Take a look at the Recommended Reading section – I’ve added some new titles.  There are a few in the “general” list and some in the Henri Nouwen list and another in the Richard Rohr list.  All great reads and highly recommended.

Do you want to do some real soul searching? Are you ready for healing and transformation? Try Forty Weeks: An Ignatian Path to Christ with Sacred Story Prayer.   Take someone along for the ride, you’re going to need encouragement as you move through it.  I’m just finishing up week 34 and it’s been an amazing ride!   I’d be willing to bet we’d have the peace we all hope for if everyone in the world read this book.  I hope you take me up on my recommendations and find inspiration in any one you choose!  Happy reading and God bless you!

Angel of God my guardian dear to whom God’s love entrusts me here, ever this day be at my side to light and guard to rule and guide.  Amen!

On this Memorial of the Guardian Angels I want to share the beautiful words of St. Bernard, Abbot:

“He has given his angels charge over you to guard you in all your ways.  Let them thank the Lord for his mercy; his wonderful works are for the children of men.  Let  them give thanks and say among the nations, the Lord has done great things for them.  O Lord, what is man that you have made yourself known to him, or why do you incline your heart to him?  And you do incline your heart to him; you show him your care and your concern.  Finally, you send your only Son and the grace of your Spirit, and promise him a vision of your countenance.  And so, that nothing in heaven should be wanting in your concern for us, you send those blessed spirits to serve us, assigning them as our guardians and our teachers.

He has given his angels charge over you to guard you in all your ways.  These words should fill you with respect, inspire devotion and instill confidence; respect for the presence of angels, devotion because of their loving service, and confidence because of their protection.  And so the angels are here; they are at your side, they are with you, present on your behalf.  They are here to protect you and to serve you.  But even if it is God who has given them this charge, we must nonetheless be grateful to them for the great love with which they obey and come to help us in our great need.

So let us be devoted and grateful to such great protectors; let us return their love and honor them as much as we can and should. Yet all our love and honor must go to Him, for it is from Him that they receive all that makes them worthy of our love and respect.

We should then, my brothers, show our affection for the angels, for one day they will be our coheirs just as here below they are our guardians and trustees appointed and set over us by the Father.  We are God’s children although it does not seem so, because we are still but small children under guardians and trustees, and for the present little better than slaves.

Even though we are children and have a long, a very long and dangerous way to go, with such protectors what have we to fear? They who keep us in all our ways cannot be overpowered or led astray, much less lead us astray. They are loyal, prudent, powerful.  Why then are we afraid?  We have only to follow them, stay close to them, and we shall dwell under the protection of God’s heaven.”

do you ever call upon the angels?  do you believe that there is one always at your side with a job to do?  May these words remind you of God’s great love and precious gift!  God bless you!