The Holy Guardian Angels
The doctrine that every individual soul has a guardian angel is not an article of faith, but it is present in both the Old and New Testaments. As Jesus says, “see that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven always gaze on the face of my Father in heaven” Matthew 18:10-14. This feast reminds us that God cares for each of us, individuall
Entrance Antiphon: Dn 3: 58
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Collect
O God, who in your unfathomable providence are pleased to send your holy Angels to guard us, hear our supplication as we cry to you, that we may always be defended by their protection and rejoice eternally in their company. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Zechariah 8:1-8
The word of the Lord of Hosts was addressed to me as follows: “The Lord of Hosts says this. I am burning with jealousy for Zion, with great anger for her sake. The Lord of Hosts says this. I am coming back to Zion and shall dwell in the middle of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called Faithful City and the mountain of the Lord of Hosts, the Holy Mountain. The Lord of Hosts says this. Old men and old women will again sit down in the squares of Jerusalem; every one of them staff in hand because of their great age. And the squares of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in the squares. The Lord of Hosts says this. If this seems a miracle to the remnant of this people (in those days), will it seem one to me? It is the Lord of Hosts who speaks. The Lord of Hosts says this. Now I am going to save my people from the countries of the East and from the countries of the West. I will bring them back to live inside Jerusalem. They shall be my people and I will be their God in faithfulness and integrity.”
Psalm 101(102):16-21, 29, 22-23
R/ The Lord shall build up Zion again and appear in all his glory.
The nations shall fear the name of the Lord and all the earth’s kings your glory, when the Lord shall build up Zion again and appear in all his glory. Then he will turn to the prayers of the helpless; he will not despise their prayers.
Let this be written for ages to come that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord; for the Lord leaned down from his sanctuary on high. He looked down from heaven to the earth that he might hear the groans of the prisoners and free those condemned to die.
The sons of your servants shall dwell untroubled and their race shall endure before you that the name of the Lord may be proclaimed in Zion and his praise in the heart of Jerusalem, when peoples and kingdoms are gathered together to pay their homage to the Lord.
Gospel Acclamation: Ps102:21
Alleluia, alleluia! Give thanks to the Lord, all his hosts, his servants who do his will. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10
The disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” So he called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, “I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.”
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, O Lord, the offerings we bring before you as we venerate your holy Angels, and graciously grant that under their constant protection we may be delivered from present dangers and brought happily to life eternal. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 137: 1
In the presence of the Angels I will praise you, my God.
Prayer after Communion
As you are pleased to nourish us for eternal life with so great a Sacrament, O Lord, direct us by the ministry of Angels into the way of salvation and peace. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
It should not be too difficult for us to imagine that angels could exist. Why shouldn’t the power of God, who creates the galaxies, have given life to creatures that are invisible to our eyes, yet very real? We find it much harder to imagine that these creatures could be interested in us. And yet the Bible is recounts stories of these divine beings who come to guide and advise the likes of Abraham, Jacob, Moses or Tobias. Jesus goes further and tells us that even the least of children has an angel who sees the face of the Father continually. The angel, contemplating God, teaches us what our true vocation is: adoration.