Memorial of the Guardian Angels
Lectionary:
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Job opened his mouth and cursed his day.
Job spoke out and said:
Perish the day on which I was born,
the night when they said, "The child is a boy!"
Why did I not perish at birth,
come forth from the womb and expire?
Or why was I not buried away like an untimely birth,
like babes that have never seen the light?
Wherefore did the knees receive me?
or why did I suck at the breasts?
For then I should have lain down and been tranquil;
had I slept, I should then have been at rest
With kings and counselors of the earth
who built where now there are ruins
Or with princes who had gold
and filled their houses with silver.
There the wicked cease from troubling,
there the weary are at rest.
Why is light given to the toilers,
and life to the bitter in spirit?
They wait for death and it comes not;
they search for it rather than for hidden treasures,
Rejoice in it exultingly,
and are glad when they reach the grave:
Those whose path is hidden from them,
and whom God has hemmed in!
Job spoke out and said:
Perish the day on which I was born,
the night when they said, "The child is a boy!"
Why did I not perish at birth,
come forth from the womb and expire?
Or why was I not buried away like an untimely birth,
like babes that have never seen the light?
Wherefore did the knees receive me?
or why did I suck at the breasts?
For then I should have lain down and been tranquil;
had I slept, I should then have been at rest
With kings and counselors of the earth
who built where now there are ruins
Or with princes who had gold
and filled their houses with silver.
There the wicked cease from troubling,
there the weary are at rest.
Why is light given to the toilers,
and life to the bitter in spirit?
They wait for death and it comes not;
they search for it rather than for hidden treasures,
Rejoice in it exultingly,
and are glad when they reach the grave:
Those whose path is hidden from them,
and whom God has hemmed in!
Responsorial Psalm Ps 88:2-3, 4-5, 6, 7-8
R. (3) Let my prayer come before you,
Lord.
O LORD, my God, by day I cry out;
at night I clamor in your presence.
Let my prayer come before you;
incline your ear to my call for help.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
For my soul is surfeited with troubles
and my life draws near to the nether world.
I am numbered with those who go down into the pit;
I am a man without strength.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
My couch is among the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom you remember no longer
and who are cut off from your care.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
You have plunged me into the bottom of the pit,
into the dark abyss.
Upon me your wrath lies heavy,
and with all your billows you overwhelm me.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
O LORD, my God, by day I cry out;
at night I clamor in your presence.
Let my prayer come before you;
incline your ear to my call for help.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
For my soul is surfeited with troubles
and my life draws near to the nether world.
I am numbered with those who go down into the pit;
I am a man without strength.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
My couch is among the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom you remember no longer
and who are cut off from your care.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
You have plunged me into the bottom of the pit,
into the dark abyss.
Upon me your wrath lies heavy,
and with all your billows you overwhelm me.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
Gospel Mt 18:1-5, 10
The disciples approached Jesus and said,
"Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?"
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
"Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever humbles himself like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
"See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."
"Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?"
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
"Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever humbles himself like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
"See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."
Meditation: "Their
angels behold the Father in heaven"
Why
does Jesus warn his disciples to "not despise the little ones?" God
dwells with the lowly and regards them with compassion. His angels watch over
them as guardians. "For
he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways" (Psalm 91:11). God has not left us
alone in our struggle "to
refuse evil and to choose good" (Isaiah
7:15). The angels are his "ministering
spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain
salvation"(Hebrews 1:14). Scripture is full of examples of how the
angels serve as messengers and protectors. When Peter was chained in prison and
kept under guard, an angel woke him in middle of the night, released his
chains, and brought him safely out of prison, past several guards and through locked
gates. When Peter realized he wasn't dreaming, he exclaimed: "Now I am
sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me" (Acts 12:11). When
Daniel was thrown into a den of hungry lions, an angel protected him from harm
(Daniel 6:22).John Chrysostom (347-407 AD), an early church father and renowned preacher, compared the guardian angels to the troops garrisoned in cities on the frontiers of the empire to defend it from the enemy. Basil the Great (329-379 AD) said, "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life." Angels ministered to Jesus after his temptation in the wilderness and during his agony in the
"Lord Jesus, you are our refuge and strength. May I always know your guiding hand and the help of your angels in protecting me from all that is evil. Give me strength of will and courage to refuse what is evil and to choose what is good."
 Heavenly Helpers |
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Feast of the Guardian Angels
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Listen to podcast version here. The disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?" He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father." Petition: Lord, grant me the grace of childlike simplicity. 1. Turning the Tables: The disciples are curious about the 2. Child´s Play: We must not think that Christ had a naive notion of children as little angels who never do wrong. So why does Christ hold up children as models for the rest of us? In part, it is their simplicity, their tendency to trust. They might not understand why a parent tells them something, but they likely will accept it because they realize it comes from someone who loves them. The spiritual life requires that same kind of trust. We might not understand completely why God asks us to do something, but if there´s a basic trust and openness to him, it is easier to follow his commands. Many people, unfortunately, squander what should be the most productive years of their lives because they doubt God and his Church. They complicate things, only to find years later the wisdom of what Our Lord was trying to tell them. By then, their faults can be forgiven, but not undone. Once a vase is broken, it can be fixed but it will never be the same as if it had never broken. Am I saying no to God because of a lack of trust? 3. Angelic Aid: Prayers to guardian angels used to be popular with Catholics. It is fitting that we pray to them, because each of us has one. "Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life," writes St. Basil (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 336). Our angel reflects God´s loving providence for our welfare and protection. The world is a moral minefield, waiting for us to make the wrong step. Our angel helps us make it through this valley of tears. Do I ever think to pray to my angel? Conversation with Christ:The simplicity of children can make me look foolish by comparison. I believe in you and trust you, Lord. Help me to translate that trust into serenity and simplicity. Let me accept the crosses of daily life with calmness, seeing your loving designs behind them. Resolution: I will say “yes” to the next difficult thing someone asks of me, so long as it is something morally good. |
Let my
prayer come before you, Lord.
In recent times we have had some important visitors to our shores including the Queen and the President of the
Think about it: Whatever we’re doing right now, however we’re feeling today, we can count on a guardian angel whose special assignment is to help and protect us. Powerful, glorious, totally committed to God, these heavenly guardians are always at our side.
Help me, heavenly Father, to appreciate my guardian angel so that I can praise and love you together with all the angels and saints—now and for all eternity.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY
SUFFERING
When Christ
was in pain we were in pain. All creatures of God's creation that can suffer
pain suffered with him. The sky and the earth failed at the time of Christ's
dying because he too was part of nature.
- Julian of Norwich
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
In Our Best
Interest
In God’s great
love for us he does not give us all we ask. He tempers the love he has for us
with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of what is in our best interest
even—or especially—when we cannot see it ourselves.
— from Wrapped
Up
October 2
Feast of the Guardian Angels
Feast of the Guardian Angels
Perhaps no aspect of Catholic piety is
as comforting to parents as the belief that an angel protects their little ones
from dangers real and imagined. Yet guardian angels are not just for children.
Their role is to represent individuals before God, to watch over them always,
to aid their prayer and to present their souls to God at death.
The
concept of an angel assigned to guide and nurture each human being is a
development of Catholic doctrine and piety based on Scripture but not directly
drawn from it. Jesus' words in Matthew 18:10 best support the belief: "See
that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their
angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."Devotion to the angels began to develop with the birth of the monastic tradition. St. Benedict (July 11) gave it impetus and Bernard of Clairvaux (August 20), the great 12th-century reformer, was such an eloquent spokesman for the guardian angels that angelic devotion assumed its current form in his day.
A feast in honor of the guardian angels was first observed in the 16th century. In 1615, Pope Paul V added it to the Roman calendar.
Comment:
Devotion to the angels is, at base, an expression of faith in God's enduring love and providential care extended to each person day in and day out until life's end.
Devotion to the angels is, at base, an expression of faith in God's enduring love and providential care extended to each person day in and day out until life's end.
Quote:
"May the angels lead you into paradise;
may the martyrs come to welcome you
and take you to the holy city,
the new and eternalJerusalem
"May the angels lead you into paradise;
may the martyrs come to welcome you
and take you to the holy city,
the new and eternal
St. Leger
Feastday:
October 2
615 - 679
Leger was
raised at the court of King Clotaire II and by his uncle, Bishop Didon of Poitiers Valence Normandy Sarcing , Artois
LECTIO: GUARDIAN ANGELS - MATTHEW 18,1-5.10
Lectio:
Tuesday, October 2,
2012
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father,
you show your almighty power
in your mercy and forgiveness.
Continue to fill us with your gifts of love.
Help us to hurry towards the eternal life your promise
and come to share in the joys of your kingdom.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
you show your almighty power
in your mercy and forgiveness.
Continue to fill us with your gifts of love.
Help us to hurry towards the eternal life your promise
and come to share in the joys of your kingdom.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading
At this time the disciples came to Jesus and
said, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom
of Heaven
So he called a little child to him whom he set among them. Then he said, 'In truth I tell you, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter thekingdom
of Heaven kingdom of Heaven
'See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that therein heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.
So he called a little child to him whom he set among them. Then he said, 'In truth I tell you, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the
'See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that therein heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.
3) Reflection
• Today's Gospel presents a text taken from
the Discourse of the Community (Mt 18,1-35), in which Matthew gathers together
some phrases of Jesus to help the communities of the first century to overcome
the two problems which they had to face at that moment: the leaving or going
away of the little ones because of the scandal caused by some (Mt 18, 1-14) and
the need of dialogue to overcome the internal conflicts (Mt 18, 15-35). The
discourse of the Community treats of several themes: the exercise of power in
the community (Mt 18, 1-4), the scandal that excludes the little ones (Mt 18,
5-11), the obligation to struggle to bring back the little ones, for their
return (Mt 18, 12-14), fraternal correction (Mt 18, 15-18), prayer (Mt 18,
19-20) and pardon (Mt 18, 21-35). The accent is placed on acceptance and on reconciliation,
because the basis of fraternity is the gratuitous love of God which accepts us
and forgives us. It is only in this way that the community will be a sign of
the Kingdom.
• In today's Gospel we meditate on the part that speaks about the acceptance of the little ones. The expression, the little ones, or the least does not only refer to children, but rather to persons who are not important in society, including children. Jesus asks that the little ones be at the centre of the concern of the community, because "The Father does not want any of these little ones to be lost" (Mt 18, 14).
• Matthew 18, 1: The question of the disciples which results in the teaching of Jesus. The discip0les want to know who is the greatest in theKingdom of Heaven
• Matthew 18, 2-5: the fundamental criterion; the one who makes himself as little as this child is the greatest in theKingdom of Heaven Kingdom
of Heaven
• Matthew 18, 6-9: Do not scandalize the little ones. The Gospel today omits verses 6 to 9 and continues in verse 10. We give a brief key for the reading of these verses, from 6 to 9. To scandalize the little ones means: to be for them a reason for the loss of faith in God and of the abandonment from the community. The excessive insistence on the norms and on the observance, as some Pharisees did, caused the little ones to go away, because they no longer found the liberty that Jesus had brought. Before this, Matthew keeps very strong phrases of Jesus, such as the one of the mill stone put around the neck, and the other one, "Alas for those who cause scandal!" This is a sign that at that time the little ones no longer identified themselves with the community and looked for another refuge. And today? InBrazil Kingdom
of God
• Matthew 18, 10: The angels of the little ones are always in the presence of the Father. "See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in Heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in Heaven". Today, sometimes we hear the question, "But, do the angels exist or not? Perhaps they are an element of the Persian culture, where the Jews lived for long centuries during the exile ofBabylonia ?
It is possible. But this is not the important thing, this is not the principal
aspect. In the Bible the angel has a different significance. There are texts
which speak about the Angel of Yahweh or of the Angel of God and then suddenly
they speak of God. They exchange one for the other (Gen 18, 1-2. 9.10.13.16:
cf. Gen 13, 3.18). In the Bible the Angel is the face of Yahweh turned toward
us. The face of God turned toward me, toward you! It is the expression of the
most profound conviction of our faith, that is, that God is with us, with me,
always! It is a way of making God's love concrete in our life, even up to the
smallest detail.
• In today's Gospel we meditate on the part that speaks about the acceptance of the little ones. The expression, the little ones, or the least does not only refer to children, but rather to persons who are not important in society, including children. Jesus asks that the little ones be at the centre of the concern of the community, because "The Father does not want any of these little ones to be lost" (Mt 18, 14).
• Matthew 18, 1: The question of the disciples which results in the teaching of Jesus. The discip0les want to know who is the greatest in the
• Matthew 18, 2-5: the fundamental criterion; the one who makes himself as little as this child is the greatest in the
• Matthew 18, 6-9: Do not scandalize the little ones. The Gospel today omits verses 6 to 9 and continues in verse 10. We give a brief key for the reading of these verses, from 6 to 9. To scandalize the little ones means: to be for them a reason for the loss of faith in God and of the abandonment from the community. The excessive insistence on the norms and on the observance, as some Pharisees did, caused the little ones to go away, because they no longer found the liberty that Jesus had brought. Before this, Matthew keeps very strong phrases of Jesus, such as the one of the mill stone put around the neck, and the other one, "Alas for those who cause scandal!" This is a sign that at that time the little ones no longer identified themselves with the community and looked for another refuge. And today? In
• Matthew 18, 10: The angels of the little ones are always in the presence of the Father. "See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in Heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in Heaven". Today, sometimes we hear the question, "But, do the angels exist or not? Perhaps they are an element of the Persian culture, where the Jews lived for long centuries during the exile of
4) Personal questions
• Are the little ones accepted in our
community? Do the poorest people participate in our community?
• The angels of God, the Guardian Angel, many times the Angel of God is the person who helps another person. Are there many angels in your life?
• The angels of God, the Guardian Angel, many times the Angel of God is the person who helps another person. Are there many angels in your life?
5) Concluding prayer
Lord, you created my inmost self,
knit me together in my mother's womb.
For so many marvels I thank you;
a wonder am I,
and all your works are wonders. (Ps 139,13-14)
knit me together in my mother's womb.
For so many marvels I thank you;
a wonder am I,
and all your works are wonders. (Ps 139,13-14)
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