” (Luke 21:34), it is easy for us to become engrossed in temporal concerns and forget about “the things that are above” (Col. 3:2), including the holy Angels. To help draw our minds and hearts back to spiritual realities, Holy Mother Church bids us to venerate and liturgically celebrate the three Angels we know by name from Scripture — Sts. Gabriel (March 24), Michael (Sept. 29), and Raphael (Oct. 24) — as well as our Guardian Angels (Oct. 2).
Most Catholics can recall learning the simple “Angel of God” prayer as children, but how many of us cultivate a strong devotion to our Guardian Angel throughout the rest of our lives? Do we perhaps associate the Angels with nursery rhymes and fairy tales? Do we forget that the Angels are intelligent and powerful far beyond any human’s capacity, as well as mighty warriors in the Lord’s service?
The holy Angels, all of whom are members of “the heavenly army” (Luke 2:13), play a vital role in the spiritual battle we face in this life. The Roman Catechism teaches us that “our heavenly Father has placed over each of us an Angel under whose protection and vigilance we may be enabled to escape the snares secretly prepared by our enemy [the devil], repel the dreadful attacks he makes on us, and under his [our Angel’s] guiding hand keep the right road, and thus be secure against all the false steps which the wiles of the evil one might cause us to make in order to draw us aside from the path that leads us to Heaven.” (Roman Catechism, Part IV: The Lord’s Prayer — Opening Words).
In addition to being warriors, the holy Angels are also messengers, which is what the word “Angel” literally means. St. Gabriel is preeminent in this role, of course, since he was “sent from God” (Luke 1:26) to Our Lady to announce that God had chosen her to be the Mother of His Son — the New Eve who was to bear the New Adam and, together with Him, crush the head of “that old serpent” (Apoc. 12:9) and repair the terrible damage wrought by sin.
Here at Catholic Family News, we strive to imitate the holy Angels by fighting “the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12) and being messengers of God’s “word of truth” (Eph. 1:13). Just as St. Michael led the faithful Angels in overcoming the fallen ones by bolding proclaiming the truth (“Who is like God?”), so we strive to expose and combat the errors of our day with the truth — in this monthly journal, on our website, and through our videos and audio podcasts. To help support our efforts, please subscribe or renew your subscription today and consider purchasing gift subscriptions for family and friends. It is only through your continued support that we are able to keep CFN going.
Sincerely in the Queen of Angels,
Matt Gaspers
Managing Editor
Fr. Ladis J. Cizik
Anne McGinn Cillis
Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano