Imagine you’re trapped on the 19th floor of a burning building and you have no way of communicating with anyone.  Your only way out of the building is through a window.  You look out the window toward the ground and all you can see is a concrete sidewalk and street. 

Are you going to open the window and jump, or are you going to stay where you’re at knowing that you will perish in the fire?

What if your favorite priest is standing next to you and tells you that if you jump, your guardian angel will break your fall and protect you from being injured.  Will that make you feel any better about opening up the window and jumping out toward the pavement below?  Or will you doubt the power of your angel and tell the priest to go first?

When the apostle Peter climbed out of a boat and started walking on the water toward our Lord, how was it that he was able to stay on top of the water?  What was the one thing that changed between the moment he started walking on the water and the moment he went under?  Here’s what St. Matthew had to say about it:

Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”  He said, “Come.”  Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.  But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”  Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”   Matthew 14:28-31

We know that it was Peter’s faith in our Lord that gave him the ability (and power) to walk on water, and we also know that it was his lack of faith that caused him to fall into the water and cry out for help.

It is clear from the New Testament that before Jesus performed any miracle on behalf of anyone, He first ascertained whether the person had complete faith in Him.  If the person lacked faith, no miracle was performed.  This is evident from numerous passages in the Bible including the following:

Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman great is your faith!  Let it be done for you as you wish.”  And her daughter was healed from that hour.  Matthew 15:28;

He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you.  Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”  Mark 5:34;

Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”  Luke 17:19.

The same requirement that was in place for our Lord to perform a miracle is and always has been in place for your guardian angel. Your guardian angel will not grant your request for assistance unless: (1) you have the faith that he truly exists; and (2) you believe he has the God-given power to assist you and will, in fact, assist you.

Your belief that your guardian angel will respond to your request for help must precede your actual request for assistance.

Pay close attention to me here, because you need to get this right.  You show your faith in your guardian angel by thanking him for doing what you have asked him to do before he actually responds to your request.  By thanking him before he responds, you are showing superior confidence in God (and your guardian angel) that your request for assistance will be answered.

Every time I ask my guardian angel to do something for me, if I have the time, I say the entire guardian angel prayer that I was taught when I was a boy – twice in a row, one right after the other:  “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.”  The first prayer is said as a prayer of petition and the second prayer is said as a prayer of thanksgiving.

If I don’t have time to say the complete prayer (i.e., when I need his immediate assistance), I simply say: “Guardian angel, please help me.  Thank you for helping me.”

Besides praying for assistance in finding parking spaces, and sending my guardian angel ahead to prepare someone for me, I call upon him numerous times throughout the day for assistance.

Almost every week while I’m writing my article for the Adoration Letter, I end of having to ask my guardian angel for help in getting a certain point across.  Sometimes when I struggle with a word or a sentence, I ask my guardian angel to assist me and moments later the word or words come to me.

In addition to calling on my guardian angel for help, I also frequently call upon other people’s guardian angels for assistance.

Every time I walk into a courtroom, the first thing I do is greet the judge’s guardian angel and ask him to assist me in influencing the judge to rule in my client’s favor or to at least treat my client with fairness and mercy.

I do the same thing when I meet with anyone who I need to influence in any way.  When I speak to a group of people, the first thing I do is mentally greet all of the guardian angels in the room and ask them to assist me in my task of effectively communicating with the individuals I am speaking to.

I frequently call upon my children’s and my wife’s guardian angels to help me in effectively communicating with them and to help patch up any differences I may have with them.

Do you believe your guardian angel has the power to assist you with all of your needs?

You would be wise not to discount or ignore this powerful and influential friend who has great love and affection for you, and stands by your side day and night waiting to be of service to you.

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