Claire Smith

Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

Scripture:

Job 9:1-12, 14-16
Matthew 18:1-5, 10

Reflection:

How great the dignity of the soul, since each one has from birth an angel commissioned to guard it.  ~ St. Jerome

Today’s Gospel reading begins with the disciples asking Jesus about who is the greatest.

This question is so foreign to the mind of Jesus! So, He calls a child over to Him and sits the child among the disciples. And he says: “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” ~Mt.18:3-4

The word “humble” is related to the Latin word humus, which means “earth”. Humbled by suffering and loss, Job came to understand himself as Earth creature, in relation to the Creator. In today’s first reading he is in awe of God who “does things great and unsearchable, things marvelous and innumerable.” ~Job 9:10

When we are humble, we stand in awe before the powers of the Universe, and the mysteries of life. We experience our vulnerability and our need for God, and we look for guidance. We welcome assistance from companions along the journey, like angels!

In today’s Gospel, Jesus explains that children have angels to guide and guard them. Our angels guide us so well, because they know our destination—their eyes are on us, and their eyes are also on God. As Jesus says, they “always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” ~Mt.18:10

In a homily for the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels, Pope Francis explains the role of angels in our lives:

Our angel is not only with us; he also sees God the Father. He is in relationship with Him. He is the daily bridge; from the moment we arise to the moment we go to bed. He accompanies us and is a link between us and God the Father. The angel is the daily gateway to transcendence, to the encounter with the Father: that is, the angel helps me to go forward because he looks upon the Father, and he knows the way. Let us not forget these companions along the journey.

Patty Gillis is a retired Pastoral Minister. She serves on the Board of Directors at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroi, Michigant. Patty is currently a member of the Laudato Si Vision Fulfillment Team and the Passionist Solidarity Network.

Scripture:

Job 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23
Luke 9: 51-56

Reflection:

Today the church celebrates the memorial of St. Therese of Lisieux, but the first reading and responsorial psalm can hardly be described as celebratory. Job recently lost all his possessions and suffers from painful sores all over his body. He wonders why he did not die at birth. You can feel his emotional and physical pain. The psalmist echoes Job’s despair, that the Lord has rejected his pleas and hidden his face. You have plunged me into the bottom of the pit, into the dark abyss.

St. Therese, who was blessed with a deep spirituality and love for God, was tormented during the later years of her short life with doubts of the existence of eternity. “[God] allowed my soul to be overwhelmed with darkness, and the thought of Heaven, which had consoled me from my earliest childhood, now became a subject of conflict and torture.” (Story of a Soul)

The fictional Job and the real-life St. Therese discovered, despite their doubts, that God was present throughout their suffering. Job seriously questioned God but never cursed Him. Therese never gave up on her prayer life even in her darkest times.

We may experience our own spiritual or mental crisis, but God never abandons us at challenging times in our life. Dr. Jessica Coblentz speaks of meeting God in the wilderness in times of personal crises, especially mental illness. At that time, it may be difficult to recognize God is walking along with us. We should be open to finding professional assistance, especially when prayer is most difficult, or God seems so distant. Whether we meet with a spiritual director or a professional counselor, these support systems may be exactly the gifts we need to navigate these very difficult personal challenges.

May we be open to encountering God in the wilderness of our lives.

Mike Owens is coordinator of the Passionist Alumni Association and a member of the Migration Commission of Holy Cross Province. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky. 

Scripture:

Job 1:6-22
Luke 9:46-50

Reflection:

If ever there was a person who had the right to complain to God, it was Job. The story of this upright and faithful man who lost all of it at the hand of the Evil One easily shocks us. Wasn’t it horribly unfair of God to let catastrophe befall Job?

We can say the same of Jesus, can’t we? Why did he suffer as he did?

Suffering and Justice are eternal mysteries that saints and scholars have wrestled with for millennia. There is, of course, no answer. There is only faith, remaining steadfast in knowing that we are the beloved of God. And when we are confronted by suffering and injustice, we might find some peace in praying the Anima Christi:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds hide me.
Permit me not to be separated from you.
From the wicked foe, defend me.
At the hour of my death, call me
and bid me come to you
That with your saints I may praise you
For ever and ever. Amen.

Robert Hotz is a consultant with American City Bureau, Inc. and was the Director of The Passion of Christ: The Love That Compels Campaign for Holy Cross Province.