Our Guardian Angel

An angel who is sleepless and cannot be deceived

According to Saint John Climacus, in his The Ladder of Divine Ascent, when we feel sweetness or compunction at some word of our prayer, we should dwell on it, for then our guardian angel is praying with us. This angel, who is always with us, becomes distressed and indignant when, without being constrained by some necessity, we deprive ourselves of the ministration of the Holy Mysteries and of reception of Holy Communion. The hour the priest offers up the sacrifice of the Body of Him Who gives us life, and the Holy Spirit descends and consecrates the Body and Blood and grants remission to creation, is particularly a moment our guardian angle stands with us, in great awe, fear, and joy.

The Cherubim, the Seraphim, and all the angels, rejoice over the Holy Mysteries while experiencing inexpressible astonishment. Our guardian angel is particularly consoled, because he also partakes in that dread spectacle and is not deprived of that perfect intercourse, according to Saint Isaac the Syrian.

Saint Anthony the Great tells us, “When you close the doors to your dwelling and are alone you should know that there is present with you the angel whom God has appointed for each man…This angel, who is sleepless and cannot be deceived, is always present with you; he sees all things and is not hindered by darkness. You should know, too, that with him is God, who is in every place; for there is no place and nothing material in which God is not, since He is greater than all things and holds all men in His hand”.

In the prayers for the making of a catechumen, the priest says, “Yoke unto his/her life a radiant angel…” From this point onwards, we certainly have a guardian angel who protects us in ways we cannot fully understand.  Without doubt, our Orthodox Church believes that we all are given a guardian angel, and we dare not put him away from ourselves by an impious life.

In the Church, a communion is brought about not only among her visible members, but with the angels as well. The “sobornicity”, or “spiritual community” of the Church takes in the angels too.

Evagrios the Monk wrote, “Know that the holy angels encourage us to pray, and stand beside us, rejoicing and praying for us” (“On Prayer”, The Philokalia, Vol. 1, p.65); and “If you pray truly, you will gain assurance; angels will come to you as they came to Daniel, and they will illuminate you with knowledge of the inner essences of created things”.

Prayer to Your Guardian Angel
O Angel of Christ, holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me of everything I have done to offend you every day, and protect me from all influence and temptation of the evil one. May I never offend God by my sin. Pray for me to the Lord, that He may make me worthy of the grace of the All-holy Trinity, and of the Most Blessed Theotokos, and of all the Saints. Amen.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Friday June 15, 2018 / June 2, 2018
3rd Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Apostles’ (Peter & Paul) Fast. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)

St. Nicephorus the Confessor, patriarch of Constantinople (829).
Great-martyr John the New of Suceava, at Belgorod (Cetatea Alba) (1332).
Finding of the relics (1815) of St. Juliana, princess of Vyasma (1406).
“Kiev-Bratsk” Icon of the Mother of God (1654).
New Martyr Demetrius of Philadelphia (1657) (Greek).
Hieromartyr Pothinus, bishop of Lyons (177) (Gaul).
St. Odo, archbishop of Canterbury (959)) (Celtic & British).
New Martyr Constantine of the Hagarenes (Mt. Athos) (1819) (Greek).
Hieromartyr Erasmus of Ochrid, who reposed in peace, and 20,000 Martyrs with him (303) (Greek).
New Martyr John of Trebizond (Greek).
New Martyr Asprocastron (White Castle).

The Scripture Readings

Romans 9:6-19

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Purpose

6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), 12 it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Justice

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.

19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”

Matthew 10:32-36

Confess Christ Before Men

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Christ Brings Division

34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will bethose of his own household.’

Matthew 11:1

John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus

11 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.