Angelic Humility
Oct 2: Memorial of the Guardian Angels
Here’s a wonderful video to go with today’s feast—
Reading 1
Jb 9:1-12, 14-16
Job answered his friends and said:
I know well that it is so; but how can a man be justified before God? Should one wish to contend with him, he could not answer him once in a thousand times. God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has withstood him and remained unscathed?
He removes the mountains before they know it; he overturns them in his anger. He shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars beneath it tremble. He commands the sun, and it rises not; he seals up the stars.
He alone stretches out the heavens and treads upon the crests of the sea. He made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south; He does great things past finding out, marvelous things beyond reckoning.
Should he come near me, I see him not; should he pass by, I am not aware of him; Should he seize me forcibly, who can say him nay? Who can say to him, "What are you doing?"
How much less shall I give him any answer, or choose out arguments against him! Even though I were right, I could not answer him, but should rather beg for what was due me. If I appealed to him and he answered my call, I could not believe that he would hearken to my words.
Job’s friends have been telling him to argue with God about his “punishments.” Job responds, reasonably, that it’s impossible to debate with God. If God really is punishing him, Job assumes that God must be right.
He doesn’t understand why this is happening to him, but he accepts God’s judgement, which is a powerful witness of faith and humility.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 88:10bc-11, 12-13, 14-15
R. (3) Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
Daily I call upon you, O LORD;
to you I stretch out my hands.
Will you work wonders for the dead?
Will the shades arise to give you thanks?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
Do they declare your mercy in the grave,
your faithfulness among those who have perished?
Are your wonders made known in the darkness,
or your justice in the land of oblivion?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
But I, O LORD, cry out to you;
with my morning prayer I wait upon you.
Why, O LORD, do you reject me;
why hide from me your face?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
In contrast with Job, the psalmist is trying to make a deal with God. As mentioned yesterday, the ancients believed that the dead can’t praise and worship God. He can only bear witness to God’s glory if he’s alive!
We now believe that saints and angels in heaven do pray to God,1 and intercede for the living. Not matter how difficult our life is, those in the next life are still rooting for us.
Alleluia
Ps 103:21
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Bless the LORD, all you angels,
you ministers, who do his will.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A guardian angel’s job is to protect you, but the angel, having seen the face of God, knows that he’s2 not truly your savior. He’s simply God’s personal representative in your life. He’s always there for you, and you should thank him for his work.3
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."
Angels are the highest created beings we can conceive of. They spend their lives in the direct presence of God, which is too intense for us mere humans.
Which is all to emphasize Jesus’ point—the meek and humble are closer to God than anyone. Remember that “humility” in the theological sense means that you know your proper place; Jesus tells us the the proper place of these little ones is with God.
Humans don’t become angels when we die, but if our hearts are formed with the right attitude, we’ll be with them in the presence of our mutual Creator some day.
Angels don’t really have gender, but saying he-or-she is clunky and I find the singular “they” confusing much of the time.
I’ve heard (but can’t find a clear citation) that St. Josemaria would hold the door open for people a little too long, to allow their guardian angel to enter the room, too.
The video you shared was very helpful. Thank you!