Vickie Fee

Friends above and along the way

For some of us we just celebrated or at least thought about the Day of the Dead, which some folks celebrate at Halloween time. I’m Catholic, and for us. Halloween is also known as the evening before All Saints Day, Nov. 1. When a really h0ly person is recognized by the Church, they are canonized, which means they are named a saint. We can celebrate their day of recognition and we can ask them to pray and intercede for us on any day of the year.

Some saints are extra special to me and I do ask for their prayers for me and my loved ones. It’s helpful and comforting to have a cadre around us during the trials of this life, and even into the next life. The Chicks on the Case are some of my friends I lean on when it comes to writing or promoting a book here in the earthly realm.

Image by Pixabay

Another friend I’ve always depended on is my guardian angel. He moves freely between the earthly and spiritual realm. I believe there have even been occasions when he rescued me from dangers. I’ve never actually seen my guardian angel, but some people say they have seen theirs. When I think of guardian angels, my mind always turns to Clarence Odbody, who played George’s guardian angel in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life. He doesn’t look impressive as an angelic being, but he is always there for George when he needed a bit of help. He rescued him from suicide on a night that George had just about run out of hope and thought he had run out of friends. And when George and his family heard the bell ring, George gave a knowing wink upward at Clarence.

During this wink of time between Halloween (October 31) and All Souls Day (Nov. 2) I ended up having a lot of thoughts about my guardian angel. I read in the Diary of St. Faustina, a polish nun who lived and died in the 1930s, that Jesus spoke to her and appeared in visions to her and referred to her as the secretary of his mercy. She was made a saint late during the life of Pope St. John Paul II. He felt a special connection to her. And I have to say I have developed a special devotion to her over the years. The part of her diary I read this week was a section I had never read before. She explained that our guardian angels stay with us even as we make our way from this mortal life into purgatory and stay with us until we meet God face to face. I’m going to hang on tight to that heavenly information and comfort.

I know purgatory is a Catholic belief and many of my Protestant friends aren’t familiar with it. Some folks have the idea that purgatory is a mini hell of some sort where God puts us while he decides if we should go to heaven or hell. But this is not Catholic teaching on the subject. When we die, each of us goes directly to heaven, hell, or purgatory. Purgatory is a place we spend a period of purification if we die not fully in God’s grace. We have to be completely clean before we meet an all-holy God. This is a great kindness God gives us. I’ve always been thankful that God is so merciful with us human kind. And now that I know my guardian angel is going to make the trip with me to purgatory, I ‘m extra thankful. I don’t know if my guardian angel looks like Clarence or if he looks like an angel who is more organized than that. But, either way, I’m certain he’s better than I deserve.

Share a favorite holidays film or a guardian angel story in the comments.

30 thoughts on “Friends above and along the way”

  2. I can think of so many times when I know my guardian angel was holding me up along with a few when I am sure she was shaking her head in disbelief at my actions! For me, All Saints Day is when we celebrate all who have passed on and are in God’s presence, canonized or not, so I celebrate my friends and ancestors.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  3. Lovely post, Vickie. Thank you.

    One of my very favorite holiday films—this is by no means my only favorite holiday film; my list is QUITE long—is Rise of the Guardians. OMG! I love it so. It’s an animated film voiced by, among other amazing talents, Chris Pine, Isla Fisher, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Jude Law, and many, many others. Everyone is lovely.

    The movie has so many wonderful messages. Joy as a form of resistance is a strong message in this movie. The importance of identifying your superpower. Redemption. Found family. So many great themes. Every time I watch this movie, I cry happy tears at the end. I love it with my whole heart.

    Thanks for asking!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  8. Whenever I hear the word “angels,” I think of the 60s Hayley Mills comedy “The Trouble with Angels,” chronicling the highjinks of 2 teen girls at a strict Catholic boarding school. No angels there. But I have to agree on Leslie’s picks of “Love, Actually” and “Die Hard.” Redemption all around!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. Like Tom, Christmas Story is one of my favorite holiday films, along with White Christmas. But the two I always go back to are the Alistair Sim 1951 version of A Christmas Carol, and any filmed ballet of The Nutcracker.

      And so interesting about a guardian angel. I’m not sure if I have one, but maybe one has put in an appearance occasionally in the past. The time that stands out is when I was in the car with my parents to visit friends of theirs in the city. We stopped at a red light and I said, “I’m getting out. I’d rather go to the hangout at the high school.” My parents were ticked off but let me go. About a half-hour later, my brother came to get me at the high school. My parents had been in a serious car accident. They were fine but the car had skidded and was totaled. The back doors, where I would have been sitting were crushed into the seat. They practically met in the middle. If I’d been in the car, I don’t think I would have survived the accident.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  10. I recently got converted to White Christmas, and I’m looking forward to watching it again this year. Sweat and fun.

    But for me, the biggest holiday memories are the specials I grew up with, most noticeably A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a reply to patriciasargeant Cancel reply