Our Faith
WHAT ARE GUARDIAN ANGELS?
Guardian Angels are blessed spirits appointed by God to be protectors and defenders of mankind. Faith teaches us that we all have Guardian Angels who watch over us during the whole course of our lives. Guardian Angels strive to keep us on the right path, suggest good thoughts and holy desires, offer our prayers and good actions to God and, above all, assist us at the hour of death.
Over the years, angels have been portrayed and presented in many different forms. Many see these messengers of God as fluffy winged, halo-crowned youths or as the babyish cherubs you often see in old paintings and sculptures. People's interpretations of angels vary from diligent guardians of children to the myth of the ringing of a bell giving an angel its wings. Overall, angels have become a widely romanticized topic. What many people fail to notice, however, is that angels are both the messengers and warriors of God. They were often described as fearsome beings, such as the Cherubim with four wings and heads, covered with eyes and flaming wheels about them, or the Seraphim sporting four wings and towering stature. This gives good reason as to why they greeted most mortals with the phrase "Be not afraid".
St. Gabriel the Archangel
The name Gabriel is translated to mean "man of God" and first mention of him appears in the Old Testament with the prophesies of Daniel. The Angel Gabriel served as God's messenger in several places throughout the Old and New Testament. Gabriel was the angel that told Daniel the 70 weeks prophecy. Gabriel was also the angel who showed himself to Zachariah to announce the birth of Saint John. He was also present at the Annunciation telling Mary that she would have a son that would become the savior of the world.
In both the Christian and Jewish faith, Gabriel is listed as one of seven archangels. The Jews also venerate him as the angel of judgment.
St. Gabriel is the patron of communication workers and his feast day is the 29th of September. He is often portrayed in a way that emphasizes his wings, accenting his ability to carry God's word to people.
St. Michael the Archangel
St. Michael was a great leader of the angels in the war against Satan and his followers. His name, meaning "Who is like to God?", served as the war-cry of the good angels as they plunged into battle to "fight the dragon". The image of Michael defeating Satan is one of the most popular depictions of the archangel prince. He's often shown with a spear, sword, armor, banner, and/or scales. Michael was known especially for his strength and courage, and many applaud him for his chivalry and determination to boldly fight for justice- he was essentially the perfect knight. He is featured more than any other named angel in religious texts, and is the oldest angelic devotion.
Michael is the leader of the four archangels, or chief angels. His fellow archangels are Raphael, whose special mission is healing, Gabriel, the announcing angel who came to the Virgin Mary, and the more low-key Uriel, who is credited as the angel who warned Noah of the coming flood to cleanse the earth. Not much is known about Uriel, but it is said that he is the angel of consolation, the one who comforts mortals in times of great loss. Michael is charged with the tasks of protecting those who love God, transporting the souls of the dead, and leading the battle against Satan. He also is traditionally the one called upon for the freeing of the possessed in spiritual bondage from evil spirits.
St. Raphael the Archangel
One of the three Archangels mentioned in Sacred Scripture, St Raphael is "one of the seven who stand before the Lord" (Tobit 12:15). His name means, "God heals".
St. Raphael is best known for his appearance in the book of Tobit, in which, disguised as a human, he aids the young Tobiah on a journey to Media. On this journey, St Raphael liberates Sarah, Tobiah's betrothed, from a demon who killed her seven previous husbands on their wedding night. Upon their return, he heals Tobiah's father Tobit of his blindness.
Due to his role of healing in the Book of Tobit, St. Raphael is traditionally attributed as the Angel of the Lord in John Chapter 5, who moves the healing waters of the pool of Bethsaida. He is also the heavenly patron of the blind, against nightmares, of happy meetings, nurses, doctors, and travelers.
GUARDIAN ANGELS SCHOOL PRAYER
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom Gods love commits me here;
Ever this day be at my side;
To light, to guard, to rule, to guide. Amen.
Source: https://catholicsaintmedals.com/