“When tempted, invoke your angel. He is more eager to help you than you are to be helped.” ~ St. John Bosco
Bishop Grutka, the first bishop of the Diocese of Gary, used to tell children when he would see us at Masses, that he believed in Guardian Angels and that he even named his angel. For the life of me, I cannot remember what he called his angel; but, name him he did. The bishop encouraged us to name our angels as well so that we would develop a closer relationship to them.
On first hearing, that might sound like sappy piety. There is nothing sappy about it at all, unless you consider God, the Holy Trinity, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or any of the saints to be sappy. Yes, angels are just as real as the aforementioned. They are majestic creatures, fashioned by God for particular reasons. We have learned about the cherubim, the seraphim, the archangels, and the guardian angels in school. They all have their function in God’s plan.
Just think how much God loves us that he would create a unique angel for each and every person. The guardian angels have been commissioned by God to watch over us. There’s the old joke that some of us have probably made our angels take up drinking. Can you imagine what our angels think at times? Can you also imagine how frustrated our angels must feel. They’d be like an athlete wishing, “Come on coach. Put me in the game!”
Our angels want to help us and they have all the power necessary to protect us from everything including ourselves. However, they cannot function unless and until we ask them for help. Yep. There’s that free will thing again. An angel will not force aid upon us just as God will not force Himself on us. It’s up to us to ask.
There should be no reason for us not to ask for help. Sadly, we often allow pride to get in our way. We’re going to tough it out. We’re going to do what needs to be done. We’re going to show that we don’t need help from others. Those thoughts will quickly take us to defeat. Don’t be afraid. Acknowledge your need.
They say that we should fight fire with fire. When we are tempted, it is because a fallen angel is doing the tempting. The devil knows us inside and out and knows how to speak to us. Why not ask for the help of an angel to confront the temptation of a fallen angel? Our angel will know how to help us. “When tempted, Invoke your angel. He is more eager to help you than you are to be helped.”
FAITH ACTION: If you have not used it in some time, bring back to mind the classic prayer to your Guardian Angel. Never be afraid to ask your Guardian Angel for help. 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, to rule and guide. Amen.