Memorial of the Guardian Angels
Today's Mass Readings
Today’s readings weave together two themes, both of which reflect the idea of looking upon God. The first reading continues the story of Job and his sufferings, depicting his confidence in God and desire to see God. The gospel reading from Matthew, meanwhile, mentions guardian angels, the memorial that we celebrate today. In the passage from Job, we see both the despair and the confidence of this man. Job obviously recognizes his distress as distress, but yet he proclaims, “I know that my Vindicator lives” (Job 19:24). In the midst of his suffering and despair, Job’s utter confidence in God’s mercy remains. In fact, we might even say that it is precisely because of this suffering that Job turns more fully to God, that he longs to see God. Indeed, it is often in our times of difficulty that we most profoundly sense our need and desire for God’s comfort: where else is there to turn? Today’s psalm complements this theme of longing for God and confidence in God, as the prayer expresses desire for God along with the statement “I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living” (Ps. 27:13).
When we read these Old Testament writings through the lens of Christ, we see Job’s statement as referring not just to God as Vindicator, but specifically to Jesus as our Redeemer. Likewise, it is God’s presence among us in the Incarnate Jesus that allows us to express the eschatological hope in the Psalm of seeing God, what theologians call “the beatific vision.”
Jesus, this Vindicator and Redeemer speaks to us in today’s gospel passage in praise of the humility of a child. Children are used to being ordered about; they accept that ultimately they don’t have the final decision on things such as what they will eat, drink, or do to fill their day. Yet these children are important to God, so important that Jesus says that “whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me” (Mt. 18:5). The tradition of guardian angels also derives from this passage wherein Jesus says that the children’s angels look upon the face of God (Mt. 18:10). All persons, even the humble child, have a guardian angel who guides them in prayer and in life, watching over and protecting them.
In the first reading, Job speaks of seeing God with his own eyes. In this gospel passage, Jesus tells us that the guardian angels already look upon God. What a blessing it is to have a protector who already sees God! In this sense our guardian angels help us to anticipate the beatific vision to come, and they guide us ever closer to that final end. Let us take the time today to pray that we migh
t encounter God face to face upon our death. And let us pray for our guardian angel’s guidance in directing us toward this end: “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here. Ever this day, be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule and guide. Amen.”
- Maria Morrow