Besides God and His Mother, there is another force gifted to us by God which has been with each of us since our very beginning. These individuals will accompany us through the whole of our life until the end. They will even stand beside us as our friend and witness on judgment day. They are, of course, our guardian angels.
Entrusted with the task of guiding us on our way to eternity, our angels constantly watch over us and light the way to greater union with God. With the new year underway and goals being set, developing a deeper relationship with your guardian angel is sure to be monumental in your spiritual life and beyond!
Below are seventeen ideas to foster a deeper relationship with your guardian angel.
1. Say a morning offering
Before you get out of bed each day, say a morning offering to your angel. This could be the traditional guardian angel prayer so many of us learn as children, or it could be a simple and authentic prayer from the heart.
2. Wear a reminder
Wear or carry a physical reminder, such as a pin, bracelet, necklace. When you see or feel it throughout your day, consciously consider that you are always in the presence of a great spiritual being—a person that God gave to you as a mentor to help you reach Heaven.
3. Act with integrity
Try to behave as though someone is in the room whom you admire and want to please. Your angel is honored when you do so!
4. Take note
It can be easy to forget about things we do not see; thus, visual reminders can be essential to helping us remember our angel is present. Place notes throughout your house and workspace with a message like “Walk with confidence—your guardian angel is with you,” “Your angel rejoices when you choose kindness,” or “Pause—your angel wants to help. Just ask!”
5. Set an alarm
Set alarms on your phone with reminders similar to the ones above. Have these alarms go off before big meetings, as you begin your commute, or as bedtime for your overtired toddler approaches. Let yourself be constantly reminded of this heavenly tutelage God has provided you with and be ready to lean on your angel for guidance as you try to act with virtue.
6. Ask for help
Pause before decisions or major tasks and imagine your guardian angel standing beside you. Ask for his assistance, protection, and wisdom.
7. Pray a chaplet
Add the Saint Michael Chaplet to your prayer rotation. Indulgenced by Pope Pius IX in 1851, Saint Michael gave the chaplet to Antonia d’Astonac, promising protection and care from angels in each of the nine choirs, as well as relief from purgatory for those who pray it and all their relatives.
8. Pray the Angelus
This could be at the traditional hours of 6:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m., or you could simplify it by including it as a part of your prayer before you eat lunch every day.
9. Simply obey
If you sense your angel may be influencing you towards action (or inaction), respond promptly and with confidence. Just as parents and teachers like to be obeyed when trying to help their charges, the angels do as well.
10. Read more about the angels
Many Saints knew their guardian angels personally (like Saint Gemma Galgani); others received angelic visions (like Saint Hildegard of Bingen). Saint Thomas Aquinas is known as the Angelic Doctor for all that he wrote about them.
11. When in doubt
Display your confidence in your angel by consulting and invoking him in your doubts and wants throughout your day. He will always direct you toward virtuous choices and better habits.
12. Positive outcomes
If there is a difficult conversation you are about to enter into, say a prayer to your angel and the angel of the other person asking for their intervention in making it a positive encounter.
13. In your place
Ask your guardian angel to attend daily Mass in your stead and bring you graces with this prayer.
14. Honor other people's angels
Honor the guardian angels of all those people with whom you are the closest. This could be as simple as greeting them each day, asking them to watch over your loved ones, and thanking them when you all make it home each day. Use notes or alarms to help you remember if you need to.
15. Practice gratitude
At the end of the day before you go to sleep, say a simple or extensive “thank you” to your guardian angel.
16. Mark your calendar
Mark October 2 on your calendar and plan to celebrate the guardian angels on their feast day. You could celebrate simply or with grandiosity—be sure to acknowledge your angel and the angels of all you love on this day.
17. Make a consecration
Complete a consecration to your guardian angel which helps one to be more aware and more obedient to his promptings.
Each day is an opportunity to grow closer to the angel to whom God has entrusted your wellbeing. Whether through simple reminders or meaningful prayers, nurturing your relationship with your guardian angel will help you navigate life's challenges with grace and confidence. Trust in his guidance, and be open to the ways he leads you toward a deeper connection with God. May your angel continue to accompany you, offering wisdom, protection, and love as you move forward in faith.
Grace is a regular contributor to the BIS Blog. She had planned to be a nurse until an encounter with Christ in Confession ignited a spark that resulted in an ongoing career as a high school Theology teacher. Though a cradle Catholic, she continues to be amazed at the depth of peace and joy that can be found within the Faith and can’t help but share that passion with others as a teacher, writer, and speaker. Outside of ministry, she dabbles in a bit of everything, excels in almost nothing, and like most moms, cannot survive without at least one cup of coffee a day. Grace resides in Charleston, SC with her hunky husband and their daughter who looks just like him. You can find out more about her here. Read all of Grace's posts here.
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