Guardian Angels (Memorial)
Today is the memorial of the Guardian Angels. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession” (No. 336). St. Basil asserted, “Beside each believer stands an angel protector and shepherd leading him to life." The truth that each and every human soul has a Guardian Angel who protects us from spiritual and physical evil has also been shown throughout the Old Testament, and is made very clear in the New Testament. It is written that the Lord Jesus is strengthened by an angel in the Garden of Gethsemane and that an angel delivered St. Peter from prison in the Acts of the Apostles. But Jesus makes the existence and function of guardian angels explicit when He says, "See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 18:10). In saying this, Jesus points out that all people, even little ch...