“We all have a guardian angel; let’s listen to him”

We all have an angel who is always beside us, who never abandons us and helps us not to lose our way. And if we know how to be like children we can avoid the temptation of being self-sufficient, which leads to arrogance and even to extreme careerism. During the Mass celebrated at Santa Marta on October 2, 2014, Pope Francis recalled the definitive role of guardian angels in a Christian’s life.

There are two images — the angel and the child — which, Francis began, “the Church shows us in today’s liturgy”. The Book of Exodus (23:20-23a), in particular, proposes “the image of the angel” that “the Lord gives to his people to help them on their journey”. It reads, in fact: “Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared”...

The Gospel passage from Matthew (18:1-5, 10) offers the second image, that of the child. “The disciples”, the Bishop of Rome commented, “argued about who was the greatest among them. There was an internal dispute: careerism. These men, who were the first bishops, were tempted by careerism” and said among themselves: “I want to become greater than you”. In this regard, Francis remarked: “That the first bishops did this is not a good example, but it is the truth”.

From his side “Jesus teaches them the true attitude”: calling a child to him, he puts the child in their midst, the Pope said, referring to Matthew. And in doing so reveals “the docility, the need for advice, the need for help, because a child is the very symbol of the need for help, of docility in order to go forward”.

“This is the path”, the Pontiff indicated, and not that of determining “who is the greatest”. In truth, he stated, repeating the words of Jesus: whoever humbles himself like a child will be “the greatest”. And here the Lord “makes that mysterious connection that cannot be explained, but is true”. He says, in fact: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven”.

In essence, Francis suggested, “it is as if he said: if you have this attitude of docility, this attitude of listening to advice, of an open heart, of not wanting to be the greatest, that attitude of not wanting to walk the path of life alone, you will be closer to the attitude of a child and closer to the contemplation of the Father”.

“According to Church tradition”, the Pope continued, “we all have an angel with us, who guards us, who makes us hear things”. After all, he said, “we have often heard: ‘I should do this this way... this is no good, be careful!”. It is really “the voice of our travel companion”. We can be “certain that he will lead us to the end of our life with his advice”. This is why it is necessary to “harken to his voice, do not rebel against him”. On the other hand, “rebellion, the desire to be independent, is something that we all have: it is arrogance itself, which our father Adam had in the earthly paradise”. At this point the Pope instructed to each one: “Do not rebel, follow his advice!”.

In truth, the Pope confirmed, “no one walks alone, and none of us can think he is alone: this companion is always there”. Of course, it happens that “when we don’t want to listen to his advice, to hear his voice, we tell him: ‘Go away!’”. But “it’s dangerous to drive away our travel companion, because no man, no woman can advise him/herself: I can give advice to another, but I cannot advise myself”. Indeed, Francis recalled, “it is the Holy Spirit who advises me, it is the angel who advises me” and this is something “we need”.

The Pope urged that this “doctrine on the angels” not be considered “a little fanciful”. It is rather one of “truth”. It is “what Jesus, what God said: ‘I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared”.

Francis concluded with a series of questions so that each one can examine his/her own conscience: “How is my relationship with my guardian angel? Do I listen to him? Do I bid him good day in the morning? Do I tell him: ‘guard me while I sleep?’ Do I speak with him? Do I ask his advice? Is he beside me?”. We can answer these questions today, Pope Francis said. Each one of us can do so in order to evaluate “the relationship with this angel that the Lord has sent to guard me and to accompany me on the path, and who always beholds the face of the Father who is in heaven”. (Source: vatican.va.)