"How great is the dignity of the soul, since each one has from his birth an angel commissioned to guard it." St. Jerome
The biblical authors take the doctrine of guardian angels for granted. They assume that everyone already knows what they are talking about. The one and only time that Jesus approaches the subject, He approaches it taking for granted that everyone knows they have a guardian angel: "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven 'their angels' always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven" (Mat 18:10).
When Jesus says "their angels" it could imply that each person has more than one angel. But in various passages in Scripture it mentions that "each individual person has a guardian angel," so we must assume that we only have one assigned to us. Of course, some clumsy people like me may need more than one once in a while. And I like to believe that when we are in trouble, our guardian angel calls for back up and we may be surrounded by an army of angels.
"Their angels" also speaks of the relationship between humans and angels. "It's not the angels who have humans. It's humans who have angels!" (3-Lesson 4). Powerful, brilliant angels of light somehow belong to us, mere humans. How awesome is that. Many don't believe this but think about it. Of course a loving God would provide such provident care for his children on earth. "From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession" (CCC 336).
A few of the early fathers believed that only the baptized were given a guardian angel. But most of the saints and doctors of the Church, like St. Thomas for example, affirmed that every man receives a guardian angel upon birth. It rather makes sense that every man would receive a guardian angel from God because God wants the salvation of all men. And all men need to receive sufficient grace to be saved. The guardian angel, working with God, acts as a channel of actual grace. "Through the work of the guardian angels, God accomplishes great things in the lives of Christians" (3-Lesson 4).
St. Peter does not seem surprised that an angel has appeared to him to set him free. The angel wakes Peter up, lights his way, and makes sure that Peter was dressed properly to guard the night chill. The angel doesn't carry Peter, rather he guides him. He acts almost like a parent or an old sibling. And Peter follows instructions rather calmly. It is presumed that a visitation to Peter of his guardian angel was a common occurrence to him, otherwise he would have been afraid. Even when the maid, Rhoda, tells the congregation that Peter is standing at the gate, the congregation assumes that it couldn't be Peter but "his angel" (Acts 12:7-15). The fact that they say "his angel" speaks of guardian angels in terms of belonging.
Moses did not feel up to the task of leading Israel but God assured him: "Lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you" (Ex 32:34). The angel appears to Philip and tells him where to go (Acts 8:26) and even sometimes takes him there (Acts 8:39-40). An angel reveals to Paul the course of his future life and apostolate (Acts 27:23-24). Angels were present in the lives of the prophets, in the lives of the apostles and they are present in our lives today. They are here to light and guard, to rule and guide.
God has placed powerful angels at our disposal so that we will have the spiritual resources that we need in order to make it to heaven. Everything else is secondary to that final purpose. Once in a while, they may do certain things for us in order to gain our trust in them for the times that matter most: the times of temptation and the hour of death. They are building a relationship with us.
One of those minor things they may do for us in order to gain our trust is to find us a parking space when we ask them to. In my office building, unless I arrive around 9 am, I have to park way in the back. I don't mind the walking but especially in tax season, when I leave in the darkness, I don't like to walk to the back of the parking lot which is pitch black all by myself. Even though I know my angel is guarding me, I'm still a "scary cat." So when I'm running late, I ask my guardian angel to find me a space. I have a rather funny conversation with my guardian-parking angel: "Please, parking angel, find me a space in the front, near the entrance. Make sure you time it well so that if someone has to leave, they leave at precisely the exact moment that I'm entering the parking lot. But if there is a "viejito" or a handicapped person that needs it more than me, then I'll resign myself to parking in the back." I can honestly say that nine times out of ten, as I'm entering the parking lot, someone is backing out. There was one time that I thought I had to go to the back because I didn't see any brake lights on and there were no empty spaces. As I resigned myself and began to speed towards the back, a car almost hit me because it started backing out just as I was passing it. And there was another time when a car took the space that I was certain my angel had reserved for me. I parked all the way in the back and as I was walking to the front, grumbling to my angel, I saw an elderly lady with a cane getting out from the car that had parked in "my space." I knew then why my angel had given the space to her and not to me. I had to humbly apologize to my angel. Our angels can certainly find us parking spaces as long as we don't abuse their kindness. Try it one day and prepare yourself to be blown away.
Sources:
1-The Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible
2-Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)
3-"Entertaining Angels" by Mike Aquilina (Catholic Scripture Study International 2013)
4-"Angels and Saints" by Scott Hahn 2014
5-"City of God" by St. Augustine 426 AD
6-"Catholicism.org: Q's and A's on the Guardian Angels
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