Guardian Angels are spiritual creatures that are always with us and occasionally, reveal their presence.
In the faith of the Catholics we believe that God assigns a Guardian Angel to watch over us from the very day we begin our life on earth. Most of the time we don’t see our Guardian Angel or be aware of their presence, but they occasionally reveal themselves to us, though not always in the same way.
To be strict on it, angels do not posses a physical body and this is the reason why we usually never notice them. They are pure spirits, but when necessary, they can take on a physical appearance. The visible form which is often reported in Scripture or popular news stories is a deception, a mask they put on so that we can see them with our eyes. Otherwise they are invisible creatures naturally.
A more simple way that our Guardian Angel can reveal themselves to us is through an invisible action or voice.
Sister Maria Antonia gave a famous account of how her Guardian Angel preserved her from committing a sin. She reported as thus:
“Why cannot I take some peaches like the other children?” I stretched out my hand to take a peach, and my fingers had already touched this big peach, when I received the most sweet, calm warning of my New Friend. My arm, hung freely in mid-air, and was gently lowered by an invisible hand, and I felt as really as if I had been touched by one of the persons I could see”.
In that case, the Guardian Angel is recognized as an invisible presence that is difficult to describe with words, but is more real and clear than what can be seen with the eyes.
Moreover, Guardian Angels have been known to appear in various forms, either as an adult or as a child.
One story recounted by Patti Maguire Armstrong explains how a lost soldier was guided by a little girl to safety and it turned out that little girl was his guardian angel. And the story is thus:
“Eldon hoped and prayed that the women he saw from afar would be friendly and willing to feed him, he made his way toward the women. Suddenly, a little blonde-haired girl around 10 years old, putting on a bright white dress, appeared by his side. She signaled with a finger over her lips, motioning Eldon to remain quiet. Then, she took him by the hand and the little girl led him in the opposite direction to stand behind a thicket of bushes. It was at that moment that two German soldiers appeared and began talking with the women. Eldon realized then that he had just narrowly escaped recapture. When he looked around, he realized that the little girl had vanished. She was nowhere to be found”.
If we are ever given an opportunity to notice our Guardian Angel, it is likely that they will come to us in a form that brings along the feelings of peace and security. Remember that our Guardian Angel knows us better than we know ourselves and so, he expertly chooses a form that is specific to us, not with a wish to frighten us, but to comfort us in our hour of need.
Even if we never have to see them in this life, our Christian faith gives us confidence that our Guardian Angel is always beside us, ready to help us when we mostly need them.
