On the eve of the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the other Bodiless Powers, I want to ask everyone who reads this reflection: How do you imagine angels? I ask this question so that we can think about our image or understanding of angels and where we get our knowledge about these heavenly forces. After all, our ideas about angels shape what we believe about them.

The relationship we have with God is central to our Christian life, and angels are one of the helpers God gives us to maintain that connection. The belief that each of us is surrounded by a great company of heavenly helpers, whether mythical or not, has undoubtedly been and is a great source of support and strength for many generations of Christians. Unfortunately, little attention is paid to angels in today’s world.

Modern people have singled out a specific image of angels and use it in a variety of ways. For example, angels often are presented as fairy-tale spirits or cute creatures with plump cheeks, white wings, and dressed in funny robes. This image is given to us by television, news, movies, and literature even while modern society rejects Christianity.

These common images add together and obscure the true knowledge of the angels in the teachings of the Church, which understands angels as God’s messengers who really work and exist. Here it is important to mention that the Bible, full of mentions of these messengers, is the main source of knowledge about angels for us. The New Testament begins with Gabriel’s Annunciation to Mary – that she will become the Mother of God – and ends with Revelation, in which angels play an important role.

This holy day, dedicated to the angels, encourages us to remember what we know about angels and look for sources where we can learn more about them. Every time I prepare for this holy day, I remember Abraham’s meal (Genesis 18), Jacob’s struggle (Genesis 32:23-33), Christmas, Christ’s baptism in the Jordan, the Resurrection, among other examples, and I recall that the story of salvation is permeated by the presence and activity of angels. They are not just cute creatures with fluffy wings but powerful forces that lead me on the path of salvation.

Here it is important not to forget about our guardian angels, whom we also remember in this feast. Each of us is protected and guided by our guardian angel. They know us very well, and we sometimes forget that they are with us and we can turn to them in need. Like the archangel Raphael guided Tobias in the book of Tobit, they will guide and protect us on our path of life.

So, let this angelic day be an opportunity to introduce us (or perhaps re-introduce us) to our guardian angels, to make sure we take them seriously, and learn to trust them as they help us to draw closer to God. Perhaps this would also be a good time to read the fascinating journey of Tobias and the archangel Raphael in the book of Tobit.