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 (Matthew 18:10).
Jesus mentioned that “little ones”, those who may be seen
“insignificant” and “poor”, but faithful to God, namely anawim, have their respective guardian angels.
The context of this is that Jesus spoke these words to
his disciples on the heel of teaching on the importance of humility to enter
the Kingdom because they asked him, “Who
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”(Matthew 18:1).
In response to this question from the disciples, Jesus
called child and place the child in their midst (Matthew 18:2) 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 (Matthew 18:3-5).
Jesus juxtaposed the virtue of humility, necessary to
enter the Kingdom, to the innocence of a child. Then, Jesus spoke against what
prompts us to sin (Matthew 18:6-9), especially in a condemning matter to those who
causes the humble (child-like ones) to sin:
Whoever
causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better
for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the
depths of the sea (Matthew 18:6).
The innocence of a child must be guarded by his or her
responsible guardians. It is parental duty. Likewise, the virtuousness of the
humble needs to safeguard against whatever and whoever tempt them to sin. For
this purpose, heavenly Father has sent our guardian angels through His only
begotten Son. And this is addressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
From
the Incarnation to the Ascension, the life of the Word incarnate is surrounded
by the adoration and service of angels. When God "brings the firstborn
into the world, he says: 'Let all God's angels worship him "(Heb
1:6). Their song of praise at the birth
of Christ has not ceased resounding in the Church's praise: "Glory to God
in the highest!"(Lk 2:14). They
protect Jesus in his infancy, serve him in the desert, strengthen him in his
agony in the garden, when he could have been saved by them from the hands of
his enemies as Israel had been ( Cf. Mt 1:20; 2:13,19; 4:11; 26:53; Mk
1:13; Lk 22:43; 2 Macc 10:29-30; 11:8.). Again,
it is the angels who "evangelize" by proclaiming the Good News of
Christ's Incarnation and Resurrection ( Cf. Lk 2:8-14; Mk 16:5-7). They will be present at Christ's return,
which they will announce, to serve at his judgment( Cf. Acts 1:10-11; Mt
13:41; 24:31; Lk 12:8-9.) (333).
From
its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and
intercession (Cf. Mt 18:10; Lk 16:22; Ps 34:7;
91:10-13; Job 33:23-24; Zech 1:12; Tob 12:12)."Beside
each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life
(St. Basil, Adv. Eunomium III, I: PG 29,656B)."
Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company
of angels and men united in God. (336).
These texts from the Catechism remind us that the
Father sends guardian angels to protect us, as he did with His begotten Son in
sending him to us.
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As God’s “little ones”, we are called by Christ to remain humble (Matthew 5:3; 18:3-5; Luke 14:7-24), as Christ the Son himself was so through his obedience to the Father (John 6:38; Philippians 2:8; cf. Hebrews 5:8-10). And the virtue of humility is absolutely necessary on our journey into the Kingdom, shepherded by Christ, safeguarded by guardian angels, and empowered (i.e. Acts 1:8) and guided by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), because we must be obedient to Christ the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), our guardian angels, our guardian companions (i.e. Matthew 18:10), and the Holy Spirit, another Parakletos (John 14:16, 26)(Matthew 12:31-32).
God assured the Israelites during Exodus that they
would be safeguarded against the dangers of succumbing to pagan deities while
passing through their territories, by sending guardian angels, charged with His
authority (Exodus 23:20-24). To stay safe, they were commanded to be attentive
and obedient to the guardian angels, because they carried God’s authority
(Exodus 23:21-22).
Our journey to the Kingdom is our Exodus from the
world of sin. And through Christ the Son, God safeguard our Exodus journey into
the Kingdom by letting guardian angels descending and ascending through the Son
(John 1:51; cf, Genesis 28:12).
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