It is a
wonderful truth that the Angels in Heaven love our children – indeed, all children
– and we can take great comfort that at the moment of our Baptism, when we are
received into the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and He provides each one of us
with a Guardian Angel. This Angel remains with us throughout our lives,
watching over us, in the same way that we each benefit from the prayers and
loving care of our Patron Saint, after whom we are named at our Baptism. The
hosts of Heaven love and care for us!
I would
like to now share with you the daily prayer to our Guardian Angel:
O Holy Angel of God, guardian and protector
of my soul and body, pray that I may be
forgiven
for every transgression I have committed this
day.
Deliver me from all evil influences and
temptations,
so that I may not anger my God by any sin.
Pray for me that the Lord may make me worthy
of His grace
and to become partaker of His eternal
kingdom. With the help
of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of all the
Saints. Amen.
To be
great partakers of the eternal kingdom that our God has promised to us, we must
begin with prayer, offering our true love for Him and those who dwell within
His Kingdom. Because of our Lord’s great and eternal love for us, He has
ordered His holy angles to be our guardians, as we read in St. Matthew chapter
18, when in response to the question “Who is greatest in the kingdom of
heaven”, Jesus took a little child and said “Unless you are converted and
become as little children you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the
kingdom heaven”. In verse 10 Jesus goes on, “Take heed that you do dot despise
one these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see
the face of My Father who is in heave.” Our Lord Jesus in this verse makes it
absolutely clear that in heaven the angels have been assigned to us –their
angels and that these angels are always in His presence. Christ also identified
Himself with little children saying, in verse 5, “Whosever receives one little
child like this in My name receives Me.”
We have
the assurance, then that since our Lord God loves us, He loves all of the
children, your children –every child, everywhere! Every child is protected
under the wings of a Guardian Angel and their Patron Saint. When your child is
going through any difficulty or having any health problems, our Lord God is
quick to respond. “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them,
for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (St. Matthew 19:14). Here is the
foundation of spiritual education and Christian understanding – letting the
children come to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is because of His arms
wrapped around each child in love that the angels love and protect children.
So when
your beloved child walks out the door of your house, or goes to school
(including Sunday School) or goes outside to play, be assured that our Lord God
watches over your beloved child, just as He has commanded both the child’s
Guardian Angel and Patron Saint to do.
Even as
we get older what continues to remain in us and with is the love of Lord God.
He never leaves us or forsakes us. He continues to watch over us, even in the
most difficult times, whether in illness, or during any of lives struggles. God
is with us, and cares about us. What a loving God we have, who sends us not
only the comfort of the Holy Spirit, but even provides us with the further
blessings of a Guardian Angel and our Patron Saint whose prayers for us are
always rising to the Throne of Grace.
Let us
then walk with our God, our Guardian Angel, and our Patron Saint, and ask for
their guidance and strength.
Humbly in
Christ our Lord,
Very Rev.
Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes
Who prays
for you and with you!
Source: http://www.serfes.org/spiritual/november2009.htm
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