Saturday Ramblins, Vol. 2, No. 2 (January 23, 1999)

The idea of a guardian angel, or spirit, is not unique to western Christian people. The belief systems of many cultures around the world contain the notion of a tutelage spirit. Certain Native Americans, for example, actively seek this spirit in what is called a "vision quest". For them, it is a quest for a revelation to provide a sense of purpose and identity. The quest is often ritualized in rites of passage for young members of the tribe.

For Christians -- Catholics in particular, the belief in a guardian spirit is not a part of the dogma of the Church, but the belief has become part and parcel of the faith. One writer, Michael Grosso, sees the belief in a personal guardian spirit as a way of overcoming our distance from God and making Him more personal through a personal representative.

There are more than three hundred mentions of angels in the bible between the Old and New Testament. Even Jesus speaks of them. It is believed when God issues the soul to a new life, the guardian angel's work begins. This personal angel remains with us until the moment of our death and then accompanies our soul to heaven.

The role of the guardian is one of both enlightenment and protection. As a protector, the angel watches over the well being of both body and soul, protecting both from dangers. He is a special shield between the soul and Satan, protecting his charge from evil thoughts and temptations.

As an agent of enlightenment, the guardian angel has the power of fostering holy thoughts and desires. He also is believed to carry a person's thoughts and prayers to God. And finally, he is there to assist us at the hour of our death as we prepare to stand before our God.

This aid that our angels offer us is always present. But we, as people of faith, must be aware of it. There are some Christians who balk at the homage given to angels, as they do with ritualized honor given to the saints or the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Catholic Church, however, allows and encourages such honor, even recognizing guardian angels with their own feast day on October 2nd. Angelolotry, the worship of angels is, in it's proper perspective, another way of honoring God. Guardian angels are His creations and it is his choice to give one to each of us as a protector: His gift. To be aware of their presence, to pray to them, to seek their counsel is not an end in and of itself. They are, like everything else given to us from above, another road to our God and to salvation.