Heavenly Helpers

Angels

Jesus assured us that our angels are constantly in the presence of our Father in heaven. They are always praying and interceding for us: they pray with us whenever we pray; they defend us in our battles against Satan; they help us in our everyday lives and protect us in danger; they do God's will perfectly because they cannot sin.

We can pray to our guardian angel. I pray to mine every morning using this prayer:

Perhaps you have children or grandchildren for whom you are concerned. Here is a prayer which you can pray on their behalf:

What more can we ask of our Heavenly Father than to send his holy angels to guide and protect us and our offspring every day?

Saints

The saints in heaven, including those still in purgatory, also intercede on our behalf for our requests and needs. They are the porters of special graces. Many hundreds of that cloud of witnesses have been publicly recognized by the Church down through the ages through beatification and canonization. Some of them are patrons of particular causes and we are encouraged to invoke their assistance whenever we need it.

For example, the Church encourages us to ask Saint Joseph for help in everything to do with home and family such as groceries and house repairs. He can also help us to teach our children; after all, he taught Jesus, didn't he? He is very good at helping fathers to be good fathers. Joseph's special skill was carpentry; thus he has a special role helping carpenters. (I have heard that he is also pretty good at auto-mechanics!) Likewise, Mary, his spouse, (the Mother of God) can help mothers to be good mothers.

Here is a true story about Saint Joseph

My friend Erin (now in the Seminary) lived with the Community of the Beatitudes in Beauceville, Québec for two years. That Community depends totally on providence for their survival and several times each week a large box of food arrives on their doorstep. Another friend, Jean-Pierre (also in the Seminary), went to visit Erin and the Community. Erin was the cook for the Community at that time and he invoked Saint Joseph every day.

On one occasion, there was no meat for the twenty-five people who lived in the house. Jean-Pierre offered to go to the store to buy some, but Erin would not allow him to go. He said, "Trust God; I have asked Saint Joseph and he will provide." At noon hour there was still no meat and Jean-Pierre was quite concerned. But Erin was unperturbed; in mid-afternoon he warmed up the oven in anticipation of cooking a roast because he had asked for one. Shortly thereafter the door bell rang. Jean-Pierre answered the door but no one was there; he found only a box with some roasts of beef in it!

Other saints have special ministries. Saint Anthony is often invoked to help us find things which are lost. Saint Jude is the patron of hopeless cases. Our Community musicians regularly ask Saint Cecilia for her assistance when they practise, and before leading the music at Mass or at our prayer meetings. It makes a big difference.

Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine, is the patron saint of lost Catholics. While I was living in Sudbury, I shared a house with several other Christian men (Erin from the above story plus some lost Catholics). I asked Saint Monica to be our patroness and I prayed to her every day to bring back those who had abandoned our faith. Two of the men who lived there did come back as did one woman who was a frequent visitor! Praise God!

God cares for us

The stories of angels and saints active in my life and the lives of my family and friends are countless. All of them serve to encourage us in our daily walk and draw us closer to the heart of God and to the heart of Jesus. These stories help our faith to grow, and each one is a demonstration of God's love and care for us. He has carved us on the palm of his hand; he will not forget us.