In recent years, we have experienced a renewed interest in angels. Recall several TV programs, e.g., “Touched by an Angel”. Books and articles were published and images of angels in varying designs were available in stores, including jewelry and souvenir shops.

Angels: who are they and what do they do? Today’s liturgy, the Memorial of the Guardian Angels, provides us all with the opportunity to understand what the Catholic Church teaches about angels and, in particular, about guardian angels. Moreover, this Memorial of the Guardian Angels also offers us an appropriate way in which to honor and pray for our law enforcement and public safety officers in this annual diocesan celebration of the Blue Mass.

First, let us review briefly what the Catholic Church teaches about angels and, in particular, about guardian angels. Who are angels? The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults provides us with a response. “It is a truth of faith that God, the ‘maker…of all that is seen and unseen,’ created a realm of spiritual beings who do not share the limitations of a physical body and yet exist as a result of his all-powerful, loving act of creation. We call these spiritual beings angels. ‘As purely spiritual creatures, angels have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures, surpassing in perfection all visible creatures, as the splendor of their glory bears witness’ (CCC, no. 330)” (p. 54). Therefore, the existence of angels “is a truth of faith. The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of tradition” (CCC, no. 328).

What do these spiritual, personal, immortal creatures with intelligence and free will, these angels, do? The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us. “Saint Augustine says: ‘Angel’ is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is ‘spirit’; if you seek the name of their office, it is ‘angel’….With their whole beings the angels are servants and messengers of God” (no. 329). Referring to today’s gospel account, the Catechism goes on to say: “Because they ‘always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven’ they are the ‘mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word’” (no. 329).

Now, “the whole life of the Church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of angels” (CCC, no. 334). In our liturgy, for example, as we conclude the Preface, we join with the angels to adore the thrice-holy God. In the funeral liturgy, we pray for the deceased person, asking “May the angels lead you into Paradise”.

Within this context, we come to understand “the guardian angel.” The Catechism states: “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their (the angels’) watchful care and intercession. Besides each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life…” (no. 336). Today’s first reading from the Book of Exodus confirms this. “Thus says the Lord: ‘see, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. Be attentive to him and head his voice….’” Today’s psalm response likewise affirms this: “The Lord has put angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.”

So, each of us has been given a guardian angel to assist us on our journey through life back to God. The lines of a hymn echo this so beautifully: “They come, God’s messengers of love, they come from realms of peace above…They come to watch around us here, to soothe our sorrow, calm our fear: ye heavenly guides, speed not away, God willeth you with us to stay. But chiefly at its journey’s end, 'tis yours the spirit to befriend, and whisper to the willing heart, ‘O Christian soul, in peace depart’” (cf. Hymn for the Office of Readings, Liturgy of the Hours, Vol. 4, p. 1453).

So then, we must allow ourselves to be guided by our guardian angels, following the inspiration they give us in so many ways. We must also be grateful to them and to God above all for assigning a guardian angel to each one of us. As Saint Bernard tells us, “yet all our love and honor must go to him (God). For it is from him that they receive all that makes them worthy of our love and respect” (Ibid., p. 1454).

How appropriate as well that we are celebrating this year’s annual diocesan Blue Mass on the Memorial of the Guardian Angels! God assists us in our journey through life by sending us guardian angels. God also assists us in our journey through life by sending us men and women who daily put their lives on the line for our safety and well-being. These are our law enforcement and public safety officers. These men and women are not purely spiritual beings as are the angels; they are human beings, each one possessing a physical body and an immortal soul. They guide us and protect us. They assist us in emergencies and rescue us from danger. And they sometimes correct us when we are not mindful of how we should act so as to ensure the safety of others or of ourselves. They do their very best within the context of that human condition which we all share and experience.

We are grateful to each one of them: to those present here tonight and to their colleagues who are unable to be with us in this Blue Mass. We express our gratitude in our prayer for them: our prayer thanking God for calling them to this particular role of service for the welfare of all our citizens; our prayer asking God to keep them out of harm’s way and to keep them positive and morally responsible in spite of the many negative, degrading and evil situations which they must encounter in their duties; our prayer seeking God’s care for their families; our prayer beseeching God to give the reward of eternal life to their colleagues who died during the past year, whether through illness, advanced age or violence. Besides our prayer, we offer to these human “guardian angels” our support, our cooperation and our understanding that they too are human. Dear law enforcement and public safety officers, please accept our gratitude and be assured of our prayers and support.

How blessed we are! In His loving care for us, God gives each one of us a guardian angel and also places in our path of life men and women who seek to insure our safety and to respond to our emergencies at the risk of their own safety and well-being, even by putting their lives on the line. With grateful hearts and with deepening trust, we pray in familiar words to our guardian angel for everyone gathered here, especially for those we honor in this Blue Mass. “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.”