Who is your guardian angel and what does he do: the 10 things you should know
According to the Christian tradition, each of us has a guardian angel, who accompanies us from the moment we are born until the moment of our death, and remains at our side in every moment of our life. The idea of a spirit, of a supernatural entity that follows and controls every human being, was already present in other religions and in Greek philosophy. In the Old Testament, we can read that God is surrounded by an authentic court of heavenly figures who worship him and perform actions in his name. Even in these ancient books, there are frequent references to angels sent by God as protectors of people and individuals, as well as messengers. In the Gospel, Jesus invites us to respect even the little ones and the humble, in reference to their angels, who watch over them from heaven and contemplate the face of God at all times.
The Guardian Angel, therefore, is linked to anyone who lives in the grace of God. The Fathers of the Church, such as Tertullian, Saint Augustine, Saint Ambrogio, Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Jerome and Saint Gregory of Nysas, claimed that there was a guardian angel for each person, and although there was still no dogmatic formulation relating to this figure, already during the Council of Trent (1545-1563) it was affirmed that every human being had his own angel.
From the seventeenth century, the spread of popular devotion increased and Pope Paul V added the feast of the guardian angels to the calendar.
Even in sacred representations and, above all, in the images of popular devotion, the Guardian Angels began to appear, and were usually depicted in the act of protecting children from danger. Indeed, it is above all by children that we are encouraged to speak with our guardian angels and to address our prayers to them. As we grow, this blind trust, this unconditional love for an invisible but extraordinarily reassuring presence, vanishes.
Guardian angels are always close to us
Here's what we should remember every time we want to find him near us: Guardian Angel
Guardian angels exist.
The Gospel affirms this, the Scriptures support it with countless examples and episodes. The Catechism teaches us from an early age to feel this presence on our side and to trust it.
Angels have always existed.
Our Guardian Angel was not created with us at the time of our birth. They have always existed, from the moment when God created all the angels. It was a single event, a single moment when the Divine Will generated all the angels, by the thousands. After this, God no longer created other angels.
There is an angelic hierarchy and not all angels are destined to become guardian angels.
Even angels differ from each other in their duties, and especially in their positions in heaven with respect to God. Some angels in particular are selected to take a test and, if they pass it, are qualified for the role of Guardian Angels. When a child is born, one of these angels is chosen to stand by his side until death and beyond.
Our Angel guides us on the way to Heaven
Our Angel cannot force us to follow the path of goodness. It cannot decide for us, impose choices on us. We are and remain free. But its role is precious, important. As a silent and reliable adviser, our angel stands by our side, trying to advise us for the best, to suggest the right path to follow, to obtain salvation, to deserve Heaven, and above all to be good people and good Christians.
Our angel never abandons us
In this life and the next, we will know that we can count on them, on these invisible and special friends, who never leave us alone.
Our angel is not the spirit of a dead person
Although it might be nice to think that when someone we love died, they became an Angel, and as such they returned to be by our side, unfortunately, it is not so. Our guardian angel cannot be anyone we have known in life, nor a member of our family who died prematurely. It has always existed, it is a spiritual presence generated directly by God. This does not mean that you love us less! We must remember that God is love above all.
Our guardian angel has no name
... or, if you have it, it is not our job to establish it. In the Scriptures the names of some angels are mentioned, such as Michele, Raffaello and Gabriele. Any other name given to these heavenly creatures is neither documented nor confirmed by the Church, and as such it is inappropriate to claim it for our Angels, especially pretending to have determined it using an imaginative method such as the month of our birth, etc.
Our angel fights on our side with all his might.
We must not think of having a tender plump cherub by our side playing the harp. Our Angel is a warrior, a strong and courageous fighter, who stands by our side in every battle of life and protects us when we are too fragile to do it alone.
Our guardian angel is also our personal messenger, in charge of bringing our messages to God and vice versa.
It is to angels that God turns to himself by communicating with us. Their job is to make us understand his Word and move us in the right direction.