Today we honor our holy and powerful guardian angels. There are many testimonies of saints, such as Saint Gemma Galgani and the great Saint Dominic who were favored with a particular ability to converse and interact with their angel guardians.
SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS
But given the assault which is occurring to our priests, perhaps it would profit us to recount the lovely story of Saint Thomas Aquinas, which we take from “All About The Angels”, by Father Paul O’Sullivan.
When St. Thomas Aquinas, who came of a very noble and illustrious family . . . joined the Dominican Order, his family was furious at his action. His brothers, who were officers in the army of Emperor Frederick, seized him and put him in prison in one of the family castles.
Here they did their best to persuade him to leave the Order and cast off the white habit, a course which he calmly but firmly refused to adopt. His captors then tore the habit from his shoulders and threw the pieces with contempt on the floor. The Saint quietly picked up the fragments of his habit and folded them reverently. The two brothers then planned a truly diabolical method of attack. They contrived to introduce into the prison a beautiful but abandoned woman, with the promise of a large reward if she could succeed in shaking the virtue and resolution of their brother. The very first words of the treacherous visitor opened the eyes of Thomas to a sense of his danger.
He shuddered, looked up to Heaven, and seizing a blazing brand from the hearth, drove the wretched creature from the room. Then, trembling at the thought of the danger he had escaped, he traced a cross on the wall with the smoldering brand and, kneeling down, made an act of intense gratitude for his deliverance and a fervent consecration of his whole being to God.
“WE HAVE COME FROM GOD”
While thus praying, he fell into an ecstatic sleep, during which two Angels from Heaven appeared to him, and girded him with a miraculous cord, saying at the same time these words: “We have come from God, to invest thee with the girdle of perpetual chastity. The Lord has heard thy prayer, and that which human frailty could never merit is assured to thee by the irrevocable gift of God.”
This was no dream, but a reality, for the Angels girded him so tightly that the pain awoke St. Thomas from his ecstasy and made him utter an involuntary cry. Some servants ran to the spot, but Thomas, wishing to hide the favor he had received, dismissed them courteously and kept his secret till he was on his deathbed. He then revealed it to his friend and confessor, Brother Reginald, and declared that from that time, the spirit of darkness had never been suffered to approach his person. The girdle was worn by the Saint till his death and is still preserved in the Dominican Convent of Chieri.
ST. GEMMA’s ANGEL
Our Lord loved Saint Gemma so much that He gave her to see and converse with her Guardian Angel, and that Angel helped her greatly in her meditations, especially on the Passion of Jesus.
“Look,” he would exclaim, “at what Jesus has suffered for men; consider one by one these wounds; it is Love that has opened them all. See how execrable sin is, since to expiate it, so much pain and so much love have been necessary.”
From Father Germanus, her biographer, “The most important mission of the Angel with Gemma was in what concerned her spiritual advancement. Thus while on one side he acted as her watchful guide, on the other she found in him a perfect master of Christian perfection. He lost no opportunity of admonishing, instructing and directing her in lessons of heavenly wisdom that Gemma herself has preserved to us in the manifestations she made from time to time to her spiritual father. . . once, in order that a syllable might not be lost, the holy Angel wished her to write word for word what he said. . . standing (before her) he thus began:
“Remember child, that one who truly loves Jesus, speaks little and endures much. I command thee on the part of Jesus never to give thy opinion unless it is asked; never to maintain thy opinion, but be silent at once. When thou hast committed any fault accuse thyself of it at once without waiting for others to do so.
Punctual obedience, without reply to thy Confessor, and to others when he enjoins it; also sincerity with him and with them. Remember to guard thine eyes and reflect that the mortified eye shall behold the beauties of heaven.”
(Venerable Reverend Germanus C.P.. “The Life of Saint Gemma Galgani “(pp. 219-220). Catholic Way Publishing. Kindle Edition.)
THE VIRTUES MOST LOVED BY THE ANGELS
The virtues in men that please the Angels most are purity, humility and love of God, and these virtues were most eminent in St. Thomas. No wonder then that he attracted the love and affection of these blessed spirits, about whom he has written so marvelously that some think that the Angels themselves came to reveal to him the secrets of their angelic natures. It is only natural to think so since, as they are desirous of helping all their clients who call on them, they would have been much more eager to help him who has for so many reasons been called the Angelic Doctor and who labored so successfully for the Church. (Fr. Paul O’Sullivan, “All about the Angels”. Kindle Edition)
Saint Gemma and Saint Thomas are the best examples I could find to offer for your consideration of the role of our Angel Guardians, a role that has been so tragically corrupted by modern sentimentalism.
The most effective tool of satan to destroy our ability to work with our Guardians has been the internet and especially social media. The modern addiction to them is nothing more than vain curiosity and it has resulted in our nearly total estrangement to these essential spiritual helpers. I recommend reading the “Life of Saint Gemma Galgani” as a refresher course in Catholic simplicity and purity of heart.
previously posted October 2, 2021 by evensong
Remember – Our Lady needs us to obey: First Saturdays of Reparation, daily rosary, at least 5 mysteries, wear her brown scapular and live your Total Consecration to her Immaculate Heart, offering daily duties in reparation and for the conversion of poor sinners.
Open your hearts to the Lord and serve Him only: and He will free you from the hands of your enemies. With all your heart return to Him, and take away from your midst any strange gods” (I Kings 7:3)
† Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of our hearts, Mother of the Church, do thou offer to the Eternal Father the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, for the conversion of poor sinners, especially our Pontiff.
† Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy kingdom come! Viva Cristo Rey!
† St. Joseph, protect us, protect our families, protect our priests.
† St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
~ by evensong for love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, King.
Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, O Sacred Virgin! Give me strength against thine enemies!
