These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Jesus said to his disciples: “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." (Mt 18:1-5, 10)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100223.cfm
The feast of the Holy Guardian Angels reminds us how important we are in God’s eyes. For God always watches over us and cares for us through the wonderful ministry of the Angels. We all remember the prayer to the Guardian Angel: “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.” Today's music video is of a very popular Latin American Catholic hymn, Ángeles de Dios. The video shows a young boy walking with his mom, and along the way he notices angels (but not with wings) watching over him and everyone.
Christ Jesus humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:1-11)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100123.cfm
Saint Paul uses this early Christian hymn to encourage us to have the same mind and heart of Christ.
See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD. Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day, and they shall be his people and he will dwell among you. (Zec 2:5-9, 14-15a)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/093023.cfm
What a remarkable prophecy—that God will dwell among us, fulfilled in the coming of Emanuel, God-with-us. Saint Jerome (342-420) said that “ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” He single-handedly translated the Hebrew and Greek scriptures into everyday Latin which was then the language of the people. His principle for translation was not word-for-word, but rather sense-for-sense.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Bless the LORD, all you angels,
you ministers, who do his will.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092923.cfm
The archangels guide, protect, and are messengers of good news. May the Lord continue to watch over us through the ministry of the angels and may we always join in their hymn of praise before God’s throne.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways! Go up into the hill country; bring timber, and build the house that I may take pleasure in it and receive my glory, says the LORD. (Hg 1:1-8)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092823.cfm
Almost 70 years ago my mom became friends with a visiting Norwegian nurse, Joss Engen. They remained friends all their lives. My mom and Joss have both died. But this week Joss’s niece and her husband came from Norway to visit me in Colombia. We had not seen each other for 35 years, since my mom and I went to visit her friend Joss in Norway. Yesterday as they continued their journey to Cartagena and then on to Machu Pichu, they joined me for the early morning Mass at the House of the Lord (my local parish next door). The friendship of my mom and Joss continues! God bless you, Per & Heidi!
