Guardian Angels, Patron Saints of the Police

God loved the world so much that it was not enough to give us his own son so that he would suffer and die as the history of the gospels tells us; It turns out that also as a sign of that love, throughout history, he has assigned a protective being and guides each man to help him live under the grace of the heavenly father and walk in his paths. These are known as  guardian angels  and are of utmost importance.

Who are the guardian angels?

The  guardian angels; who are the patron saints of the police; they are part of God’s divine creation but unlike us, they are not creatures that have a physical body but spiritual entities that were in fact already present before the narratives of the book of Genesis. Among their qualities, we have that they are: immortal, very intelligent and have a will, the latter being the one that makes us similar to them. Because of this spiritual nature, angels are not perceived with the senses that we all possess.

However, the fact that this is not possible does not mean that we should doubt its existence; since by faith and the narratives of the sacred scriptures, we can affirm that God in very remote times, allowed these beings to materialize, and appear to emblematic characters such as the prophet Daniel (Daniel 8); and the prophet Zechariah (Luke 1; 5-25). Both were greatly surprised and respectful before such an angelic figure as the angel Gabriel who is referred to as “the angel of the Lord”.

As Christianity has so much dominance in various parts of the world, but especially in Western civilization, since the fourth century, religious art is identified with a large part of the artistic elaborations of the Middle Ages in Europe and continued to be very important throughout the Modern Age, even expanding geographically.

In that same century, the first angelic representations with kinship to the human figure arise. Later, in the 5th century, it was that elements such as wings began to be included as a sign of the power that the guardian angels have to quickly carry out the divine will and transport themselves from one place to another in a simple way, but it must be taken into account that what we know as “time”, for them it passes differently and this influences that ability to almost teleport.

We find arguments that demonstrate how to hold the human figure that angels can assume in some books and passages of the Bible. For example, and based on the prophet Daniel that we mentioned earlier, he describes the angel Gabriel as a man who flew to where he was (Daniel 8; 15-16; 9; 21).

On the other hand, in the book of Revelation, we can observe constant visions of angelic beings who wish, use trumpets, are messengers and carriers of cups and containers; as well as others that move in different directions and that are in different positions in the corners of the earth or in the company of the throne of God.

Among the purposes of the guardian angels, we mainly have that they were created to love and serve the heavenly father and to transmit his messages mainly through dreams or visions, they are also responsible for giving protection and assistance to men, especially in the fight against sin and the snares of the demons that have had so much influence in this world submerged in evil.

We also have that the angels adore, pray, praise, sing and are vigilant to the designs of God to make it known and contribute to the construction of his kingdom here on earth in order to mediate for divine justice and salvation of the souls.

In Old Testament books, we see the mention of angels and how they were relevant to lead men who had a special mission assigned. For example, Tobias who carries out a journey with a young man, of whom initially, Tobias does not know his status as an angel until in the end, he reveals it to him as the archangel Raphael.

This journey leads them to a large fish in the Tigris River that this man must hunt at the instruction of the angel and then do something special with the animal’s organs (Book of Tobias 6:2-9).

They are also present in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ when the Angel Gabriel and the other angels whose names are not mentioned, were sent to serve Jesus in the desert and motivate him to remain strong in the face of temptations.

Then in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we find how the guardian angels support the disciples when they were saddened by the death of the teacher and were waiting for the resurrection and in the book of Revelation, when the judgment is carried out .

By reading these writings, we will be able to know more about the angels, who are also defenders in the battles of evil in which they apply all their power through intercession for and with us. 2 clear examples of this, we contemplate it in the miraculous release of Peter when he was released from prison with the help of an angel (Acts 12; 7).

And when Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Isaac and an angel stopped him, it was all to test his faith and obedience to God (Genesis 22; 10-11).

We see how the guardian angels, being intermediaries between the messages of the Lord and man, we can talk to them and entrust ourselves to help us in difficult circumstances or when life places us in situations where we must make important decisions, when in doubt, we want to discover the truth and the answers to those unknowns so great that on certain occasions, they can be presented to us.

It is also recommended to ask for enlightenment to discover the mission that God has for each of his creatures. As an example we have those times that the angelic figure appeared to the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph and Zacharias; who received that commission from the angels but that came from the creator as a guide because they were used as an instrument of a path marked especially with the hand of God and the guardianship of the angel.

We well know that the angels, coming from God and having that spiritual nature, are pure beings and cannot harm or make a sentence come true to man, unless this is for a very just cause and that goes out of control, as when an individual becomes arrogant to such an extent that he wants to be worshiped as a God, as happened to Herod Agrippa who, due to his wickedness and not giving honor and Glory to the one true God, was wounded by an angel (Acts 12 ; 20-23).

Prior to this fact in the book of Exodus, we have Pharaoh Ramses II, who, not wanting to liberate the Hebrew people, witnessed how the first-born Egyptians died, including his son (Exodus 12; 29).

When we raise our prayers to the Lord, the guardian angels also act and can take everything said directly to him. Without a doubt, they are here to serve us in various ways in addition to serving the Most High, and when one day it is up to us to leave this earthly world and this temporary life, it will be the angels who will take us to the majestic throne of God where we will finally be able to see him face to face. and it is believed that at that moment, we will also be able to know perhaps the names of the guardian angels who kept each one of us company in life.

Therefore, this will be the last service that the angels provide us, because already being in heaven, we can enjoy the company of the one who has loved us so much and for us to love him and believe in him, we can then be before his glorious presence forever. . As an example of this, we will return to the case of Tobias when the archangel Raphael tells him: “When you prayed, I presented your prayers to the Lord” (Tobias 12; 12-16).

Since the event of original sin (Genesis 3), the offspring of our earthly parents Adam and Eve have been accompanied by evil inside them since birth, so we see how through time and today, human evil can come to extreme limits; Unfortunately, there are those who, having good and evil within them, choose the latter, but for those who believe in God and want to act according to his gospel and his commandments, there is an option.

Option where seeking the path known as “sanctification” comes into play, which allows us to act correctly in each situation; and the guardian angels, are beings that push us precisely to be good during our journey. They see the face of God and they want us to be able to see it too and even become that face here in the world.

Just as we allow ourselves to be inspired by the Holy Spirit, it is also important that by the angels who also want to be our refuge and want to teach us how to be led to Jesus. As an example of what has been said, we have this passage that tells us: “The angels rejoice when a sinner repents” (Luke 12; 10).

If you have not yet begun to interact intensely with the guardian angel, it is never too late to start, because they are the companions on this journey of life who have been, are and will always be with us until the time of the meeting. With God.

Guardian angels are so inseparable from us that they do not have a specific schedule or act to be there taking care of us, whether we are having fun, working, studying, etc. He does not leave our side even if we fall into sin, even if it is mortal, because in this case then his task would be to assist us so that we regain the whiteness of our soul that is stained with our faults.

Mostly there is an idea of ​​the guardian angel (another way of calling the guardian angel, especially when we were children) as something childish, but this is incorrect, because the existence of angels is a truth of faith that we must be so Conscious as the fact that the person develops and in his growth, he will have to face strong situations, temptations, especially because the world today offers various channels to sin and separate from God.

In our weakness, we can fall, but the guardian angels are there to support us and not let us fall, in such a way that as we talked with him in our childhood, we are invited to have whatever age we are, talk to that angel even if we don’t know your name.

It does not mean that by not talking to him, he will not be working, but if we want to increase the efficiency of our bond with the guardian angels, it is time to treat him as our friend and trust him with everything that we have in our hearts.

They have no way of knowing what we think or our deepest desires, but we can communicate them without any problem, because only God is capable of fully knowing what we carry inside.

The angels can perhaps know certain aspects of us by some works, words, gestures, etc. And when we have a very important request, we can ask our guardian angel for it. The cult of angels began in the Iberian Peninsula and later spread to other countries.

Novena to the guardian angels

“Invoke your Guardian Angel, who will enlighten you and guide you. God has given it to you for this reason. Therefore, take advantage of him”, this argued Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, who in the course of his life, was someone extremely close to his angel and who became one of his greatest advisers and to whom the holy father gave all his trust, devoted to the guardian angels.

The novena of the guardian angels is celebrated from September 23 to October 01 and here we present the prayers to perform each day in order to ask that guardian angel to free us, lead us to Christ and that, like Saint Pio, let us also form a special bond with them.

To start each of the days:

By the sign of the holy cross, deliver us from our enemies Lord, our God. In the name of the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

act of contrition:

Jesus my Lord and Redeemer! I repent of all the sins I have committed until today and it weighs me with all my heart because with them I have offended such a good God, I firmly propose not to sin again and I trust that by your infinite mercy, you will grant me the forgiveness of my sins and lead me to eternal life. Amen.

Prayer for each day of the novena of the guardian angels

To you, holy angel of my guardian, I put myself before your presence to ask you for a very special favor. Since God has placed you to guard and protect me, I want to allow you to know what I carry inside me to let you know my needs and what makes up my heart. You who have seen my actions and the immense love I have for God, you know that I long for salvation, that love for God never ends and to be able to sanctify myself.

Likewise, you have been able to observe the times that I have committed faults and sins against him, but you who are for me the most accurate guide. one who wants to be one of my closest friends, also an instructor and educator, as well as my powerful protector; with your heart of love and compassion, help me to reach the maximum grace of God and that my love for him and my desire to serve him, remain forever in my life so that after I have to leave, I can finally be of God eternally in his glory and in his kingdom.

I offer you with all my humility, this simple present of this Novena, so that you can contemplate the important graces that I ask of you in it, and if these are not contrary to the will of God and the well-being of my soul. So be it.

First day

O generous and kind Guardian Angel! Attend for me to show my gratitude to God for having arranged your company for my being.

I ask you that through the intercession of the heavenly mother Mary, I can obtain from God, a devout soul and not rest in prayer to show the almighty father, my gratitude for everything he brings to my life, in a very special way, for have you, my guardian.

(The intentions of the novena are mentioned)

Prayer to the Holy Trinity:

In order to acquire the graces from God that we long for so much Oh kind Guardian Angel!, in unification with us and with the rest of the Angels of heaven, also counting on the Virgin Mary as intermediary, Mother of God and Our Mother, we I give my greetings to the Most Holy Trinity, proclaiming the following Angelic Trisagion, which I proclaim with my heart:

Holy. Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are filled with your glory. Glory to the Father, glory to the Son, glory to the Holy Spirit. Pray to the Eternal Father: Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are filled with your glory. Glory to the Father, glory to the Son, glory to the Holy Spirit. Pray to the Only Begotten Son: Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are filled with your glory. Glory to the Father, glory to the Son, glory to the Holy Spirit. Pray to the Holy Spirit: Our Father. Hail Mary and Glory.

Angel of my guard

Angel of God,
you are my protector,
because divine goodness has
entrusted me to you, enlighten me,
direct me, keep me.
Amen.

My Guardian Angel, sweet company, do not forsake me night or day. Do not leave me alone, I would lose myself. Neither live nor die in mortal sin. Jesus in life, Jesus in death, Jesus forever. Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Note:  Both the prayer to the “Holy Trinity” and that of the “Guardian Angel” should be repeated every day after the intentions until the end of the Novena.

Second day

O Prince of heaven! Please grant me forgiveness for each of the offenses committed against God and against you, being indifferent to your threats and the recommendations that you have wanted to offer me.

I want to ask that through the intercession of the heavenly mother Mary, I can obtain from God, a real pain for my sins and that by my repentance I can then contemplate the mercy of God for each of those faults and falls of my past.

(The intentions of the novena are mentioned)

Third day

O my Loving Guide! Instill the greatest respect of my soul to you, so that I stay away from doing any kind of work that may displease you.

I ask you that through the intercession of the heavenly mother Mary, obtain from God, the memory to my mind of your divinity that accompanies me and the due respect that I must keep to your presence constantly in my life, with which I can save myself from the sin.

 (The intentions of the novena are mentioned)

Fourth day 

Oh pious healer! Show me the medicine and give me the assistance to relieve my bad habits and so many miseries that torment my soul.

I ask that, through the intercession of our heavenly mother Mary, I obtain from God, a real mortification, with which I can learn the self-control of my passions and sexuality, to finally discover the liberation of my spirit, together with the other virtues.

(The intentions of the novena are mentioned)

Fifth day 

Oh, my Loyal Guide! Give me the strength to overcome all the obstacles that stand in my way of life to patiently suffer the adversities of this miserable life.

I ask that, through the intercession of our heavenly mother Mary, I obtain from God an admirable patience and conformity in all the disappointments and sorrows of life that God allows to occur and that are necessary to sanctify me for him.

 (The intentions of the novena are mentioned)

Sixth day 

O efficient Mediator who is so close to God! Grant me the grace to promptly follow the holy inspirations and to make my will fulfill the will of God.

I ask that, through the intercession of our heavenly mother Mary, I obtain from God, total obedience to my superiors, which helps me achieve holiness by fulfilling the divine will that is expressed in it.

(The intentions of the novena are mentioned)

Seventh day

O most pure Spirit, completely exalted in love of God! Grant me the divine fire and also a royal devotion to our venerable Queen and kind Mother, to the Blessed Virgin.

I ask you that, through the intercession of our heavenly mother Mary, obtain from God, perfect charity and devotion to Mary, that it be for me a fruitful path and the one that guides me to salvation where later I can feel the softest consolation in the hour of my death.

 ( The intentions of the ninth are mentioned )

Eighth day

Oh unbeatable Protector! Attend for me with the purpose of honestly deserving your love and benefits that you have to give me. I want to be able to work with all my strength to promote worship towards you and also devotion.

In the same way, I ask that, through the intercession of our heavenly mother Mary, I obtain from God an intense zeal that drives me to put good into practice for every situation and an ardent angelic devotion, that they be not only for my sanctification , but for that of the neighbor.

 ( The intentions of the ninth are mentioned )

ninth day

O blessed minister of the Most High! Grant me, by your infinite mercy, that I may come to occupy one of the thrones that the fallen angels left empty for having refused to obey their creator.

I ask that, through the intercession of our heavenly mother Mary, I obtain from God the grace of a holy death, in accordance with the Holy Sacraments, that the doors to eternal life be opened for me.

 ( The intentions of the ninth are mentioned )

Prayers

As we have seen, the importance of being in contact with the angels is fundamental. We saw that the novena to these mystical beings includes various well-known prayers, including the well-known “Guardian Angel” prayer that we have been taught since we were children, but there are others that we can use to continue with devotion to them before or after death. ninth. Among some of the prayers to the guardian angels to ask for their intercession, we have:

• Guardian Angels, beings purely and wise, Attend for me to protect and guide me. Guardian angels of my being and of my home, I wish to feel our divine presence, I ask you for mental clarity and spiritual peace, I ask you for health to live without suffering and to be able to serve God in the special Plan that He has with me. Help me to feel fervently, every moment of my life and recognize it as a gift, to be grateful to everything and in everything. Guardian angels, pure and wise beings, hear my plea and come to me. Amen.
• ! Oh holy guardian angels! Custodians of life, hope and integrity, of whom we surrender to God and put all our trust. Protect me at all times and places; do not let anything bad happen to me, keep me away from the darkness that abounds in my environment. Never leave my side and help me when the occasion requires it. In your hands I place my life. Amen.

What do the angels teach us?

• To glorify the Lord, announce his holiness and adore him tirelessly, thus having much love for him and dedicating ourselves to constant praise.
• To comply faithfully and promptly like them when they comply with all the orders they receive from the Lord. They want to give us their example of fulfilling the will of God without questioning their doubts or rejecting the will of God, for which it will be essential to avoid pride.
• To serve others. Mother Teresa of Calcutta said that “Who does not live to serve; it is not good for living” and that is why our guardian angels are concerned about us and want to support us in the various situations that arise throughout life. In order to awaken in us the love that leads us to generously serve our brothers and sisters and share with them in good and bad times, in addition to serving with the gifts that God has given us together with the fruits and charisms; just as the angel helps us, he wants us to help others.

angelic hierarchy

There is generally a number of nine choirs or orders of angels. These classifications are indicated based on the different terms found in the Bible to refer to them. Saint Dionysius interprets that the name for each angel is given according to his level of perfection. On the other hand, Saint Gregory indicates that the names they have are based on the ministry that each of them fulfills.

Within this hierarchy, the angels with a higher degree, involve the inferiors to be able to transmit their knowledge to them. Each group of three choirs of angels, make up a level in the hierarchy and all encompass the heavenly court, it would be as follows:

• I. Supreme Hierarchy: Cherubim, Seraphim, Thrones.
• II, Middle Hierarchy: dominations, virtues, powers.
• III. Lower Hierarchy: principalities, archangels, angels.

first hierarchy

The classification would be:

-Cherubim

They are the protectors of the things of God, they have the duty to guard the ark of the covenant (wooden chest that was in the tabernacle and was plated in gold; inside, it kept the two stone tablets that had the ten Commandments, the chest is said to have also had two cherubs in its structure) and the path that leads to the tree of life in the origins of the world and life. Yahweh uses the cherubim for revelations and “sits on them”.

This class of angelic figures are mentioned in Genesis, Exodus, Ezekiel’s vision (1; 4) and in the letter to the Hebrews (9; 5). They are also considered as the protectors of the light and the stars, and although they do not belong to the material world, their light manages to sneak in from above to touch the lives of men.

They are represented with two pairs of wings. They have elements of protectors but also of “chariot” as seen in Ezekiel 1; 9. They also appear to be beings with incredible speed as stated in Ezekiel 1; 14 and also in the book of Revelation, many people compare them to children with wings but that is because they are confused with the “putti”.

-Seraphim

They are those who praise God and have the responsibility of surrounding the throne of God where, in addition to praising him, they also sing to him, proclaim his greatness and holiness, and regulate the movement of the heavens that derives from God himself.

They are named in the book of the prophet Isaiah and in it we will find that their appearance is characterized by three parts of wings that allow them to cover their hands and feet but have how to stay suspended. It is said that they cover themselves to protect themselves from the strong lighting that radiates from the creator (Isaiah 6; 2).

-Thrones

They are those that are related to the work of the human being. In former times they were called “Spirits of the Stars”. They are the ones who record every action we carry out, they are vigilant to our works and they are also considered as those who build the order of the universe.

They are usually represented as large entities with circular wings from which rainbow-colored lights emanate. They are responsible for providing persistence in the action of man and are also responsible for carrying the throne of God throughout paradise.

Reference is made to thrones in Revelation 4; 2-6; although in Colossians 1; 16, these are also mentioned but also dominions, principalities and powers.

second hierarchy

They have the following classification mentioned below:

-Dominations

These must be obedient to the mandates not only of God, but also of the angelic ranks that are above him in the hierarchy and that follow him on this list, they are also in charge of administering the responsibility that corresponds to the lower angels. and they are also the ones who must make sure that the universe remains in order.

-Virtues 

They are known as “Guardian Angels” and have the purpose of lending their support so that man can have closeness to God, for this they descend from heaven but do not adopt a human figure, but rather manifest themselves as abstract beings. It is said that each person has virtues that help him find his creator and can return to him when death comes to enjoy forever the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven and the grace that only God gives. They are mentioned in I Peter 3; 22.

They are usually related to the Virgin Mary for various reasons and in fact there is a belief that the types of angels who kept him company for much of his life want, they were virtues. These are usually represented with flowers or with signs that have to do with Mary, although they are also associated with the Passion of Christ.

These angels are credited with being the ones who grant humans the gift of grace so that they can be saved or become a saint, although the fundamental mission of the virtues is to perform miracles in this world. They are also mentioned as those who led our Lord Jesus to the heavens in the Ascension.

-Powers

They are defined as battle angels that in fact are usually represented shielding armor and with an appearance very similar to the prototype that we usually imagine when we hear the word “warrior”, these are said to be the ones that make up the legion and army of God , their leader is the Archangel Migue who we also know is often reflected with warrior traits and is said to be angelic beings of great beauty.

In the same way they also wear battle clothing as weapons that are characterized by swords and spears; They are also the ones who help the exorcists to wage the fight against the demons that haunt the world and sometimes take possession of a soul, the powers seek to free the human being from anything that represents a threat to security, they are the forces of the light in the face of so much darkness and it depends on them that there is equity between good and evil without the latter surpassing the former.

It is also said that this choir is made up of the angels of birth and death, who also keep beings company when they come to this world and then transport them when it is their turn to say goodbye.

third hierarchy

These are classified as follows:

-Principalities

Also known as “integrating angels”, they are those who declare the command of the heavenly father in nature; they have the responsibility of taking care of nations and countries, controlling those events that alter the states in the military, political and economic spheres. In the artistic images of the Byzantine Empire, they are captured in military clothing and weapons, in addition to the lily in bloom and the seal.

Inside the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady (Chartres, France), this type of angel is represented with priestly clothing such as the habit or the alb and in the company of the evangeliary (it is the book that groups the writings of the readings evangelical with respect to each of the days of the year based on the liturgical order). On his part, in the cathedral of Milan (one of the largest in the world of Catholicism), the figure of the principality is seen carrying in his hand a rocky crag on which he raises a fortress.

-Archangels

They are those who attend the areas of human endeavors and are the administrative guides of the spiritual entities. Mostly an archangel is assigned for a very special mission of humanity. These beings are those who have one of the highest positions and have assignments that resemble that of common angels but with the difference that they have greater relevance.

They must contemplate God intensely, whether day or night, giving him all the glory and guarding and caring for the mystery. Their names allude to the role they have and also their condition, we see that the names end in “El” and the meaning is “God”.

the archangels that bear names:

The Bible mentions a special mission that each of them has and also shows us the name of at least three of these seven archangels:

-San Miguel

It makes an appearance especially in the book of Daniel, the letter of the apostle San Judas Tadeo and the Apocalypse. He is the warrior who fights Satan and his envoys (Gd 9; Ap 12, 7; cf Zc 13, 1-2), the protector of those who love God (Dn 10, 13.21), the guardian of the people of God ( Dan 12, 1).

His name comes from the Hebrew “Mikael” which means “who is like God?” In artistic works he is usually placed as a warrior both in his clothing and in the weapon he carries (sword), or sometimes he is placed with a spear that stabs a dragon that would come reflecting the demon. That even, this is the most important position in which this archangel stands out, because he is the one who faces Lucifer and the angels who, together with him, rebelled against God.

It is Michael who led the heavenly legions in the battle that caused the exile of the angels who allowed themselves to be persuaded, and from that moment on, the archangel continues and will continue to be the protector of God and humanity against the evil forces of hell, just as one day that battle was fought in the heavens, then a great battle would begin in this world.

The Devil for years has been trying to convince humanity that God is nothing more than a manipulator who wants to affect our freedom, make us feel bad, interrupt our full realization in creation, all in order to lead us to turn away from God. God and begin to believe that we are the center of our universe and that we do not need him or the church with its doctrines.

That is why the archangel Michael is sent from above to not allow this to happen and thus frustrate the evil act, he serves as our guide so that we know how to differentiate between what is right and what is wrong, the truth from deception, that truth that is God and that later in the New Testament will be reaffirmed by our Lord Jesus.

The book of the Apocalypse is said to be made from the revelation that Saint Michael transmitted to John, and in it we see this archangel as a splendid being and proclaimed in the mission of evaluating the souls consigned to the Final Judgment. He is also credited with being the guardian and defender of the Church and the people of God.

Not for nothing do we see that the “Castel Sant’ Angelo” (Roman monument) where the pope would use as a refuge in case something very bad happened, has a large statue of this Holy angel and numerous tourists visit to evoke this guardian and ask for your care for the trip.

-Saint Gabriel

Like the other two archangels, Archangel Gabriel is also celebrated on September 29. His name derives from Hebrew and means “Power of God” or “God is strong”. In the sacred scriptures, he is reflected as one of the angels closest to the throne of God, to such a level that he is considered “the left hand of God”.

Also, in the Bible he is mentioned as the “angel of death”, and for practitioners of Islam, Gabriel is seen as one of the essential messengers of God and the one who revealed the Koran (the bible of Muslims) to Muhammad. (the last prophet according to this religion).

For Christians, Gabriel remains in memory especially for his role as the messenger who revealed to Zacharias that John the Baptist would be born; he made an appearance in Joseph’s dreams so that he would not despise Mary for her pregnancy and would not believe that she was unfaithful to him, since the child was the product of the Holy Spirit; but without a doubt the role of great relevance of this Holy Archangel, had it in the joy of being the one who will announce to Mary the birth of the redeemer whom she is she would conceive.

No taxes, no obligation. Simply a request made by one of the most powerful angels to a humble young woman.

The role of Gabriel stands out for being the one who brought God’s message to men, in a very clear way for them, helping them to listen with their hearts to fulfill God’s will.

A few interpretations have mentioned that it will be this angel who blows the horn for the day of judgment, based on the Apocalypse of John. Likewise, Gabriel is seen among the guardian angels, as the one who takes care of people who work in communications, such as: postmen, ambassadors, journalists and messages.

Christian art usually portrays him as a winged young man, who usually carries a lily in his hands as a sign of the Annunciation to Mary.

-San Rafael

He is the one who has the mission of granting healing. Even his name derives from Hebrew and means “Medicine of God”. In the Holy Scriptures, in addition to Gabriel, he is another who is very close to the throne of God, who assigns him as the guide for the young Tobias and the long journey that he had to undertake with various relevant reasons such as getting the right woman ( Sara) for Tobias and give him the formula that would restore Tobit’s sight (Tobias’s father) and all this revolves around that huge fish that the boy had to hunt.

On the other hand, San Rafael is held as the patron of conjugal love, especially of young people, spouses, pharmacists, educators, travelers and refugees. And despite the fact that he does not appear in the Koran, Islam recognizes him as the angel who will sound the horn on the day of final judgment, a role that, as we saw before, Saint Gabriel will occupy in Christianity.

Saint Raphael is held as the patron of conjugal love, especially of young people, spouses, pharmacists, educators, travelers and refugees. And despite the fact that he does not appear in the Koran, Islam recognizes him as the angel who will sound the horn on the day of final judgment, a role that, as we saw before, Saint Gabriel will occupy in Christianity.

His intervention seeks in the same way, to remove the darkness that may exist between a man and a woman, free them from what oppresses or affects them as a couple, so that they can purify themselves enough to unite and become one flesh as one. and these arrive at the marriage where they will finally receive the blessing of God and of the Church.

The healing power of Saint Raphael offers us this being that among the guardian angels, comes to make us more worthy of God and heal us not only physically, but also our soul in order to remain under his grace, especially for the world that currently it is so corrupted.

Is it “mandatory” to believe in angels?

As previously evidenced, in much of the Bible, there are a lot of whole chapters and verses that mention angels. If we believe in the truth of the content of the Bible, then we should not refuse to believe in the existence and work of angels.

In addition, we also have the testimony of revelation, the holy fathers of the church who left us beautiful and attractive explanations of the angels that were later highlighted by Saint Thomas Aquinas, not limited to the theological field, but also to the Christian application.

Mother Church has established angels as a dogma of faith. In the Lateran Council IV, in the year 1215, due to the dualism that existed in the Middle Ages, it was said that God is the creator of everything that exists, of what is seen and what is not, of spiritual creatures and also the corporeal ones, and that some were created from nothing. Then for the year 1870, due to the materialism and rationalism of those times, the Vatican Council I, again highlighted the existence of angels.

Paul VI once again highlighted the existence of angels in 1968 by formulating the “Credo of the People of God”.

In the liturgical reform of the Church of 1969, September 29 was stipulated to remember the archangels San Miguel, San Rafael and San Gabriel and October 2 as the day to remember the guardian angels.

Why dedicate two days of the liturgical year to the angels?

Due to various factors ranging from the occupations of our personal life, through the fact that we cannot observe angels because they are not material beings (although this also applies to the fact that we do not even see many images of them in some churches) to that they are not emphasized in the Eucharistic generally.

Consequently, we can tend to forget about them and not know how to take advantage of the graces that await us if we entrust ourselves to the heavenly father through the angels.

That is why the Church has established the two festivities with the aim of giving the angels the position they deserve in our lives, just as there are people who are so devoted to the Virgin Mary or the saints, it is necessary those who present veneration to the angels, especially the guardian angels.

We are invited to be that type of person, so that we begin to be grateful to God for having sent us the company of that being and our soul should leap for joy; so let’s take advantage of our time on earth and lean on our guardian angel and of course, also on the archangels.

take care of your faith

Today the subject of angels is discussed a lot where we find texts that speak about them; we see that the figure of the angel has already become a marketing medium and sales of “little angels” made from gold, silver, quartz, among other materials are made; and these are used as a kind of amulet that people even use as clothing and comment on how important these are and the names they have, names that in several of these cases do not coincide with Catholicism.

You have to be very careful when acquiring these “guardian angels” and believe the superstition that has been generated in society regarding them, at various times, they attribute virtues or things that do not concern them to the angels, they place them in positions where they are seen as “semi-gods” and this leads to a person who does not have a strong faith; gets confused and begins to idolize the figure of the angel, so that any miracle or special event that happens in his life.

Like For example, having the Gift of advice, then you will begin to associate it with this coming from the angel and not from the Holy Spirit.

Although it is true that the angels are of vital importance for the Church and should also be for us as a person, the truth is that they are creatures of God, created in the spiritual world but inferior to God as the human being; therefore, let us not fall into the error of placing the angels in the same position as the one who is above everything, in addition to falling into that idolatry is to violate the commandment that treats us about not worshiping foreign images or gods.

Likewise, it is incorrect for a person to see it as the only channel that can bring us closer to God, we should not limit everything that Mother Church teaches us to these angelic beings. We must take into account everything that being a true Catholic Christian includes: the commandments, the sacraments (baptism, communion, confirmation, etc.), prayer, the teachings of Jesus in the gospels and the other channels that strengthen our relationship with the creator.

Especially those who promote this erroneous teaching are those who belong to the “New Age” or astrologers, but they are nothing but lies.

It is not necessary to resort much to the media to demonstrate the popularity that the figure of the angel has had for a long time to this day. We observe that they are commented on in the world of music, cinema, in television series and in art exhibitions that are especially aimed at them and names such as “Uriel” are often mentioned a lot, which does not appear in the Holy Scriptures. 

There are associations of people where they share the experiences they have had with angels and how they have made contact with them. You can also buy articles about them in shopping centers, by email or on the web there are also several pages that sell decorations or we will come across entire altars that some people place in their homes. In local newspapers or in bookstores it is also usual to find this due to the influence of the “New Age”.

In a few countries there are magazines that are created especially about guardian angels and information centers. Likewise, as time goes by, there are more testimonies that are sometimes even broadcast on radio or television of individuals who have “received” signs and messages from angels or who are witnesses of some miracle that has occurred to them or to someone they know. they even credit them with being life savers.

Similarly, it is common for the so-called “mediums” (people who have the power to communicate with angels or other spiritual beings), to be the bearers of messages that supposedly come from angelic beings.

conclusion

My person, as a Catholic, has to believe in a certain way in the existence of guardian angels, because it is good to talk to them so that they can assist us. Jesus himself was served by angels in the desert and in his agony. What the Church warns us is that we do not get carried away by the speculation that exists about them.

It is enough that our guardian angel reminds us of God’s providence and that he protects us even more than the birds of heaven (Matthew 6, 26). And, of course, the Christian can never carry out esoteric practices because he goes against the faith that is professed.

God gave birth to angelic beings to carry out his will. They probably do not work in such an extraordinary way as we are shown in the Bible, but they do their will just the same.

God does not want to see us defenseless and knows very well that in our human condition we are weak and for this reason, He assigns us to the guardian angel so that he defends us from evil through prayer and prayers to the Archangels must also be taken into account who also they are guardian angels, like Saint Michael the Archangel who specializes in fighting evil.

We must thank God for giving us that companion such as the guardian angel and whom we must trust to accompany us until one day we can be in the presence of the father, we deserve heaven and our angel wants to contribute to it .

It is essential that we Catholic Christians worry about forming and supporting ourselves in catechesis, because the more we know about our faith, the less likely we will be to let ourselves be deceived by the “New Age” or in matters that make us deviate from the path that Jesus is going. marking for us, let us remember that he himself said:

“I’m the way, the truth and the life. No one goes to the father but through me” (John 14, 6), this is how even though the angels assist us, the most important thing is to follow Jesus, the angels do not intend to take his place, but rather give us guidance to follow him .