All Things Angels with Monsignor Brian Bransfield

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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Brian Bransfield (0:17)

Stay close to the angels, and just pray the simple prayer, good and holy angels, please help me, and then mention whatever it is you need help with. Humility is the central moment of the angels, because their invisibility is not about themselves, it's not about how they exercise on their own behalf. Their invisibility is their humility.

They work behind the scenes, so Christ is prominent for them. And so trust the words that they are often much more invisibly present than they are visibly present. So call on them, they're always near, and they will be close and take care of you.

SPEAKER_1 (0:56)

It's The Drew Mariani Show on Relevant Radio.

Drew Mariani (0:59)

That's the voice of my next guest, Monsignor Brian Bransfield, who is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

He's been a guest many times in the program. He's written a great book on angels, and I want to get you connected to that book as well. It's called Angels, Our Guardians in Spiritual Battle. It's available at osv.com. It's our Sunday visitor. And we'll talk to him. If you have questions about the angels, let's talk about those. Maybe you stopped praying to your guardian angel years ago, but I'm telling you, you have not outgrown the need for his help. You do not know. You probably have no idea how many times it has helped you in times of temptation or trial or danger. So what does the church teach about these heavenly companions? And how might they help you in temptation or difficult decisions? Or maybe even the burdens that you carry today. It's the Feast of the Archangels. And we want to look not only at the great archangels, but also at the nine choirs of angels and your guardian angels. And what scripture has to say, what saints reveal about the unseen care that God has given to us. And I want to hear about your guardian angels as well. You know, what's the greatest concern that reaches beyond your safety today? You know what it is? It's your life and eternity, because that is their main mission. And that is what the angels want to do. They want to get you to heaven. And the Catechism of the Church teaches that angels are real and they're personal. They are spiritual creatures. Do they have a sex? Are they male? Are they female? We'll explore that. What type of intelligence do they possess?

Do they have free will? We could take your calls for Monsignor Bransfield at 888-914-9149.

888-914-9149. They serve God, right, and his saving purposes. And you just, I don't want to pop your balloon right now, but your loved one does not become an angel after death. You know, a lot of people believe that's the case. You know, human beings and angels, they are distinct creatures, right? They are distinct creations of God. When you ask an angel's help, your worship still belongs to God alone. St. Thomas Aquinas, in Catholic tradition, he explored the angelic, and he describes nine choirs of angels. We have the Seraphim, the Cherubim, the Thrones, the Minions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities and Archangels, and then the Guardian Angels.

And that order really reflects a theological understanding that's drawn from Scripture, and we'll go through that with you today. So, bottom line, though, your Guardian Angel, work on that relationship with them, okay? Because their mission concerns your eternal destination. And today, I really want to shine the light on the angelic. Ask for their protection on the highway. Ask for them in times of difficulty. When you face a difficult conversation or a big decision, or when resentment begins to harden your heart, or when you're tempted to return to a sin that you've struggled to leave behind, call upon your guardian angels. Angels can encourage you towards good without taking away your freedom. So we'll take your calls and your questions right now, and there are a million of these, so feel free to dial in. Right now, it's a delight to have with me, as I said, the author of Angels are Guardians in Spiritual Battle, Monsignor Bransfield. Monsignor, thanks for being here. Good afternoon.

Brian Bransfield (4:36)

Good afternoon, Drew. It's a pleasure to be with you and your listeners today on this most important feast of the Holy Archangels.

Drew Mariani (4:42)

Well, I love it. Let's do a 101, if we could, on Angels. You wrote the book on it, and honestly, it is one of the best books you can read on the Angels. So if you really want to dive into this area, I'd recommend you check out that book. But let's go through this. Most people think of only one type of angel, like a Guardian Angel, or maybe two, okay, the Archangels.