Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels

Be angelic Catholics

John 1:47-51


As we celebrate the Feast of the Guardian angels, we notice that the focus of the readings is not on the angels, but on the Son of Man and what appears to be the Son of Man descending from the heavens.

"On him was conferred sovereignty,
glory and kingship,
and men of all peoples, nations and languages became his servants." (Daniel 7:9-10,13-14)

Here is the Son of Man, descending from the heavens and ascending from earth.  Heaven and earth unite for the Son of Man and the angels assisting him.

We know that heaven is our final abode, but our stay here on earth is a challenge to make it heaven only through the power of Jesus and the example of his servants, including the angels.

From the Greek word "angelos", which means "messenger", let us also make it our life's vision to be the Lord's messengers on earth.  Three things worth remembering about the angels, we can internalize:

1.  Their total unity with God. "El" means God.  They stand up for God.  We pray that we mirror God in our lives.

2. "ascending and descending" refer to the grace overflowing downwards and upwards, sanctifying the whole earth.  Let us be instruments of graces flowing to earth.

3. "messenger" - let us deliver no other message except God's message.

By imitating the angels, we connect heaven and earth.

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