I have had a blessed life, a journey that has been rich in blessings. These blessings are brought to me daily by the people in my life. When I look at Anabelle, our three sons, Kathleen, Jonathan and Jane; I am always filled with humility and gratitude and often end up asking: “What have I done to deserve all of them in my life?” Then, there are our extended family and many relatives who have been with us through most of our journeying. In good times and in bad times. There are our many wonderful friends without whom we would not probably have gone this far on our journey nor without whom the journey would not have been half the fun. If angels are messengers sent by God to deliver his message to me, these people are the angels in my life. Through them, I know that I am loved. There are more. I have also been had people in my life who for the most part have remained anonymous, perhaps encountered but fleetingly and often serendipitously, who have helped me along and influenced the course of my life. They too are angels sent to me to deliver a message – that I am loved.
Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, received the message about the coming birth of his son through the message of the angel Gabriel. This happened when he was alone in prayer and offering incense inside the Holy of Holies. It is also when I am alone and in prayer that I come to realize who the angels in my life are and the message they have been sent to deliver to me. It is in prayer that I come to know I am surrounded by angels and who the angels in my life are.
Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Luke 1:5-25