Each one of us has a guardian angel, but many deny or ignore that reality, so their guardian angels are unemployed. We would have personal experiences of angels if we lived in such a way as to need angelic guard duty. Angels are not primarily security guards but resemble guards on a football team. A football guard pulls from the line of scrimmage and blocks for the one running with the ball so the ball carrier can cross the goal line.

The Lord said: "See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared" (Ex 23:20). Our guardian angels will guard us on our touchdown runs by wiping out the enemy (Ex 23:23) and bringing us to the end zone. We have a job for our guardian angel if we're carrying the ball and running for a score, that is, if we're on the offensive, attacking the gates of hell (Mt 16:18), if we're evangelizing and running the race (Phil 3:12).

If we're running for Jesus, we need our guardian angels to block for us. Don't expect angels to sit around guarding an inanimate object such as an apathetic Christian who "is among the living dead" (1 Jn 3:14). You've got to play the game to meet the team.

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 3, 2007

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