The Healing Journey

October 2, 2026

The following Gospel reflection on Matthew 18:1-5,10 was written by Bishop Robert Barron for the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels, which we celebrate today. It’s wise to always remember the presence of your guardian angel, who is assigned by God to watch over you, to guide you and to protect you.

“Friends, today we celebrate the feast of our guardian angels. Why does God send the spiritual messengers to help us? Well, Aquinas says that each of us, due to our fallen nature, has been assigned a heavenly guide. Is all of this just speculation and conjecture?

One of my favorite stories about angels is this one: Two relatively inexperienced pilots found themselves lost on a foggy day. Though they tried desperately to make contact with an airport, they were incapable of doing so. One of them then prayed for protection. In time, a voice crackled onto the radio. The speaker identified himself as a controller from a small airport. Through very precise instructions, he guided the two pilots through the fog to a landing strip at that airport. Once they had arrived, to their astonishment, they discovered that the airport was closed and that there was no one on duty. Is it a bizarre coincidence? A happy accident? Or perhaps a sign that we are being protected by powers at a higher pitch of ontological protection? As you know, stories such as this come out of the woodwork once people are given the opportunity to share them.”

***

Say prayers to your guardian angel every morning: “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here. Ever this day, be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide” and “Walk with me, my guardian angel.”