Page 10
Guardian Angel: Childhood 10
God gives our guardian angels special graces to help us, but will only allow these graces to be imparted with our human consent. We have to acknowledge the presence of our guardian angel, respond in love, and consent to and will their aid. God is a gentleman. He forces nothing upon us.
The Church encourages a practical, personal, daily acknowledgement of the angels, but there are four areas where we are especially encouraged to engage our guardian angels:
1) Adoration of God. Angels excel and are ordered towards this. Invoke them before the Blessed Sacrament, and ask them to lead in adoration. Besides that, the greatest gift you can give your guardian angel is to bring them into the Divine Presence.
2) Contemplation of God. They are capable of an understanding far beyond our own. So ask them to help you penetrate the Divine Mysteries.
3) Expiation. This is atonement for sin - both your own and the sins of others - through suffering and daily sacrifice. This is one of the only places where we can do something that our guardian angels cannot. Our angels depend on us for this. Our guardian angels are eager to help us in these and remind us to do these things for the sake of ourselves and others.
4) Guidance in our state of life. God reveals to our guardian angels what we're supposed to do for holiness. They can be especially helpful in difficult or common decisions, or in discernment. It is thought that angels speak to us through our consciences.
In this page, our girl has difficulty praying. She asks her guardian angel for help, and he guides her prayer, revealing to her the face of Christ Crucified. This was a reference both to his help in contemplation and his help in expiation. It must have been a shock to her. The words in Old English font are always intended to be those of the angel.
-Meagan
The Church encourages a practical, personal, daily acknowledgement of the angels, but there are four areas where we are especially encouraged to engage our guardian angels:
1) Adoration of God. Angels excel and are ordered towards this. Invoke them before the Blessed Sacrament, and ask them to lead in adoration. Besides that, the greatest gift you can give your guardian angel is to bring them into the Divine Presence.
2) Contemplation of God. They are capable of an understanding far beyond our own. So ask them to help you penetrate the Divine Mysteries.
3) Expiation. This is atonement for sin - both your own and the sins of others - through suffering and daily sacrifice. This is one of the only places where we can do something that our guardian angels cannot. Our angels depend on us for this. Our guardian angels are eager to help us in these and remind us to do these things for the sake of ourselves and others.
4) Guidance in our state of life. God reveals to our guardian angels what we're supposed to do for holiness. They can be especially helpful in difficult or common decisions, or in discernment. It is thought that angels speak to us through our consciences.
In this page, our girl has difficulty praying. She asks her guardian angel for help, and he guides her prayer, revealing to her the face of Christ Crucified. This was a reference both to his help in contemplation and his help in expiation. It must have been a shock to her. The words in Old English font are always intended to be those of the angel.
-Meagan