A Host Of Heavenly Angels

 Abraham and Three Angels

It is often said, "There are angels all around us." There is a lot of truth to that statement, for one thing each and every one of us has a guardian angel. There are nine choirs of angels in heaven, and today we celebrate the feast of the archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.
As I was reading the morning meditation in Magnificat this morning, I was struck by what The Golden Legend says about how we should honor the angels because they bear our souls up to heaven in three ways: 1) by preparing the way for us. 2) by conveying souls to heaven along the prepared way, and 3) by putting the souls in their place in heaven.
What I took from all of this is that there are more angels around us than our guardian angels and that these heavenly beings do so much more for us than we realize.
We may want to remember our guardian angels today in a special way as well today since the Sunday Liturgy will take precedence over their feast on October 2. I know I do not thank my Guardian Angel enough. I sometimes have this vision of my angel on the day, by God's grace and my angel's hard work, I make it to heaven. I see him wiping his brow thanking God that his service with me is finally done :)
Scripture, both Old and New Testaments mention the angels quite often, even if there is not much detail about them. So let us praise and thank God today for His angels who guide and protect us along this perilous way to our heavenly home.
One way to honor St Michael along with the nine choirs of angels is to pray the Chaplet of St Michael. I first heard this prayer prayed on EWTN. It is beautiful and I imagine quite powerful.