Guardian Angel

Question:
How is it that we avoid so many close calls in life? I can't even count the number of near miss collisions that I see just driving home on the freeway. How do we keep it together? How do we keep it from falling apart? Today's post might bring to light some answers...

Saint Joesemaria Escriva, founded Opus Dei in Madrid, Spain on October 2, 1928 (which is the Feast of the Guardian Angels). Although he wrote and spoke about many great things as it relates to our daily relationship with God, the focus for today's post is on a true story involving an Angel. Saint Joesemaria Escriva was convinced that God had placed an Angel beside each and every human being to help that person along the road of life.

Here is a true story:

One day during a very intense time of anti-clerical persecution in Madrid, Spain, an assassin made his way toward Monsignor Escriva (intending to kill him) as he walked down the street. As the would be assassin got closer, a very large man (who seemingly came out of no where) instantly placed himself between the assassin and Monsignor Escriva and drove the would be assassin away.

It all happened within the course of a few seconds and was over as quickly as it started. Swiftly, the large man turned, came over to Monsignor Escriva, and whispered into his ear... "Mangy donkey, mangy donkey."

It was the exact phrase that Joesemaria Escriva would recite while praying privately to God and his Guardian Angel. You see, in private, Joesemaria Escriva would pray something along the lines of..."Lord, I am nothing more than a mangy donkey, help me to do your will and glorify your name for I am nothing without you." The expression "mangy donkey" was only confessed in prayer and no human had ever known that he expressed this. Immediately, peace and joy filled his heard as he recognized this intervention was his Guardian Angel.

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Answer:
The Lord watches over His children and has charged His angels to guard us every moment of the day. God loves us more than we can ever comprehend and He has a specific plan for each of us. In the case of Saint Joesemaria Escriva, this point proves that God alone has the final say in every matter on earth and in Heaven. When the devil deceived the heart of the would be assassin, the Lord vetoed the final act. Saint Joesemaria Escriva had much more of God's work to do on this earth and it was not his time.

Even the Saints humble themselves in front of the Lord. If they do this, then certainly we should try to emulate that as well. Mangy donkey, mangy donkey...


10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

Psalm 91:10-12 (NIV)


10"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

Matthew 18:10 (NIV)

God bless you. And this is for His Glory!