Theresa, your Guardian Angel did a good job
Two years ago, my Dad and I were going for a walk in our neighborhood. While he was walking behind me, a speeding truck verged off the road and hit me. From behind, my Dad said that he saw me being whirled up in the air and then gently placed on the ground. I remember the first word that my Dad said when he saw me lying in front of the truck, “Theresa, your Guardian Angel did a good job.”
As I was lying there, my Mom prayed and started singing the Regina Caeli and asked me to join her while we waited for the ambulance. I never felt any pain until the ambulance arrived. I found out only later that the only injury I sustained was a broken femur. The policemen said they never saw an accident like this result in such a minor injury. It was usually a whole lot worse! They asked my Mom what church we went to and my Mom told them. My Mom was very calm and when I asked her if I would die, she said, “No, the Lord will take care of you, you will not die.”
I recovered from the injury and was back in school the following month. My Mom said that when we sing the Regina Caeli, the Blessed Mother comes down from heaven with the Holy Angels, that’s why I was saved. I want to share my story with you, so that you can share my story with other teenagers like me. It is very important to love and listen to our Guardian Angel. I am so grateful to God for my Guardian Angel. I was only saved from death because of him. That is why I am so happy that I am now finally consecrated to my Guardian Angel.
Theresa R. from Tacoma
A Trip to Nigeria
Travel in Africa can be very dangerous because of the armed robbers who lurk on the out-of-the way roads between towns. A bus ride can be a life-threatening situation. Our Sisters of the Holy Cross, when they are stationed in other continents, have permission to visit home every three years. Sr. Maria E., while stationed in Brazil had permission to visit her family in Nigeria. This usually entails three days of travel. After an overnight flight from São Paolo, she needed to take an all day bus trip to another town, before she could make arrangements to get to her own village. The bus system in Africa is very different from the buses in America. They are not marked, neither the times nor the destination. A bit confused, Sister began to pray to her Guardian Angel. A man came up to her who was also seeking the same bus. So she invited him to pray with her to the Guardian Angels. A short time later, a bus driver came up to them and announced he would be leaving for their destination. They were very happy, and thanking their good angels, entered the bus.
At the beginning of the ride, Sister asked and found out that all on the bus but one Christian man were Catholic. With his permission, therefore, she invited all to pray a Rosary in honor of the angels for a safe trip. All agreed to pray with her because, as was said, bus travel was known to be dangerous. While they were still praying the Rosary, however, the bus came to a stop. They had broken down. Another bus came and passed them by while they sat waiting for the driver to fix the bus. As it turns out, they sat there all day until 5 o’clock in the evening until the bus was fixed. All were more than a little disgruntled, and asked Sister, “We were praying to the angels, why did they let this happen?” Sister could only respond, “God only knows”, and they continued their trip, praying the Rosary again.
When they arrived the next morning at the town, they saw all the people from the other bus which had passed them by and from a bus which had left earlier. They were all badly shaken and weeping. Both buses had been stopped by robbers, and they were lucky to have escaped alive, though losing all they had with them. Then all from Sister’s bus understood, the angels had allowed them to break down until they were out of danger. They thanked God and the holy angels for their safe trip.
Me and my Guardian Angel
While reading Send Me Your Guardian Angel by Fr. Alessio Parente, the author mentioned that Padre Pio had said that the Angels “envy”* us for our ability to suffer for Christ and to receive the Eucharist. I remember thinking, How could that be? The Angels get to see and be with Jesus.
Soon afterward, I attended daily Mass, and after Holy Communion I found myself spiritually sharing the Eucharist with my holy Angel. Then, with my eyes closed, I had a vision of my Angel and me with our arms around each other, cheek to cheek, both smiling brightly with great joy. From that day on, I tried to remember to make this a habit. The Angel had long dark hair and was clothed in white. He had a beautiful face and radiant smile. We truly go to heaven when we go to Mass.
At another time, I became deeply enthralled with the holy Angels, especially Raphael, the Archangel from the Book of Tobit. I began praying that I might be able to see St. Raphael. One night I was suddenly awakened and turned toward my bedroom window. Although the shade was drawn, a great white light was shining into my room from outside. The room became so bright that I thought it was the middle of the day and that I had overslept. But when I looked at the clock, it was 12:30 am. What an awesome grace!
On another occasion, I gave a talk to my young adult group about the Guardian Angels. After the talk a young mother who had come to visit the group, walked over to me and said, “I didn’t know who this was for, but I guess it’s for you!” She then handed me a small statue of an Angel.
I was so thankful because I had asked my Guardian Angel for a sign that he was with me. I still have that gift from my Angel. It is amazing to think that this woman’s Angel may have inspired her to bring me a sign from my own Angel. The Angels truly communicate with one another all the time.
~Mary Beth
*Note of the editor: The expression “envy of the Angels” of which some saints speak of, is not sinful envy but a poetic image of holy admiration. The Angels cannot suffer for Christ nor receive Him sacramentally in the Eucharist. We human beings, by contrast, are granted the unique dignity of participating in Christ’s Passion through suffering and of receiving Him in Holy Communion.
[resources: books on angels]