The Apostle Paul testifies to the existence of a Guardian Angel in every person when he says: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to serve for those who are to inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14) But the history of the Holy Ascetics of the Faith is especially rich in evidence of this truth. Here the Guardian Angels, appearing in the closest communion with them, often even appear to the sensual eyes: sometimes as prayer leaders for the saints, sometimes as their guardians during sleep, sometimes as ministers during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, sometimes as messengers of the will of God, and so on. The gratifying truth of the existence of these invisible friends and patrons of people can be confirmed by the life experiences of everyone who is attentive to himself. Who has not experienced in his life how someone's invisible hand saved him from visible danger? Who hasn’t noticed, perhaps more than once in his life, how someone’s power awakened him from sleep when it was time for prayers, or was it necessary for other reasons? How did your previously scattered heart sometimes unexpectedly flare up even during prayer itself?
How did someone’s voice, inaudible to the ear, but clear to the soul, warn against the intention to do a bad deed? and so on. An unbeliever, or inattentive to himself, will call all this an accident, or will explain it with something natural; but nothing in the world is accidental; and in the natural, supernatural power is often hidden. People experienced in spiritual life, who, therefore, deserve more trust in this regard, say directly that all the good mysterious influences that we experience in life are the actions of our Guardian Angels, assigned to us by God himself. When, under what... - note from the electronic editors.
The original does not contain the ending of this prayer, added. — note from the electronic editors.
The original does not contain the beginning of this prayer. The beginning of the prayer is a note from the electronic editor.
This prayer was composed by St. Macarius the Great.
This prayer was composed by St. Macarius the Great.