Monday, January 19, 2009

Naming Your Guardian Angel Bob


Castiel again - because he is awesome. Moving on.
So, we all have Guardian Angels. Just a fact of life. Now, I'll admit that I both love this and hate it. On the one hand, I most certainly need one. On the other, it's kind of creepy, when I think about it. There's an angel following me around...all the time. He sees *everything* that I do. Everything. *starts looking over her shoulder in paranoid fashion* And, really, doesn't he get bored? I'm not the most fascinating person in the world. Or very exciting. I know this. And I'm happy with it, which likely makes me even more boring. I know, I know, angel, not human, 'bored' most likely not something they experience. Still. I think about that sort of thing.
Anyway. So, after Mass, when the RCIA class was discussing the readings, the Deacon leading us mentioned a personal story about being 'challenged' to know his Guardian Angels name. And I thought that I'd read somewhere that we aren't supposed to try and name them. They have names, given by God, and to try and name them smacks too much of trying to 'own' them. So I went looking when I got home. (Or, really, this morning, since I got distracted by seeing My Bloody Valentine.)
Here's what I had read: The Vatican says not to do so. DIRECTORY ON POPULAR PIETY AND THE LITURGY
Quote: 217. The practice of assigning names to the Holy Angels should be discouraged, except in the cases of Gabriel, Raphael and Michael whose names are contained in Holy Scripture.
So, it's 'discouraged'. Which doesn't mean forbidden, but just that it's probably not a good idea. Now, I admit that when I think of my angel, he looks like Castiel, and I kind of refer to him as such. Because, again, Castiel is awesome. I certainly don't think that's what he really looks like, or that that's his name, but it gives me a 'person' to talk to.
Am I the only one who does this? I mean, he's always there, so the least I can do is hold a one sided conversation with him every so often. And is anyone else creeped out by their constant companion? It's probably just me, being paranoid. :)

4 comments:

  1. I agree with you that a constant angel companion is kinda creepy. Always thought so, even as a kid. I'm not really sure what to think about angels because I don't really like any angelic depiction. The little protestant angel statues are just ... ugly, you know? with all the pastelyness. And the Catholic icons are not much better.

    But then, when I read the passage in 1 Corinthians, I am really uncompelled to cover when I hear all the 'headship' stuff, but the "because of the angels" thing, is compelling for me.

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  2. snackcup,

    At least it's not just me then. :) I try not to think about it too much, even though I 'talk' to him. I just don't consider that he's *always* there. Makes me less creeped out.

    The way I think about depictions of angels is to remind myself that they are *not* what an angel really looks like. I believe that we can't comprehend the true visage of an angel. They appear to us in varying ways, and people are going to fit them into their own world views in varying ways.

    Now, I personally prefer Catholic iconography (or Castiel), but that's a personal preference. I find that Protestant images tend to make angels cute and fluffy, and my personal image of angels is far more martial. I did a post that was sort of on that a while back. But again, these are all just representative of aspects of angels.

    Headship is a whole 'nother thing, I agree. I struggled a great deal with that, and it's still something of an issue at times. But yes, if nothing else, 'on account of the angels' would make me continue to cover. I've said it before: Respect the angels.

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  3. Does the RC have any prayers (along the lines of "help me to be holy and forgive me when I sin against God, which is offensive to you, too") to one's guardian angel the way the Eastern Orthodox do?

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  4. Alana,

    This is the only one that I've heard:

    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,
    Rule and guide.
    Amen.

    -Amber

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