Perhaps no aspect of Catholic piety is as comforting to parents as the belief that an angel protects their little ones from dangers real and imagined. Yet guardian angels are not only for children. Their role is to represent individuals before God, to watch over them always, to aid their prayer, and to present their souls to God at death.
The concept of an angel assigned to guide and nurture each human being is a development of Catholic doctrine and piety based on Scripture but not directly drawn from it. Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:10 best support the belief: “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.”
Devotion to the angels began to develop with the birth of the monastic tradition. Saint Benedict gave it impetus and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, the great 12th-century reformer, was such an eloquent spokesman for the guardian angels that angelic devotion assumed its current form in his day.
A feast in honour of the guardian angels was first observed in the 16th century. In 1615, Pope Paul V added it to the Roman calendar.
The Prayer to The Guardian Angels
Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, Ever this day, be at my side, To light and guard, Rule and guide. Amen!
The Guardian Angel prayer
The Holy Guardian Angels are the special angels assigned to humans by God, to watch over all mankind and over individual human beings from grave danger from birth until death.
St. Thomas Aquinas says that Angels are Spiritual Creatures who unceasingly glorify God and who work together to serve God’s saving plans for mankind. Besides each person who believes in God, stands an angel who acts as a guard, guide, protector and shepherd helping him to live according to God’s Holy will.
The angels most often protect us from physical danger and also from committing sin. St John Bosco inspired us by stating that whenever we find ourselves on the verge of committing sin, we should invoke the help of our guardian angels who are always ready to help us. He also says, “Ignore the devil and fear him not, for he trembles and flees at the sight of your guardian angel.”
The angels also come to our aid at the time of our death. St Alphonsus Liguori tells us that, “The powers of hell will launch an attack on the dying Christian; but his guardian angel together with St Michael, our defender, and patron saints will come to his rescue and make their last combat with the devils.”
What the Holy Bible Says About Guardian Angels?
34 Now, go and lead the people where I have told you. See, my angel will go before you. When it is time for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.
Exodus 32:34
13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia stood in my way for twenty-one days, until finally Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia,
Daniel 10:13
1 At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people; It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since the nation began until that time. At that time your people shall escape, everyone who is found written in the book.
Daniel 12:1
21 I was still praying, when the man, Gabriel, whom I had seen in vision before, came to me in flight at the time of the evening offering.
Daniel 9:21
8 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he saves them.
Psalm 34:8
11 For he commands his angels with regard to you, to guard you wherever you go.
Psalm 91:11
20 Bless the Lord, all you his angels, mighty in strength, acting at his behest, obedient to his command.
Special Healing Prayers to pray for sick family members, friends and loved ones
Healing Prayer
Psalm 103:20
9 Then I raised my eyes and saw two women coming forth with wind under their wings-they had wings like the wings of a stork-and they lifted the basket into the air.
10 I said to the angel who spoke with me, “Where are they taking the basket?”
11 He replied, “To build a temple for it in the land of Shinar. When the temple is constructed, they will set it there on its base.”
Zechariah 5:9-11
10 “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.
Matthew 18:10
22 When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried,
Luke 16:22
15 They told her, “You are out of your mind,” but she insisted that it was so. But they kept saying, “It is his angel.”
Acts 12:15
26 Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, “Get up and head south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route.”
Acts 8:26
9 For as I see it, God has exhibited us apostles as the last of all, like people sentenced to death, since we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and human beings alike.
1 Corinthians 4:9
18 Let no one disqualify you, delighting in self-abasement and worship of angels, taking his stand on visions, inflated without reason by his fleshly mind,
Colossians 2:18
13 But to which of the angels has he ever said: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool”?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent to serve, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
Hebrews 1:13-14
2 Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.
Hebrews 13:2
6 The angels too, who did not keep to their own domain but deserted their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains, in gloom, for the judgment of the great day.
Jude 1:6
9 Yet the Archangel Michael, when he argued with the devil in a dispute over the body of Moses, did not venture to pronounce a reviling judgment upon him but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!”
Jude 1:9
11 I looked again and heard the voices of many angels who surrounded the throne and the living creatures and the elders. They were countless in number,
Revelation 5:11
9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These words are true; they come from God.”
Revelation 19:9.
Reflection
Devotion to the angels is, at base, an expression of faith in God’s enduring love and providential care extended to each person day in and day out.
