Bible Diary

Daily Reading

Holy Guardian Angels

LECTIONARY
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FIRST READING

Ex 23:20-23

“Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.“But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.“When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out,

PSALM

Ps 90:1-6, 10-11

Response: The Lord has put angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.

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.

His faithfulness is a buckler and a shield.
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 devastating plague 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.

GOSPEL

Mt 18:1-5,10

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven”.

Daily Reflection

Since the 17th century, each October, the Universal Church celebrates a feast honouring the Guardian Angels. The Church’s teaching about angels is part of its Sacred Tradition. Guardian Angels are believed to be heavenly spirits assigned by God to watch over us, during our earthly existence. The role of the Guardian Angel is to guide us to noble thoughts, noble words and noble deeds; to guard us against evil and temptation; to warn us of impending spiritual dangers.

The first reading from Exodus and the Gospel message, today, support this teaching.

The Guardian Angels have also been visibly present to a number of Saints and they, in turn, urge us to foster devotion towards these spiritual beings. St Augustine of Hippo claims that the Angels watch over us, hastening to our aid at God’s command; and no matter where we may be, they are always with us. St Jerome believed that from our birth there is appointed to each one a Guardian Angel. According to St Bernard, no matter how weak we may be, no matter what our condition, we have nothing to fear if we make the Guardian Angels our friends.