Angels on Duty: Happy Angels Season

September 29, 2024

Dear Diary,

This is the season of angels, my friends! Specifically, for us Catholics, it’s a two-part celebration: September 29 for the mighty Archangels and October 2 for our ever-patient Guardian Angels. It’s like angel appreciation week but stretched out, because, let’s be real—celestial beings need more than a day to flex their wings and show off their supernatural swag. (And let’s be honest, I think they deserve it after dealing with us humans.)

By the way, remember my little tiff with Raguel, my Guardian Angel? Yeah, that was a time. If you missed it, you can catch up here: Raguel, My Guardian Angel. Spoiler: We had another disagreement recently about his “angelic interference.” It was my terrible habit of hitting the snooze button about 15 times every morning. I mean, I appreciate the angelic guidance and all, but seriously, a girl needs her sleep, right?

But enough about that! Let’s talk about the Archangels, those celestial heavyweight champions who seem to be in charge of all the big jobs—like fighting off demons, delivering divine messages, and other small tasks, like protecting the universe from total chaos. You know, just another Sunday for them.

September 29 is their big day, and the main three we celebrate (though there are more) are Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Think of them like the Avengers of the angelic realm—minus the CGI explosions but with a lot more grace.

Michael – The Boss Man – For real, you want him on your team when things get dicey. He’s basically heaven’s top security guard, and his name literally means “Who is like God.” You know when you sense something creeping too close in your space, and you whisper, “St Michael – the Archangel, defend me”? That’s his cue. He’ll vroom in with a flaming sword, clearing out all the bad vibes. What a guy!

Gabriel – The Newsbreaker – Sure, all angels are technically messengers, but Gabriel’s the one who delivers the big, life-changing headlines. You don’t get named “Strength of God” for sharing casual updates! “Hey, Mary! Soooo, you’re going to have the Son of God!” Boom—just drops that bombshell, no warm-up. I imagine Gabriel hovering over my shoulder when I’m about to send an uninhibited text at 2 a.m., whispering, “Maybe you need to first sleep on that one, Toyo. Send it when you’re more awake.”

Raphael – The Healer – Ah, Raphael, the angelic doctor, with his glowing stethoscope and creative remedies. Remember that time he healed a blind man with fish guts? Now that’s thinking outside the box. When life kicks you in the shins, Raphael’s the one who patches you up—whether it’s a broken spirit or a literal injury.

Now, while the Archangels are out there handling epic cosmic battles, I’m over here trying to reconnect with Raguel, my Guardian Angel, who’s probably still salty from our snooze-button showdown. I’ve been ignoring his gentle nudges the whole of September. If he could throw me into hellfire, I think he might’ve considered it by now. Here’s what Raguel’s day-to-day with me probably looks like:

6:00 a.m.: Failed attempts to wake Toyo up.
6:20 a.m.: Tries again.
7:15 a.m.: Sigh. Maybe try some light angelic intervention (jolt the bed or blow up her charger).
8:00 a.m.: FINALLY awake. Remind her to eat breakfast (again).
9:00 a.m.: Prevent her from walking into a streetlamp while texting.
10:30 a.m.: Gently suggest she works on that PhD thesis.
12:00 p.m.: Insert reminder to call Mum.
3:00 p.m.: Nudge her to tone down the imaginary arguments she’s having in her head.
6:00 p.m.: Gently suggest that she prays the Angelus.
9:00 p.m.: Convince her that staying up until 2 a.m. reading Ecclesiasticus memes isn’t a great idea.

Guardian Angels don’t get the flashy battles like the Archangels, but trust me—they’re doing the heavy lifting in the background. They’re the unsung heroes, quietly saving you from walking into traffic while texting or reminding you to pray when you’re having an existential crisis about the future of humanity.

I know Raguel’s got a lot on his plate, and I’m probably not making it any easier. So, as we celebrate the Guardian Angels on October 2, I’ll try to be a little kinder to him. Maybe I’ll hit snooze only twice from tomorrow. Progress, right?

And you, Dear Reader, don’t forget: The Archangels may be out there fighting the big battles, but your Guardian Angel is right there with you in the trenches—whether it’s protecting you from bad decisions or, in my case, nudging me toward a somewhat functional sleep schedule.

So, as we approach Guardian Angels’ Day, maybe take a moment to say a little prayer to your own angel:

Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom God’s love commits me here,
Ever this day, be at my side,
To light, to guard, to rule, and to guide. Amen.

Happy Angel Season, everyone! Give your Guardian Angel a shoutout for sticking with you through your most embarrassing moments. Trust me—they’ve seen it all!

Yours Sincerely,

Oluwatoyosiyinikansosolaiyeatilorun!

Photo credit: USA Wire