The ministry of angels

Good News Reflection
Wednesday of the 26th Week of Ordinary Time
September 29, 2010

Today's Feast: Michael, Raphael, Gabriel
Pray for the assistance of the archangels:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/archangels.htm

Today's Readings:
Dan 7:9-10, 13-14 or Rev 12:7-12ab
Ps 138:1-5
John 1:47-51
http://www.usccb.org/nab/092910.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_09_29.mp3

The ministry of angels

What kind of relationship do you have with your personal angels? Are you aware that you might have more than one angel working for you, according to your needs and prayer requests and the work you do for God's kingdom? Do you realize that even the archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael know who you are and, because of this, they want to be involved in God's plans for you?

Belief in angels is popular even among non-Christians, but unless it unites us to Jesus, it can do more harm than good. In today's Gospel reading, Jesus says, "You shall see heaven open up and the angels of God ascend and descend on the Son of Man."

The word "you" in the original Greek is plural; it's meant for all of us. Jesus wants us to know that angels travel between heaven and earth to work for our benefit, but their ministry depends upon him. Angels deliver God's messages to us. Angels help us every day, in big ways and in small ways. Angels love us; they enjoy assisting us – but only through Jesus and under the authority of Jesus.

When the archangel Michael battled the dragon, as depicted in Rev. 12:7-12, he defeated Satan and his minions because of the future victory that Jesus would win on the cross. The holy angels defeated the evil ones "by the blood of the Lamb" that would be shed millennia later for our sake. Their victory depended upon what Jesus was eventually going to do for us.

Today's responsorial psalm is a song with the angels. Whenever we praise God, angels sing with us. If we praise God in the midst of difficulties, angels surround us in a chorus that fills the air with their trust in God and their love for us and their holiness. Then, evil spirits won't stay near us! Why not? Because this trust and love and holiness surrounds us with the presence of Jesus. He is always in the midst of our praise.

No concern of yours is too small – nor too big – for your angels. Have you lost something? Ask your ministering angels to lead you to it. Are you waiting to get through the red tape of bureaucratic paperwork? Send an angel to put your papers on the top of the pile. Are you going on a long drive? Ask the angels to clear the way before you. Ever need a parking space near the store on a rainy day? Ask an angel to go save a spot for you. Try it, it works!

Angels listen to us and wait for permission to minister to us. We need to ask them for their help. I rely on this fact daily, with good results every time! For example, once when I was in the Holy Land, our group was climbing a steep hill and I was running out of breath and energy. I said, "Ministering angels, push me!" Immediately, I moved faster and easier to the top of the hill. What a great witness to the exhausted people who heard me and saw the results!

For a printer-ready hand-out of this reflection, please go to Catholic Digital Resources:
http://catholicdr.com/calendar/September/archangels.htm

© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
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