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Instruction for the Festival of the Holy Guardian Angels
by Leonard Goffine, 1871




Why is this Festival instituted?

That we may thank God, that He has given to every one and each of us a particular angel, who leads him or her through the dangers of this world to heaven; 2. that we may show ourselves grateful to the holy angels, who have done us so much good.

Is it certain, that every one has a special Guardian-angel?

Yes; for many passages in the Holy Scriptures attest it; ii. Mas. xxiii.20, 21. --xii. Ps. xxxiii. 8.; xc. 11. -- Job xxxiii. 23. -- Apost. xii. 16., but especially the words of Christ: "Take heed 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" (Matt, xviii. 10.); which words of the Saviour the holy Catholic Church has always expounded, that to every one is given a Special Guardian angel.



What is the office of Guardian angels?

To protect us from the dangers of body and soul. So it is written in Ps. xc. 11.: "For he hath given his angels charge over thee: to keep thee in all thy ways. In their hands they shall hear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone," that means that thou dost not sin, or that any other misfortune may not befall thee. "O what a great favor of God," exclaims St. Bernard at this, "O what wonderful love!"



Who has commanded?

God!



Whom has He commanded!

The angels, those noble spirits, who share God's home!



What has He commanded them?

To protect and guard us poor mortals! "O Lord! what is man that Thou art mindful of him!" The holy Guardian angels do the greatest services to the soul. They protect us in dangers and temptations, warn us from evil, encourage to good, offer to God our prayers, stand by us in the hour of death. Yea, they minister to us after death, as Christ said that the poor Lazarus was carried, by the angels, into Abraham's bosom. (Luke xvi. 22.)



Have wicked men also an holy Guardian angel?

It is credible that the long suffering God protects the body of even the most hardened sinner, by an angel, that the sinner may not be lost before the time, but the holy angel can have no pleasure in a sinner. St. Basilius the Great says: "As smoke scatters the bees, and bad smell disperses the doves, so does horrible, lamentable sin turn from us the angel, the guardian of life. But if a sinner repents: then there is joy in heaven, as the Saviour asserts: There shall be joy before the angels of God upon one sinner doing penance!" (Luke xv. 10.)



What do we owe the holy Guardian angel?

According to the doctrine of St. Bernard: 1.) Reverence on account of his presence, on which account we must do nothing in his presence we should be ashamed of before an honourable man; 2.) Gratitude for the solicitude he has for us; 3.) Confidence and love, by virtue of which we turn to him and entreat his protection in all difficulties, desires and temptations.



What consolation does the presence of the holy Guardian angel give us?

That of being fearless and courageous in all dangers of the body and soul, for "of whom need we be afraid," writes St. Bernard, "with such powerful protectors?" They cannot be conquered nor be seduced away, still less seduce any one away, they who protect us, in all our paths. They are faithful, mighty and wise, why should we tremble? Only let us follow them, cling to them, and remain under the protection of God, the Lord of Heaven.



What ought we to do on the present day?

We ought to spend the present day in the most devout manner, reverencing the holy Guardian angel, and thanking him for all the benefits received through the course of one's whole life, ask his pardon for the vexation we may have caused him through our sins, recommend ourselves again to his protection and promise him constant fidelity and obedience.

PRAYER. Almighty, eternal God! Thou, who in Thy great goodness hast given to all mankind from their birth a guardian angel, grant that I may honor, love and obey my guardian angel, that through Thy grace and his protection, I may be saved and in the future may eternally behold in heaven Thy divine face with him and all the Saints.

O ye holy guardian angels, defend us in the combat that we may not perish on the dreadful day of judgment.

At the commencement of the mass the Church sings: Bless the Lord, all ye his angels: you that are mighty in strength, and execute his word, hearkening to the voice of his orders. Allel. Allel. Bless the Lord, O my soul! let all that is within me praise his holy name. (Ps. cii.) Glory be to the Father, etc.


 PRAYER OF THE CHURCH.

O God, who, in Thy wonderful providence, hast been pleased to appoint Thy holy angels as our guardians: mercifully hear our prayers, and grant that we may rest secure under their protection, and enjoy their fellowship in heaven for ever. Through.


LESSON. (Exod, xxiii. 20 - 23.) Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will send my angel, who shall go before thee, and keep thee in thy journey, and bring thee into the place that I have prepared. Take notice of him, and hear his voice, and do not think him one to be contemned: for he will not forgive when thou hast sinned, and my name is in him. But if thou wilt hear his voice, and do all that I speak, I will be an enemy to thy enemies, and will afflict them that afflict thee. And my angel shall go before thee.

GOSPEL. (Matt, xviii. 1 - 10.) At That Time: The disciples came to Jesus saying: Who, thinkest thou is the greater in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them, and said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven. And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me. But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a mill-stone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea. Wo to the world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless wo to that man by whom the scandal cometh. And if thy hand or thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. 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.

LESSONS. I. Christ had often distinguished the holy apostle Peter above the other apostles--particularly on account of the zeal of his faith, upon which the others, not yet enlightened by the Holy Ghost, became jealous and addressed Jesus with this question: "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus, who saw into the recesses of their hearts and knew well that true humility was yet wanting to the apostles, took a child, placed it in their midst and said: "If you do not become as humble, simple, open, confiding and believing as children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, but if ye become as humble in mind as a child: ye will not only gain the kingdom of heaven, but gain the highest place there.--What a high and necessary virtue is then humility!

II. From the dreadful punishment, which Christ threatens him who scandalizes a child--that is to say, who seduces him by words or actions to wickedness--is to be inferred, what a dreadful sin scandal is. It is indeed not possible, as Christ says, on account of the great moral depravity of the children of men, that scandals should not come, but "Woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh." What a sin must that be, at whose wickedness the gentle Jesus cries out: "Woe!" --Beware of giving any one occasion to sin, that upon you this woe may not come!

 III. Christ commands us to cut off and throw away the members that offend us, whereby He wishes to teach us, that if we love anything in the world as well as a hand or an eye and it gives us occasion to sin, we must separate ourselves from it earnestly and at once.--If therefore thou observest that thine heart has pleasure in anything, in a person, in a company, that does not lead to God, but rather to sin: then leave and forsake it, for it is better to lose a temporal thing, an earthly joy, for the sake of God, than to suffer eternal torment.

 IV. But the strongest motive, which is to keep us from causing any scandal, is because we offend God and afflict the holy angels by such an offence, who for this will one day be our severest and strictest accusers.










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