Angel sent by God to guide me, be my light and walk beside me.

On 2nd October the Church remembers and celebrates our Guardian Angels. For many, the whole idea of angels, let alone our own personal angel, is like something out of a fairytale and not altogether believable. However, both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible are positively littered with references to angels and the Church takes up and confirms what we hear about the angels, that ‘From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading them to life’ (CCC 336). We therefore ignore angels at our peril!

What is the purpose of angels? Angels live in the constant presence of God and are his messengers, his workforce. Throughout the Bible we hear of how they act for God in many ways, often being the direct method by which important messages are delivered to humanity. They warn and they protect and, on God’s command, have the power to act on his behalf sometimes in quite shocking ways as revealed in the Book of Revelation.

However, for the most part, angels are given to us as helpers and intercessors. The psalmist tells us that “God will put his angels in charge of you to protect you wherever you go” (Ps 91:11). Certainly, the Israelites experienced the direct help and intercession of the angels in their flight from Egypt, for we hear that God tells Moses “Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you.” (Ex 32:34). And again, we are told that an angel acted very forcefully to clear the way before them, “I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites” (Ex 33:2). The Israelites themselves said, “We cried out to the Lord, he heard our cry and sent an angel” (Num 20:16)

In the New Testament, one of the very first references to angels is when we hear that God sent Gabriel, one of his three Archangels (the others being Michael and Raphael), to deliver the message to Mary that she had been chosen to bear the Son of God into the world. We hear that Mary not only saw the angel but was engaged in a conversation with him about what was being asked of her, and that she posed questions to him to which he had to respond on God’s behalf (Luke 1:11). Very soon after that we hear that, twice, an angel visited Joseph in a dream. In the first instance it was to encourage the very discouraged and disappointed Joseph not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife (Matt 1:20) and, secondly, to warn him to flee from Bethlehem to Egypt as Mary and Jesus were in mortal danger from the threats of Herod to destroy all young baby boys in the area under a certain age: “Get up, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him” (Matt 2:13)

Later, we see the adult Jesus alone in the desert being tempted by the devil, though being assisted and strengthened by the angels (Mark 1:13). In John we hear Jesus positively affirming to Nathanial that he will one day see, with his very own eyes, angels ascending and descending, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending” (John 1:51)

In the Acts of the Apostles, written to describe the lives and work of Jesus’ followers after his death, we hear exhilarating stories of how, twice, angels led the apostles miraculously out of prison (through many locked doors) and to their freedom (Acts 5:19); we hear that Cornelius and his family are called to Christianity by the appearance of an angel who comes to them in their house (Acts 10:1); we hear of an angel confirming to Paul that, although he and his travelling companions are about to be shipwrecked, none of them will lose their lives (Acts 27:23). Indeed, it is Paul who points out in his letter to the Hebrews that “The messages given to our ancestors by the angels was shown to be true” (Heb 2:2)

Right at the end of the New Testament, when John is relating the visions he has had about the end of all things, he talks of very powerful angels who are more than just messengers, but actively empowered by God to undertake the processes of reward and destruction:

“After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or any tree” … “Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea.” (Rev 7:1-3) “All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God” (Rev 7:10). “After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendour (Rev 18:1-3). Finally, John tells us that “the angel said to me, ‘These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits and of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must take place’” (Rev 22:6)

We should be in no doubt whatsoever as to the reality of angels. Neither should we have any doubt that they act directly on God’s orders and behalf and that they do so for the benefit of humanity.

Included in these tremendous ranks of angels (and there are very specific rankings!) there are a number of references in the Bible to the fact that God has assigned a special and personal angel to protect us as we move through life: “I am sending an angel ahead of you. The angel will protect you as you travel and will bring you to the place I have made ready. My angel will always be with you.” (Exodus 23:20-23).


Bless the Lord, all you angels, mighty in strength and attentive, obedient to every command (Psalm 103:20)