I have a most extraordinary friend. We became attached one to the other more than 56 years ago. This friend of mine has every quality. He is loyal. Never has he left me alone.
He is intelligent, dazzlingly so. He has only to look at a thing, and he comprehends it through and through.
He is beautiful. There are no words describe the youthfulness of his countenance; he is fresh as the morning dew, and in his eyes, as in pools of crystal, one sees reflections of heaven.
He is strong. Nothing is too heavy for him. Nothing tires him. Nothing can resist his power.
He is lovable, always equal to himself, unchangeably peaceful and pacifying. And wherever he goes he leaves a trail of serenity and of joy.
He is grateful, grateful for the littlest words and gestures. And he remembers absolutely everything. It has happened, and often, I fear, that I have made him weep. Oh, yes, he weeps, but he pardons also, and very quickly. And he never holds a grudge.
He is a physician too. And what a physician! He treats and heals both body and soul.
He is a brilliant psychotherapist. He listens to all my sorry tales. He gives me the wisest counsels. He consoles me and sets me on my feet again. He shows me the path to follow. And he preserves me from ever despairing of the mercy of God.
He is my advocate, forever taking up my cause and pleading my defense. He speaks so in my favour, and when he does so, his eloquence is angelic.
While I sleep, he keeps watch. While I keep vigil, he keeps vigil with me. If I have to travel, he always goes along for the journey. (He has no fear of flying.)
His greatest joy -- perhaps you have already guessed it -- is when he accompanies me to the altar to offer the Holy Sacrifice. There he becomes absolutely radiant. He stands, like a deacon, at my side.
He is completely at home in the liturgy of the Church, and he knows it inside out. He sings with understanding, he bows profoundly, he teaches me how I am to conduct myself in the presence of the Thrice Holy God.
At the moment of the Consecration, he becomes all luminous: beautiful with an indescribable beauty. I feel him trembling with joy next to me. And then he becomes utterly silent; he becomes like a flame of adoration. At this moment he is never alone. All his confrères arrive and sometimes, just sometimes, one feels, but ever so slightly, the hushed movement of wings of light. They arrive, all of them together, to surround the altar and then, they adore, they adore, they adore.
For him Mass is never too long. Holy Mass is what he loves most on this earth of ours: Holy Mass, and then adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. He is always directing me towards the tabernacle.
Oh, and one other thing. He is phenomenally in love with my Mother, the Most Holy Virgin Mary. Her always calls her his Queen and his Sovereign. He reminds me often that Jesus, from the summit of the Cross said, not to an angel but to a man, "Behold thy mother." When I pray to Holy Mary, he exhales the loveliest of perfumes: a fragrance of purity, humility and love all at once.
So there you have it: a little portrait of my friend. Each of you has one rather like him. Love these celestial friends of ours, honour them, and consult them; and, today, give thanks to the Father for having given them to us.
His Excellency, the Bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa, Oklahoma has given
Father Mark a special mandate to live in adoration before the Most
Blessed Sacrament, in a spirit of thanksgiving and intercession, that he
might make reparation before the Eucharistic Face of Jesus for all his
brothers in Holy Orders. At the same time, he is available to the
priests and deacons of the Diocese for spiritual and sacramental
support in their pursuit of holiness.
Thank you for posting this beautiful reflection. The part about your guardian angel's participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is especially profound.
I must confess that I have neglected my guardian angel, although I know that he has not neglected me. Thank you for the reminder!
Many thanks for this truly relevant post.
yo tambien tengo un amigo asi y lo amo y me ama.
y cada dia trato de ser mejor para que el no tenga que pagar las consecuencias de mis faltas..
nuestro padre celestial es inmensamente bondadoso..
lo unico que sabe darnos es amor y mas amor...
mil gracias padre mark por esta bellisima bendicion....mi alma esta agradecida,y hoy doy gracias a dios y a mi angel de la guarda por la bendicion de su presencia en mi vida...
eternamente agradecida.
mary
What blessings from GOD we have in the presence of our Guardian Angels. Thank you Fr. for this beautiful meditation and thank you my dear Guardian Angel for directing me to Fr. Mark's site! (and a thank you too to your Guardian Angel -Fr. Mark)
Dear Father Mark,
From the author of 'Thoughts from an Oasis in French Catholicism':
Early in June on the web I found your article about the Sacred Heart in the theology of Benedict XVI. It was and is invaluable to me as it clarified things to me for which I had been searching for half a century. Around the same time I discovered your blog but did not at first realise that you were its author, that is one and the same person who wrote the article. Ever since then your blog has been a source of daily inspiration to me. I've wanted to tell you this for ages but until today have had difficulty in registering to comment here.
From a mutual contact, I gather you are aware of my blog and therefore possibly already know how crucial your ministry has been/is in my spiritual life and its Eucharistic prayer-rooted apostolic focus. (See my post 'A Great New Initiative....' addressed to Confiteor.)
So Father I'm profoundly happy to offer my eternal thanks to Our Lord, Our Lady and to you, not just for today's beautiful and important meditation, but for all the others in your archive.
With the assurance of my prayers,
In Christo pro Papa,
Jane
What joy filled my heart when I found your blog. I am saddened it took me this long to find it. But little by little, I will catch up and continue to strengthen the love of the liturgy you started over a decade ago. I do so look forward to sharing this entry in particular with my family - and the many more to come.
In Christ,
Jen Fahey
Dear Jen, A joy for me as well to hear from you! Than you for letting me know that you are among the readers of Vultus Christi.
Dear Fr. Mark,
Thank you for this sweet reflection on our Guardian Angels. So easy to believe in in youth and so hard to hold on to in maturity. I pray I am not so hard to hold on to.
The scripture reading Ps 26: 8-9. I believe it is actually Ps 27: 8-9. Is this so?
Caritas Chrisi,
Frank
Dear Frank, Thank you. Alas, it depends on the Bible or Psalter one is using. In the traditional Catholic numbering of the psalms, it is indeed Ps 26:8-9. The Hebrew numbering adopted by Protestants has become increasingly widespread and there, you are right, it would be 27:8-9. I prefer the traditional Catholic numbering for the sake of consistency with our whole liturgical tradition.