My Guardian Angel: An Unsung Hero

The Church celebrates the feast of the Guardian Angels today. Each one of us is given the gift of one of these guides and protectors from the beginning of our lives and they remain with us until our death. This is a thought that I could reflect on for hours. Not only did God give me Himself, but He also gave me my own personal angel!
When I think about this, I sometimes smile at the thought of God our Father assigning us our guardian angel. Knowing us before we even take our first breath~ our temperament, strengths, weaknesses; I somehow see Him saying to an angel: "You are the one for him or her."
I also sometimes hope that we will actually get to meet our guardian angel in heaven, but I know that I can also begin that relationship while I am here on earth. I know this, but I often fail to follow through with it. However, in recent years I have begun to get a little better with praying to and conversing with my angel. One day about two years ago, one of the gentlemen who attends our 7am daily Mass came up to me after Mass and said to me: "Your guardian angel's name is Joy."  He said it came to him after Communion. Now I have to admit, I am sometimes a little more than a little skeptical about things like this, but in this instance there was something about the certainty and conviction in his voice that I felt inclined to believe him. Also as Divine Providence would have it, a few days before this "revelation", I had been thinking about my guardian angel and how I would like to get to know this spiritual friend and protector better.
From that day on I have referred to my guardian angel by this name. While I still often forget to pray to and thank my angel, I do find myself at least thinking of him at certain times. I ask my angel's help, along with Our Lady's  at certain times during Mass, most especially during the Offertory when I ask Joy to bring to the altar all that I am and have and then again when receiving Our Lord in Holy Communion. I try to remember that my angel always stands before the face of God, constantly interceding for me.
I also know that there have been more than a few times in my life that Joy's protection has saved me from danger.
I thank our loving God for the gift of my guardian angel. I thank Joy, my guide, protector, friend and the unsung hero of my life for all the angelic protection and guidance he has provided and will continue to provide until my earthly life comes to an end.

Guardian Angel Prayer

Angel of God

My guardian dear 

To Whom His love 

Commits me here 

Ever this day 

Be at my side 

To light and guard 

To rule and guide.

 Amen