From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   October 2nd - The Guardian Angels   
      
   Speaking on the Faith, Fr. Husslien SJ tells us that the Church not only   
   acknowledges the existence of the Guardian Angels, but with absolute   
   authority   
   and conviction says that each individual of humanity has their own singular   
   Guardian Angel.  Regardless of the state of grace, or lack of grace, every   
   single soul upon the earth has its own Guardian Angel.  This is for certain.   
      
   Christ Himself points to their existence: "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 art in heaven."   
      
   Their mission is seven-fold:   
      
   1) ward off dangers of body and soul   
   2) resisting Satan's suggestion of evil thoughts and helping us to overcome   
   temptation   
   3) enlightening and instructing us leading to pious thought and actions   
   4) offering our prayers to God and praying for us   
   5) correcting us if we sin   
   6) helping us in the agony of death by strengthening and consoling us   
   7) conducting our souls to heaven or consoling us in purgatory   
      
   St. Bernard tells us of the dignity of our Guardian Angel; "The great   
   dignity   
   and sanctity of your Guardian Angels makes the duty of reverence an   
   indispensable one for us.  Before the great ones of earth, men are very   
   modest   
   and respectful, yet their dignity is incomparably less than that of the   
   lowest   
   of the Angels. Therefore we must always conduct ourselves piously and   
   modestly   
   before our holy angel, refraining from every word, gesture or action that   
   would   
   displease our heavenly friend and guide.  This continued remembrance of the   
   presence of our holy angel is also an excellent means of overcoming   
   temptation."   
      
   Liturgical honor has been paid to the angels from the earliest times of   
   Christianity, with the office of the dedication of the church of St. Michael   
   the   
   Archangel, and the Sacramentary of Alcuin contains a votive Mass for the   
   angels   
   in the 8th century.  Offices have been created throughout the life of the   
   Church   
   for not only individuals, but cities and provinces.  Various regions and   
   countries from England to Spain to Austria have included a Feast day for the   
   Guardian angels, and Pope Clement X fixed the present date in AD 1670.   
      
   Remember to cultivate your relationship with your Guardian Angel. God   
   created   
   your angel just for you. Your Angel has been with you since the moment of   
   your   
   conception, and will be with you for all your life. Cultivate your   
   relationship   
   with your Guardian and in time perhaps you will learn their name and or   
   which   
   choir of the nine choirs of Angels they are a member of. Devotion to your   
   Guardian Angel will benefit you in ways you have not thought.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   At times a single word is sufficient to cool a person who is burning with   
   anger;   
   and, on the other hand, a single word may be capable of desolating a soul,   
   and   
   infusing into it a bitterness which may be most hurtful.   
   -St. Vincent de Paul   
      
   Bible Quote   
   22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own   
   selves.   
   23 For if a man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he shall be   
   compared to   
   a man beholding his own countenance in a glass. 24 For he beheld himself,   
   and   
   went his way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was.  (James   
   1:22-24)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   A prayer to one's Guardian Angel by St. Gertrude:   
      
   O most Holy Angel of God, appointed by Him to be my   
   guardian, I give thee thanks for all the benefits which thou   
   hast ever bestowed on me in body and in soul. I praise and   
   glorify thee that thou didst condescend to assist me with such   
   patient fidelity, and to defend me against all the assault of my   
   enemies. Blessed be the hour in which thou wast assigned me   
   for my guardian, my defender, and my patron. In   
   acknowledgment and return of all thy loving ministries to me   
   from my youth up, I offer thee the infinitely precious and   
   noble Heart of Jesus, and firmly purpose to obey thee   
   henceforth, and most faithfully to serve my God. Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)