And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God. And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel.
But how we so take our angels for granted!
Talk to your angel! Pray to him and think of him throughout the day. Don't name your angel (exorcists strongly advise against this), and don't try to see him: angels are spirits who sometimes take on the appearance of being human -- and some few people, such as Padre Pio and St. Cecilia, are granted the grace of seeing them -- but it is not something to be sought because the fallen angels can -- and do -- play tricks on people. But do call on your angel and thank him. Seek his true friendship. From "Devotion to the Nine Choirs of Holy Angels and Especially to the Angel-Guardians":
Choose, therefore, sometimes a quarter of an hour, half an hour, an hour, or more, and, retiring apart, converse at leisure with your good angel. Place your self on your knees before him, prostrate yourself on the ground—for it is well to adopt this practice occasionally when alone; ask his pardon for your ingratitude; beg his holy benediction; say all that a good heart would prompt one to say to a faithful and loving friend.
Speak to him one while of your needs, of your miserable failings, of your temptations, of your weaknesses; at another of Divine love, and of the holy ways which lead to God. Converse with him sometimes concerning the offences which men commit against their Sovereign, and concerning the divine interests of the Adorable Jesus and His most blessed Mother; at other times, consider in detail the obligations you are under to him, his goodness to you, his beauty, his perfections, his admirable qualities. Deal with him as with a kind father, as with a mother all tenderness, a true brother, an incomparable friend, a zealous lover, a vigilant pastor, a charitable guide, the witness of your most important secrets, a learned physician to heal all your sores, an advocate, and a powerful protector, a compassionate judge, a king entirely occupied with your welfare; invoke him in all these characters, and in others which your love will suggest to you. They will serve you as so many considerations which will make you pass your time much more agreeably than with the creatures of earth.
We say that we are dull sometimes, that we have no one to speak to, and nothing to do: well, here is an occupation, here is something for us to do. A nun who had no relations, friends, or acquaintance to visit her, was asked whether, when she saw the other nuns receiving visits, she felt no regret. "Oh, no, indeed!" she replied, " for there is a very delightful person with whom I converse; and when I hear that a sister is summoned to the parlor, forthwith I go and pay him a visit." And when her meaning was not understood, she led the way to an image of a holy angel that was in the convent : " Behold," she said, "my father and my mother, and all my kindred and acquaintance. Hither I come to converse, while my sisters are talking at the grate; and I retire from my interview at least as well satisfied as they."
We are better able to remember something by tying that something mentally to other things -- for example, recall the old practice of tying a string around one's finger to remind one to do something. Maybe it's a good idea to do this sort of thing with our angels: ex., because the angels are messengers, and because the ubiquitous smartphone is designed to bring us messages, perhaps practicing giving at least a mental nod to our angels every time we hear a phone ring or get a text message would help us to keep them in mind throughout the day.
But don't stop with your own angel. Keep in mind and call on the angels of others to protect and inspire them as well. From the same book quoted from earlier:
A person standing at a window which opened upon a public thoroughfare, was struck with a ray of light which sensibly touched his heart : in this heavenly ray he discerned that men lived in an incredible oblivion of the world of grace. Penetrated with this truth, he set himself to listen to what the persons who were passing through the street were talking about ; and he heard not one word of God, or of the things of God. No one spoke except of earth—of fine weather, of eating and drinking, of dress, of horses, and such like things. Oh, how many angels, he said to himself, are passing by here, accompanying these poor people! Is it possible that not one among all this crowd is thinking of these princes of Paradise? This thought affected him much, and then he went to a neighboring fair, with the object of paying his respects to the angels of the persons who were flocking thither in crowds from all quarters. He sighed when he beheld in so large a gathering so little attention paid to the numerous angels present there. He went from place to place in order to salute them and converse with them. Truly, he exclaimed to himself, there are far other sights to be seen than all the merchandise and rarities of the fair!
This practice is well worthy of our imitation. We are in some town, and are walking through the streets filled with people: Oh, why then, do we not contemplate interiorly the angels who accompany all this multitude? Why do we not go out sometimes for the mere purpose of conversing with them? You enter a church, or some large assembly: Oh, why do you not raise yourself above the region of sense and contemplate all the holy angels present? You are travelling in company with others; you speak to them, you converse with them: why not also with their guardian angels?
Don't ignore others' angels -- most especially the angels assigned to your spouse, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, and siblings! Your son is late coming home? Call on his angel to protect him! Your wife is struggling with something? Ask her angel to help and pray for her! Need to get a message to someone but have no means to do so? Try asking your angel to deliver it!
Customs
Some may prepare for this feast by praying a Novena to Guardian Angel beginning on September 23 and ending on October 1.
As for prayers on this feast itself, this one from "A Little Book of Prayers from Old English Sources" (1900) makes for a lovely one:
I believe, O holy Angel, that thou art appointed by God Almighty to be my guardian. Wherefore, through Him Who has set thee to this task, I, who am so miserable, so weak, and so unworthy, humbly ask that thou wilt ever and always in this life watch over me; that thou wilt guard me from all evils and ever shield me. And when God shall bid my spirit depart hence, let not the devils have power over it, but do thou gently receive my soul from my body and lovingly bear it into Abraham's bosom, at the bidding and by the help of my Creator, my Savior, and my God, Who is blessed for ever and ever. Amen..
So do these two early 16th century prayers from a French Book of Hours.
The first one:
O my guardian, glorious angel who from among the heavenly hierarchy has been appointed by God as my guardian from the very moment of my birth from the womb: I beseech thee humbly and devotedly that thou thus illuminate, protect and defend me, entrusted to thee, driving far away the enemy who wishes me ill; not only restrain me from evil acts, but mayest thou also urge and induce me toward the good by thy virtue; and by the protection of thy actions mayest thou make me at last a dweller with thee and with those on high. Through Christ our Lord, thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, O God, world without end. Amen.
And the second one:
I beseech thee, angelic spirit, to whom I by providence have been entrusted: that thou guard me unceasingly, that thou protect, watch attentively, and defend me from every attack of the devil while I am waking and sleeping, by night and by day; for hours and moments without interruption cherish me and watch over me, and accompany me everywhere I go. Avert from me through the strength of God every temptation of Satan, and that which my merits do not extinguish, by thy prayers hold fast before God, the most merciful judge, so that nothing of a contrary strength may have a place in me. And whenever thou seest me wandering through the steep places of vices, by going through the paths of justice trouble thyself to lead me back to my Redeemer and Creator. And in whatever need or distress thou beholdst me to be, may I feel the help of almighty God approach by means of thy covering over me. I pray thee, my guardian, that, if it can be done, thou makest my end known to me. And when I shall be drawn forth from this body at the command of God, do not allow evil spirits to frighten me or make sport of me, nor allow me to fall into the pit of desperation. And do not abandon me at all until thou hast led me to the sight of almighty God, my creator, in which sight may I, for work and grace and the clemency of God my Father, and thou, as my protection, together with Mary the most blessed mother of God and all the saints forever be joyful and rejoice together with Christ, world without end. Amen.
And there's the Litany to our Holy Angel-Guardian that we can pray as well. But the most common Guardian Angel prayer, and one you should most definitely teach to your children to pray in the mornings (maybe before breakfast -- at some precise time so they remember) and at night, before bed, is the classic "Angel of God":
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
to whom God's love commits me here,
ever this day [or night] be at my side,
to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
Litany to our Holy Angel-Guardian
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Queen of Angels, have mercy on us.
Holy Angel, my guardian, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my prince, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my monitor, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my counsellor, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my defender, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my steward, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my friend, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my negotiator, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my intercessor, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my patron, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my director, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my ruler, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my protector, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my comforter, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my brother, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my teacher, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my shepherd, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my witness, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my helper, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my watcher, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my conductor, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my preserver, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my instructor, pray for us.
Holy Angel, my enlightener, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
P. Pray for us, O holy Angel- Guardian,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray. Almighty, everlasting God, who, in the counsel of Thine ineffable goodness, hast appointed to all the faithful, from their mother's womb, a special Angel-Guardian of their body and soul; grant that I may so love and honor him whom Thou hast so mercifully given me, that, protected by the bounty of Thy grace, and by his assistance, I may merit to behold, with him and all the angelic host, the glory of Thy countenance in the heavenly country. Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.
