guarding attackers
"I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes. My angel will go before you." —Exodus 23:22-23
Guardian angels don't just guard us. They are very specialized guards. They don't guard us from attacking enemies as much as they guard us when attacking enemies. Guardian angels have the job of guarding us as we attack the gates of hell (Mt 16:18). They guard us "on the way" to war and then in war (Ez 23:20). Their job is not so much to protect us from our enemies but to wipe out our enemies (Ez 23:23).
We as Christians are called to be militant — not in physical violence but in spiritual warfare (see Eph 6:12). We are to shoot Satan out of the sky (Lk 10:18) and quickly crush him under our feet (Rm 16:20). We are to turn the world right side up (Acts 17:6) and be a force to be reckoned with. When we fight this good fight (see 2 Tm 4:7), we need this specialized type of guard duty from the guardian angels. However, if we aren't Christian enough to militantly attack the gates of hell, our guardian angels are unemployed or at least underemployed.
If you want to see your guardian angel work, then fight the evil one.
Prayer: Father, make me so Christian that I will need guardian angels.
Promise: "See that you never despise one of these little ones. I assure you, their angels in heaven constantly behold My heavenly Father's face." —Mt 18:10
Praise: Harry camped out alone in the desert, making a silent retreat to seek the Lord. A few weeks later, a man approached Harry in town to tell him that he had planned to attack and rob him at his campsite, but was scared off by the unexpected presence of several strong men surrounding Harry at the campfire.
Reference: (For related teaching, order our leaflet, Spiritual Warfare.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, March 22, 1997
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, March 26, 1997