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When Satan dared Jesus to throw himself off a tower, he quoted Scripture, saying that the angels would guard him. But Christ, who is the Lord of angels, has no need of their protection. Instead, if we trust in him, he will send his angels to protect us.
“For it is written, ‘He will give his angels charge of you, to guard you’” (Luke 4:10).
Satan then made use of these verses, as though the Savior were a common man. For being entirely darkness, and having his mind blinded, he did not understand the force of what was said, that the Psalm is spoken in the person of every just man who is aided by the Highest—that is, the God of Heaven. And besides this, he did not know that the Word, being God, was made man, and was himself now being tempted in accordance with the plan of salvation.
But it is monstrous for us, who accurately know the mystery, and believe that he is God and the Son of God, and that for our sakes he became man like unto us, to imagine that the verses were spoken of him. To say, “You have made the Most High your habitation” (Ps. 91:9), then, is not appropriate for the person of the Savior. For he is himself the Most High: the refuge of all, the hope of all, the all-powerful right hand of the Father. No evil will approach anyone who trusts him for defense. For he shall command the angels, who are ministering spirits, to guard the just.
For just as our fathers in the flesh, when they see that the path is rough and impassable, pick up their infants in their hands, so that their tender feet will not be hurt, being because they are yet unable to walk over the hard road, so also the rational powers do not permit those who are as yet unable to labor, and whose understanding is still childish, to toil beyond their strength, but snatch them out of every temptation. –St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, Sermon 12
IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
Do I really trust that the angels are guarding me right now? How can I recognize their help, even when things seem to be going wrong?
CLOSING PRAYER
Guardian Angel, keep me from stumbling on my way, and preserve me in the true faith.
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