Guardian Angel

I received a wonderful message from God last weekend. It was about guardian angels. God lets us feel his care and love for us through the guardian angels, who protects us from harm and other things bad.

I find myself smiling while reading the message through email, because I could very well relate to it. What happened months back was still very fresh in my mind and my gratefulness for God's protection through the angels is unending. This one unforgettable scenario have made me realize that God is really present and is constantly showing his love for us; his protection and guidance, for one. So here's my story.

Our house is situated just about 30 meters away from the national highway. The highway has four lanes, and unmistakably a very busy road with lots of vehicles passing by. One morning about almost a year ago (while I was taking a bath getting ready for the office), my youngest son (then 3 years old) went out of our gate and ran past the houses until he reached the highway. We were so clueless that he has already ran out, since we believed the gate was closed. What we did not realize was that he already knew how to open the gate and that was it - - he went out, ran as fast as he could and was on the highway in a minute or less. All the while, everyone of us in the house thought that he was just inside the compound playing with his outdoor toys. Few minutes later, a neighbor of ours went to our house informing us that she saw a kid running towards the highway and that she just wanted to check if my son was in the house, to prove her notion (that it was indeed my son she saw) wrong.

Anyway, after we realized that my son was indeed not in the house, I was suddenly feeling sick and nausea struck to me like lightning. I was suddenly in tears, and could no longer move. My father immediately ran towards the highway to look for him, with our helper trailing behind him. After I have finally moved a muscle, I tried to take a quick look at the highway and all I could see was a large truck (12 wheelers, I think) that stopped in the middle of the road. The sight gave me the thought that my son might be hit already and that other trucks and vehicles have stopped by to watch and pry. Still, I did not go to the highway for fear of beholding the bad news.

I went inside the house instead, called my husband who was already in the office that time, and made a prayer. 'I could not afford to lose my son' was all I could say to God at that moment and 'please give him the chance to enjoy life and be alive'.

Few minutes ticked by and my father and helper were back with my son. I could not contain my happiness seeing my son back. My father recounted the events that happened as witnessed by people who were on the highway. My son did crossed the highway, not minding how attention-grabbing that deed was. Fortunately, a security guard from across the street saw him as he was about to cross, and so out of instinct, ran towards my son and making hand signals to all passing vehicles to stop or slow down and that a child was crossing. He took my son to their office and that was when my father saw him there and claimed him. The guard was still trembling while talking with my father as he was much frightened at the whole scene.

In the end, I thanked God for sending over the guard to protect my son from being hit with the vehicles that passed by the highway. He was still 3 years old, so small for big truck and car drivers to see and notice crossing. He would have eventually been hit if the guard was not there!

The security guard was like an insurance policy God has issued upon us to demonstrate his love. How about you? When was the last time you felt God's care through the presence of guardian angels?

Gospel for April 15, 2008

John 10:22-30

The feast of the Dedication was then taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. MyFather, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

~ We should seek to unite our hearts and minds with the Father that we may be empowered to do His will.

Gospel for April 14, 2008

John 10:11-18

I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.”

~ What has God taught you today?

Gospel for April 13, 2008

John 10:1-10

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.” Although Jesus used this figure of speech, they did not realize what he was trying to tell them. So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

Gospel for April 12, 2008

John 6:60-69

Many of his disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.” As a result of this, many [of] his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

Gospel for April 11, 2008

John 6:52-59

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Reflection: Do I believe in the reality of the Eucharist?

Gospel for April 10, 2008

John 6:44-51

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets: ‘They shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

Jesus is the bread of life, and His words are the nourishment of our spirits.