Guardian Angels

Do they exist?

9-23-22

I've been watching Touched By An Angel lately, the 1990's TV show where guardian angels and the angel of death go around helping people or escorting them to their final destinations. It's actually a pretty good show, and not every show has a feel-good, happy ending - just like real life.

But it got me thinking - do guardian angels really exist?

Jesus talked about guardian angels only once when he said † "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven." † (Matt. 18:10)

The Catholic Church believes in them and annually celebrates Guardian Angels on October 2.

But what is a guardian angel?

According to the Church, a guardian angel is an angel (a created, non-human, non-corporeal being) that has been assigned to guard a believer, especially with respect to helping that person avoid spiritual dangers and achieve salvation. The angel may also help the believer avoid physical dangers, particularly if this will help the person achieve salvation.

Cool. We could all use a little supernatural help in this world, right? But unlike Touched By An Angel, we never get to see our Monica’s. We never get hear advice by our Tess's. Our guardian angels are silent and their presences, although always there, are never really felt. In fact, we don't even know the names of our guardian angels, and maybe they don't even have names.

Are you sure I have a guardian angel?

I had a lucid dream once where I believe I encountered my guardian angels (yes there were two of them). It went like this:

I was walking along the Mediterranean Sea at night time. It seemed to be some city park, with picnic tables, a sandy beach and large buildings. The whole scene was very dark, almost like black and white photography. Then suddenly, I was on a path lined with hedges. I started walking down that path and was immediately sucked down the path at warp speed. I then emerged in a gondola. The colors were absolutely vibrant and beautiful, and I could see out the window below the same Mediterranean Sea that I was walking along previously. It was so blue and calm. I looked up through another window and saw the most exquisite mountain range with snow-tops of glorious white. I was so happy to be there and then I looked across and saw two beings seated on the gondola seat opposite from me. They were male, with white hair and white tunics. They were not happy to see me, with frowns on their faces. Immediately I woke up.

I had this dream years ago and have not forgotten one aspect of it. Did I die (I have sleep apnea)? Was I on my way to Heaven/Purgatory/Hell and stopped by my guardian angels? Or was it all just a dream?

All I know is that if those two beings were my guardian angels, they were kind of mean to me. Maybe some of us get curmudgeon guardian angels and not the Monica-esque nice ones. That would be the "kind of an angel I would get" - quoting George Bailey.

Like people, angels have distinct personalities and God obviously assigns the right angel to the right person for the right reason. Yes, I would love to have a nice, cuddly Monica guardian angel, but instead I think I got a Clarence-esque (AS2 angel second class), a bit sour and serious guardian angel.

I'm still not fully convinced guardian angels exist, although I know for sure angels do. But if they do exist, we are encouraged to thank our guardian angels for their protection and to ask for their intercession to God for our prayers. Maybe I should do that. Maybe my guardian angel wouldn’t be so surly if I talked to him once in awhile. It surely couldn't hurt could it?

Angele Dei Prayer

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.