Angels and confessions of a cloud watcher
Anything unrelated to elephants is irrelephant.
Technically, Moses was the first person with a tablet downloading data from the cloud. Clouds fascinate me. The animation and shapes are often related to the angels, it seems.
I remember playing in the park with two of my grandchildren whose grandfather had been born to eternal life earlier. As they enjoyed the wind and sun, a whispy angel like cloud hovered over the tress and park. I took pictures of it. Later I showed them where Grandpa was watching over us in the park.
St Bernard of Clairvaux had a nickname for guardian angels. He called them “bodyguards”. He suggested that we need to follow close to them and we will dwell in the protection of the Most High God. If temptation approaches, ask for their help. (from Sermons on Psalm 91 Sermon 12).
October 2 is the feast of the Guardian Angels. Angels exist and are our guides and constant companions according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Until our deaths we are “surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.” When we are in spiritual or physical danger we can call on their help.
One of the prayers I say for those I love is that their guardian angel will be a large and fierce presence to scare away any harm the evil one might intend, especially at night or in places of danger. So far it seems to be working.
There are many stories of their watchful protection. One internet source tells this true story of an encounter with an angel that saved her and her husband's lives. They were sleeping on their house boat early one morning when they heard the boat engine being cranked. Her husband jumped up and yelled.
The man who had been vigorously cranking the engine vanished into thin air. Then they realized the boat was full of smoke and there was a blazing fire near their 100 gallon fuel tank. The fire department said if they had not awakened when they did, they would have died from the smoke inhalation in minutes. That day they found out that they were expecting twins.
Daniel Vel Martin shares this story: Her father was a hardline atheist, Portuguese Brazilian. At age 65 he was seated on the sidewalk when an out of control army jeep came towards him. He only had time to close eyes. He knew he would Die. But something lifted him some ten feet up. From there he saw the jeep destroy the wall.
Then that same force put him above the jeep and dropped him. Her father never told this story to anyone else. He was later healed from prostate cancer at age 70 after Daniel prayed for him. The tumor disappeared. He died a believer wearing a Star of David necklace.
Stories about angels have been around since the time of Moses. Angels on Earth is a current bi-monthly magazine. Exodus 23 tells us, “My angel will go in front of you.” Jesus tells us in Matthew 18, “Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.”
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. Amen.
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