Memorial of the Guardian Angels
The Holy Guardian Angels To each human being that is born, God designates an Angel as guardian. Throughout our lives, our Guardian Angels watch over us at every moment, helping us to fulfil our vocation and attain eternal salvation. Although Guardian Angels have been reverenced from earliest times with canonical celebrations on a local level, the inclusion of their specific Liturgical commemoration in the General Roman Calendar was a development of the seventeenth century.
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Mass Readings
First Reading – Zec 8:1-8
This word of the LORD of hosts came: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am intensely jealous for Zion, stirred to jealous wrath for her. Thus says the LORD: I will return to Zion, and I will dwell within Jerusalem; Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women, each with staff in hand because of old age, shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem. The city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Even if this should seem impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people, shall it in those days be impossible in my eyes also, says the LORD of hosts? Thus says the LORD of hosts: Lo, I will rescue My people from the land of the rising sun, and from the land of the setting sun. I will bring them back to dwell within Jerusalem. They shall be My people, and I will be their God, with faithfulness and justice.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 and 22-23 (R.17)
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all His glory.
The nations shall revere Your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth Your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in His glory;
When He has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer. R.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let His future creatures praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from His holy height,
from Heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.” R.
The children of your servants shall abide,
and their posterity shall continue in Your presence.
That the name of the LORD may be declared in Zion;
and His praise, in Jerusalem,
When the peoples gather together,
and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD. R.
Gospel – Mt 18:1-5, 10
The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in My name receives me. “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their Angels in Heaven always look upon the face of My heavenly Father.”
Featured Saints
St. Beregisius, abbot (†d. 725). In Andage, present-day Belgium, he founded a monastery of Canons Regular, of which he was abbot.
St. Saturius, hermit (†606). He lived in contemplation and penance in a grotto situated in the mountains on the banks of the Douro River in Soria, Spain, where St. Prudentius of Armentia became his disciple.
Blessed Antoine Chevrier, priest (†1879). He founded the Institute of the Fathers of Prado in Lyon, France, in order to form priests dedicated to the teaching the Christian Faith to poor youths.
Blessed Jan Beyzym, priest (†1912). Polish Jesuit who, after having taught for some years in Poland after his ordination, exercised his ministry among the lepers in Fianarantsoa, Madagascar.
Blesseds Louis Shakichi, his wife Lucy and their sons Andrew and Francis, martyrs (†1622). Louis Shakichi, a fervent Christian and benefactor of the Dominicans in Nagasaki, was burned alive after being tortured and witnessing the decapitation of his wife and sons.
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