3 ways in which guardian angels are examples for priests

Guardian angels are pleasant, present and praying - essential elements for every priest.

A few months ago, I read a wonderful article by Jimmy Akin entitled "8 things to know and share about the guardian angels". As usual, he did a formidable job by summarizing and clearly explaining the theology of guardian angels by the characters of Divine Revelation, Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

Recently, I turned to this article in an attempt to help with some online catechesis on guardian angels. I have a special love for the guardian angels because on the feast of the guardian angels (October 2, 1997) I entered the holy order. My diaconal ordination took place at the altar of the Chair at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City and the late cardinal Jan Pieter Schotte, CICM, was the ordaining prelate.

In the midst of this global pandemic, many priests, myself included, believe that our priestly ministries have changed a lot. I greet my brother priests who are working to livestream their masses, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours, catechesis and many other parish services. As a professor of theology, I am teaching my two seminars for the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome where we are reading and discussing the classic text of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Introduction to Christianity (1968) via Zoom. And as a seminar formator at the Pontifical North American College, I keep up with the seminarians for which I am responsible via WhatsApp, FaceTime and telephone, since most of our seminarians have currently returned to the United States.

This is not what we thought our priestly ministry would have been but, thank God and modern technology, we are doing our best to minister again to the People of God to whom we have been assigned. For many of us, our ministries, even as diocesan priests, have become more peaceful, more contemplative. And this is exactly what made me think of the priests who pray even more to their guardian angels and who use the guardian angels for inspiration. Guardian angels ultimately remind us of God's presence and love for us as individuals. It is the Lord who guides the faithful on the way to peace through the ministry of his holy angels. They are not seen physically, but they are present, so strongly. And so we should be priests, even in this most hidden period of ministry.

In a special way, we who are called to serve the Church as its priests should look to the presence and example of the guardian angels as a model for our ministry. Here are three reasons:

First, just like the priest, angels live and work in a hierarchy, all in the service of Christ. Just as there are different hierarchies of angels (seraphs, cherubs, thrones, domains, virtues, powers, principalities, archangels and guardian angels), all of which cooperate with each other for the glory of God, so should the hierarchy of clerics (bishop, priest, deacon) all cooperate for the glory of God and to help the Lord Jesus in building the Church.

Secondly, every day our angels, in the presence of Christ in his beatific vision, live permanently the experience of which we are predicted when we pray to the Divine Office, the Liturgy of the Hours, praising God eternally as Te Deum reminds us . At his diaconal ordination, the cleric promises to pray the Liturgy of the Hours (Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, Day Prayer, Evening Prayer, Night Prayer) in its entirety every day. Pray to the Office not only for the sanctification of its days, but also for the sanctification of the whole world. Like a guardian angel, he acts as an intercessor for his people and, by uniting this prayer with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, he watches over all the people of God in prayer.

Third and finally, the guardian angels know that their pastoral care they offer does not concern them. It's about God. It's not about their face; it is a question of indicating the Father. And this could be a valuable lesson for us every day of our priestly life. With all their power, all they know, with all they have seen, angels remain humble.

Pleasant, present and prayerful - essential elements for each individual priest. All of these are lessons that we priests can learn from our guardian angels.