A Reflection for Ss. Angelorum Custodum, Feria Quinta infra Hebdomadam XVI post Octavam Pentecostes (IV Septembris)
The sacred liturgy of the feast of the Holy Guardian Angels brings before our eyes two luminous texts of Holy Scripture: Exodus 23:20–23 and Matthew 18:1–10. Both unveil the divine providence by which God, in His fatherly care, commits to the ministry of His holy angels the protection, guidance, and defense of the faithful.
The Angel Sent Before Israel (Exod 23:20–23)
“Behold, I will send My Angel, who shall go before thee, and keep thee in thy journey, and bring thee into the place that I have prepared.”
Israel is not left to wander the wilderness alone; an angelic guide is promised to guard the chosen people and to lead them into the inheritance prepared by God. St. Gregory the Great comments that this Angel is both a figure of Christ and a reminder of the angelic ministry:
“When God speaks of sending His Angel before the people, He signifies in mystery the Only-Begotten, for He is called the Angel of great counsel; but in the order of service, He truly sends angels to guard His faithful, that by their unseen help, the visible Church might advance unharmed.”
(Hom. in Evang. 34)
Thus the Old Testament text already foreshadows both Christ, our supreme Mediator, and the mission of the angels who act in His service. St. Augustine adds that this angelic guardianship demonstrates God’s condescension:
“It is not that God Himself cannot guard His people, but that His majesty wills to use the ministry of angels, that we may learn from their watchfulness how constant is His providence toward us.”
(Enarr. in Ps. 90)
“Their Angels See the Face of My Father” (Matt 18:1–10)
In the Gospel, Our Lord teaches the disciples that greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven is measured by humility and childlike trust. It is precisely in this context that He unveils the reality of guardian angels:
“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 is in heaven.”
St. John Chrysostom marvels at this mystery:
“Not only does each of the faithful have a guardian angel, but even the little ones and the least are thus honored. He who assigns angels to children shows how precious to Him is humility. And if such care is bestowed on the least, what must be His providence over all?”
(Hom. on Matthew 59)
St. Jerome, with his characteristic sharpness, rebukes those who would scorn the lowly:
“What arrogance to despise one whom the angels serve! As often as you show contempt for the poor or the humble, know that their guardian in heaven beholds the face of God and will bear witness against you.”
(Comment. in Matt. XVIII, 10)
Thus, the doctrine of guardian angels is not a quaint embellishment but a solemn truth bound up with Christ’s teaching on humility, charity, and reverence.
The Spirit of Today’s Feast
The Church places this feast within the green season after Pentecost to remind us that the journey of faith—the pilgrimage through the wilderness of this world toward the heavenly inheritance—requires constant vigilance and grace. God, who in His mercy does not abandon His people, appoints for each soul an angelic companion, a “ministering spirit, sent to minister for them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation” (Heb 1:14).
St. Bernard of Clairvaux, whose homilies on the angels the Church treasures, exhorts us:
“Revere your angel, for he is always present; love him, for he is ever gracious; trust him, for he is a faithful guardian. Where you are, there he is also: neither in joy nor in sorrow will he depart from you.”
(Hom. 12 on Ps. 90)
Conclusion
Exodus assures us: the Angel goes before us to keep us in the way. The Gospel reveals: the angels behold the Father’s face even as they guard us on earth. Between these two poles—earthly pilgrimage and heavenly vision—the life of the Christian unfolds, never without angelic companionship.
On this feast, let us renew our gratitude to God for His holy angels, especially our guardian, and resolve to heed their inspirations. To despise their guidance is to resist God’s own providence; to walk with them is to be led securely to the place prepared by the Father.
“Angel of God, my guardian dear,
to whom His love commits me here;
ever this day be at my side,
to light and guard, to rule and guide.”