Have You Thanked Your Angel Today?

Heidi Hess Saxton shares an excerpt from a reflection published in the Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible, new from Ave Maria Press.

From Jacob’s encounter with them in Genesis (32:2) to the heavenly vision of the altar of God in Revelation (5:11–12), angels are an integral part of the salvation story, working night and day as “ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation” (Hebrews 1:14).

One of my favorite angel stories occurs in Acts 12, when an angel appears to Peter to release him from prison. A stupefied Peter makes his way to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, and knocks on the door. The serving girl, Rhoda, recognizes Peter and runs to tell those inside—who refuse to believe the miracle. “It is his angel!” they insist (12:15). This tells us two important things: (1) the early Christians believed in the existence of guardian angels, and (2) they were as mystified about the workings of these divine messengers as we are today!

Cultivating a lifelong mindfulness of the invisible world, and especially of the angels from whose guidance and protection we continually benefit, is one of the most important tasks we have as parents.

Inspired by the beautiful image in the book of Revelation of the thousands upon thousands of angels surrounding the throne of God (Revelation 5:11), I used to remind my children who squirmed at Mass about their angels. I would mention how sad the angels would be if they had to stay in the pews to watch over them, instead of joining their angel friends at the altar, bringing their prayers and songs as an offering to God.

It almost always worked. The kids would sit a little straighter, sing a little louder, and I would lift my own thankful heart to the Lord as we worshipped together, remembering the words of Jesus himself:

“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.” (Matthew 18:10)

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Cultivating a lifelong mindfulness of the invisible world is one of the most important tasks we have as parents. #CatholicMom

What makes the new Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible different from other Bibles for women? It includes almost 400 pages of special features created for women by women—more than 40 scholars, teachers, religious, authors, ministers, and speakers—such as Leah Darrow, Sarah Christmyer, Johnnette Benkovic Williams, and Sr. Maria Kim-Ngân Bùi, FSP—who come from a variety of backgrounds and reflect the diversity of the Catholic faith. Nine of these writers have a connection to Catholic Mom and have been sharing their gifts with our readers for quite some time.

The stunning beauty of the hardcover Living the Word Catholic Women’s Bible also makes it stand out among its peers. The extraordinary and elegant design enhances the reading experience by connecting various features throughout the text including 50 profiles of women in the Bible, 97 Living in the Light of Faith essays, and questions for reflection and journaling.

Purchase your copy of the Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible at a special price: only $59.95 with FREE shipping when you use coupon code CMBIBLE23 at checkout at AveMariaPress.com. This code is good through March 31, 2023.

To learn more about the Living the Word Catholic Women’s Bible, visit AveMariaPress.com/living-the-word. You can also join the Living the Word Bible community on Instagram @livingthewordbible and listen to the new Living the Word Bible Podcast with host Sarah Christmyer wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Sarah Christmyer, editor of the Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible, appeared on a recent episode of the Catholic Momcast. 

Copyright 2023 Heidi Hess Saxton
Images: Ave Maria Press
This excerpt from the Living the Word Catholic Women’s Bible is reprinted with permission of the publisher, Ave Maria Press.