Wednesday, 02 October 2013
The Guardian Angels, memorial
The Holy Guardian Angels - Memorial
Commentary of the day
Blessed John Henry Newman : "Their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father"
Ex. 23:20-23.
"See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.
Be attentive to him and heed his voice. Do not rebel against him, for he will not forgive your sin. My authority resides in him.
If you heed his voice and carry out all I tell you, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes.
"My angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites; and I will wipe them out.
Be attentive to him and heed his voice. Do not rebel against him, for he will not forgive your sin. My authority resides in him.
If you heed his voice and carry out all I tell you, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes.
"My angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites; and I will wipe them out.
Ps 91(90):1-2.3-4.5-6.10-11.
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
Who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
Say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust."
For he will rescue you from the snare of the fowler,
from the destroying pestilence.
With his pinions he will cover you,
and under his wings you shall take refuge.
You shall not fear the terror of the night
Nor the arrow that flies by day,
Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness,
Nor the plague that ravages at noon.
No evil shall befall you,
nor shall affliction come near your tent,
For to his angels he has given command about you,
that they guard you in all your ways.
Who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
Say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust."
For he will rescue you from the snare of the fowler,
from the destroying pestilence.
With his pinions he will cover you,
and under his wings you shall take refuge.
You shall not fear the terror of the night
Nor the arrow that flies by day,
Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness,
Nor the plague that ravages at noon.
No evil shall befall you,
nor shall affliction come near your tent,
For to his angels he has given command about you,
that they guard you in all your ways.
Mt 18:1-5.10.
The disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
He called a child over, placed it in their midst,
and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.
Commentary of the day :
Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890), priest, founder of a religious community, theologian
Sermon « The Invisible World », PPS, vol. 4, no.13
He called a child over, placed it in their midst,
and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.
Commentary of the day :
Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890), priest, founder of a religious community, theologian
Sermon « The Invisible World », PPS, vol. 4, no.13
Angels are actively employed among us in the Church. They are said to be "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" (Heb 1,14). No Christian is so humble but he has Angels to attend on him, if he lives by faith and love. Though they are so great, so glorious, so pure, so wonderful, that the very sight of them... would strike us to the earth, as it did the prophet Daniel, holy and righteous...; yet they are our "fellow-servants" and our fellow-workers, and they carefully watch over and defend even the humblest of us, if we be Christ's.
That they form a part of our unseen world, appears from the vision seen by the patriarch Jacob (Gn 28,10f.)... How little did he think that there was any thing very wonderful in this spot! It looked like any other spot. It was a lone, uncomfortable place.... Yet how different was the truth! Jacob saw but the world that is seen; he saw not the world that is not seen; yet the world that is not seen was there. It was there, though it did not at once make known its presence, but needed to be supernaturally displayed to him. He saw it in his sleep. "He dreamed, and behold, a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached up to heaven; and behold, the Angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it."
This was the other world. Now, let this be observed. Persons commonly speak as if the other world did not exist now, but would after death. No: it exists now, though we see it not. It is among us and around us. Jacob was shown this in his dream. Angels were all about him, though he knew it not. And what Jacob saw in his sleep... the shepherds, at the time of the Nativity, not only saw, but heard. They heard the voices of those blessed spirits who praise God day and night, and whom we, in our lower state of being, are allowed to copy and assist.
That they form a part of our unseen world, appears from the vision seen by the patriarch Jacob (Gn 28,10f.)... How little did he think that there was any thing very wonderful in this spot! It looked like any other spot. It was a lone, uncomfortable place.... Yet how different was the truth! Jacob saw but the world that is seen; he saw not the world that is not seen; yet the world that is not seen was there. It was there, though it did not at once make known its presence, but needed to be supernaturally displayed to him. He saw it in his sleep. "He dreamed, and behold, a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached up to heaven; and behold, the Angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it."
This was the other world. Now, let this be observed. Persons commonly speak as if the other world did not exist now, but would after death. No: it exists now, though we see it not. It is among us and around us. Jacob was shown this in his dream. Angels were all about him, though he knew it not. And what Jacob saw in his sleep... the shepherds, at the time of the Nativity, not only saw, but heard. They heard the voices of those blessed spirits who praise God day and night, and whom we, in our lower state of being, are allowed to copy and assist.
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