MEDITATION OF THE DAY
What It Means to Be God’s “Little Ones”
From the moment of his fall, the Angel of Darkness stalked the earth looking for the Son and the Woman. He must have thought he had conquered when he successfully instilled pride and rebellion into Adam and Eve. What was his surprise when God had mercy on them, and once again he was reminded of the Woman and her seed. His hatred for God forced him to seek the destruction of all the souls destined to enjoy the glory of heaven that he had lost.
When, after centuries, he was finally deceived and mankind was redeemed by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, his fury was even greater. If he could not drag them all into the abyss, at least he could, by temptation, avarice, lust, pride, and gluttony, decrease their merit and eternal glory…. God, in his Infinite Goodness, would not pair us up in an uneven battle. No, it would be like a child debating with Einstein. In his Infinite Mercy and Justice, God would…give each one of us an angel—an angel who would be equal in every way to the spirit of evil ever working for our defeat. This angel would have to be our very own because, as Saint Peter said in his Epistle, the devil goes around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour (1 Pt 5:8). Yes, we would need one of the glorious spirits to fight many an invisible battle for the possession of our souls—battles that are as real as the air we breathe and just as invisible.
Did Jesus reveal these guardians to us? We know that one day he told his disciples that unless they became as little children they would not enter the Kingdom of heaven. In other words, they must possess the simplicity and candor of a child to belong to him. In fact, he said that unless they did possess these qualities they would not enter the Kingdom at all. With this in mind, he continued his discourse by saying, See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven…. The Master addressed these words to big, strong fishermen, who had, over the years, acquired worldly ways, proud intellects, and stubborn wills. He would have them know that men such as these did not enter the Kingdom. They were to become trusting and simple children of a loving Father. To impress this upon them he often addressed them as children…. Yes, he would thank his Father for hiding the mysteries of the Kingdom from the learned and clever and revealing them to mere children (Lk 10:21). For all those who belong to the Kingdom of Light were to be humble, simple, and loving children.
Mother Angelica of the Annunciation, p.c.p.a
Mother Angelica († 2016) was a Poor Clare nun and founder of the Eternal Word Television Network. [From Mother Angelica On God, His Home, and His Angels. © 2017, EWTN Publishing, Inc., Sophia Institute Press, Manchester, NH. www.sophiainstitute.com. Used with permission.]
