To such as these [those attached to worldly things] the Lord does not even speak; He sees it would be a waste of time. That is what He said one day to St. Teresa: "There are many to whom I long to speak, but the world makes such a noise in their ears that they cannot hear Me. If they would only detach themselves a little from the world!"
Even after over a decade of attending silent Ignatian retreats, I still have a long list of things to which I know I'm overly attached. Detachment is a lifetime struggle, but if we don't detach ourselves from creatures we can never fully belong to the God Who loves us so much and longs for our whole-hearted love in return. One of the greatest helps in the struggle is your guardian angel.
St. Alphonsus continues:
Whoever is filled with worldly affection cannot even hear God's voice when God does speak to him. Unhappy the man who is attached to the things of this world. For the day may come -- and all to quickly -- when, blinded by his infatuation for them, he will cease to love Jesus Christ, and, in order not to lose these passing goods, he may lose God, the eternal good.
God wills that He, and He alone, should be adored and loved by us, because it is His due, and because He has such love for us. Because He loves us so much, He wants all our love, and therefore He is jealous of anybody that takes away a part of those hearts which He wants entirely for himself.
What a mind-blowing thought -- that the Creator of the universe wants a personal relationship with His creatures, that He loves us so much He lowered Himself to become one of us. Not only did He make Himself subject to human parents, but suffered and died the shameful death of a criminal -- tortured, rebuked, ridiculed. Think of how you feel when you experience a pinprick of contempt and drop to your knees in wonder that we are so beloved by God that He embraced our nature and became like us in all things but sin.
In this month of the Guardian Angels, remember that God has given every one of us a special friend to be with us every minute of our existence. Do you want to know God better? Talk to your guardian angel who always worships before the altar of God even while he is by your side. Suppress the noisy world so you can hear him. He is always there, day and night; he never sleeps.
Dom Prosper Gueranger in his book The Liturgical Year writes this:
God, magnificent as He is toward the whole human race, honors in a special manner the princes of His people, those who are most favored by His grace, or who rule the earth in His name; the saints testify that a supereminent perfection , or a higher mission in Church or State, ensures to the individual the assistance of a superior spirit, without the angel, that was first deputed being necessarily removed from his charge.
When we pray for the pope or the bishops or the president or our governor -- all of those entrusted with our spiritual or temporal care, we can magnify our work by enjoining our guardian angel to pray with the guardian angels of those leaders. We can ask him to take all those prayers to God most hight that we might have peace in our church and in our country and in our neighborhoods.
Moreover, with regard to the work of salvation, the guardian angel has no fear of being left alone at his post; at his request, and at God's command, the troops of His blessed companions who fill heaven and earth are ever ready to lend Him their aid. These noble spirits, acting under the eye of God, Whose love they desire to second by all possible means, have secret alliances between them which sometimes induce between their clients even on earth, unions the mystery whereof will be revealed in the light of eternity.
We have little idea of the impact prayer can have, but what a blessing to multiply our prayers through seeking the intercession of our guardian angel. And especially may we seek the aid of the "superior spirits" for pope and magisterium, especially in this time of crisis.
Lord Jesus, head of the Universal Church, have mercy on us.
St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, and all guardian angels, intercede for the pope and magisterium that we may see a revival and restoration of Holy Mother Church.
Our Lady, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us.
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