On an Angelic note

Our Sunday Visitor has published a lovely article about Angels for its Sept. 23 issue, written by a Dominican Fr. Basil Cole.

He reminds us that our deceased Holy Father spoke of the nature of Angels as tutors and refers to their mention in the New Testament not only in the Lucian Infancy Narrative, but also in Pauline Epistles and Acts.

So Angels have always been with us.

The Feast of Guardian Angels is coming up next week: do you pray to your Guardian Angel? Do you invoke its guidance and protection? Are you aware that your angel is with you? Do you accept its tutelage?

I must admit I found it strange when I first met Enbrethiliel (whose blog, sadly, is out of commission). She referred to her Guardian Angel by name. She spoke of him as one would an imaginary friend.

But Angels aren't imaginary; they are invisible, yes, but not imaginary. In the Creed, we proclaim our belief in "all things visible and invisible" (or at least we will once the missal has been translated properly into English).

WE are the visible Creatures. Angels are the invisible Creatures. We have bodies, they do not. But we are all spirits endowed with free will. And the demons are those invisible Creatures that choose to freely exercise their will in opposition to God. Although, as C.S. Lewis observed, Satan is not the antithesis of God-- Satan is the antithesis of Saint Michael.

So, then, these spirits can tutor us in evil or tutor us in good, for they move at the speed of thought. Before you go to sleep tonight each night this week, invoke the tutelage of your guardian angel. And pay attention to your thoughts.