the natures of real angels (videos)

Guardian Angels, Demonic Attacks & Spiritual Warfare (video title)

Were There Demons In The Old Testament? with Dr. John Bergsma (video title)

Guardian Angels Protected Family in Horrific Car Crash: Addi’s Story (video title)

Father Mark Beard's Homily - "Interview w/ an Exorcist" (video)

Father Ripperger - A Demon Told This Exorcist: "It's How I Took Your Government Out" | SRS #324 (video title)

E.L.F. Founder on Giving Up Fortune to Become a Priest (Fr. Scott-Vincent Borba) | Ep. 588 (video title)

The Angels and the Ascension: What We Didn't Know - Explaining the Faith with Fr. Chris Alar (video title)

St. Michael the Archangel... in Starfire Angels

I've mentioned previously that I have a devotion to St. Michael. Fr. Ripperger explains it here pretty concisely. It's probably obvious that I have a special interest in angels (Starfire Angels), with my fictional aliens that look like our impression of angels having a mechanism for similar abilities, but they're nothing like the real angels, who are beings of pure spirit, not flesh and blood.

Minor Forgotten Worlds spoilers below

Because of my devotion to St. Michael, I found a way to include him in Book 22 of Starfire Angels: Forgotten Worlds, although I don't identify him by name. In the setting of the story, what I personally refer to as the St. Michael door will be thought to be an Inari and Issa. That door also has a modified-for-the-series portion of the St. Michael prayer. Those who know will recognize it and the changes I made to accommodate the setting.

It's no coincidence that, after writing that, I started having more trouble writing the series--St. Michael is the archangel who was assigned to cast Lucifer (Satan) into hell. Fr. Ripperger and other exorcists (restating what has been written by church fathers from the early centuries) have said that demons can affect our imaginations (to stop us from doing what is right and/or lead us to what is wrong (i.e. graphic sex scenes, glorifying witchcraft and murder, etc.)). They can affect our mental faculties in multiple ways. I've had to increase my prayer life to finish this series, but God has given me the best of ideas as a result! God turns all things for the good of our souls. I just had to struggle a bit and learn to rely on God for the right inspiration, not myself.

And then there's the name of the baby finally revealed in Book 21, where I honored another great archangel. St. Gabriel is the archangel who delivered the news to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she would be the mother of God, months after having delivered the message to Zachariah that he would have a son who would be named John (the Baptist). I felt that this name would best fit the series for naming styles and what that baby represents in the story. I added Seldar to that because of the name of affection given to his mother by the baby's father in the story and what I created as a meaning for that word in the fictional language.

And on that note, I've come full circle to the video above, which was created and published by Gabi After Hours. Gabi is the nickname of Gabriel Castillo, the man who created and manages the channel, which has many more great videos. I highly recommend you check it out. He even interviewed Jordan Peterson's wife about her conversion and miraculous cancer recovery.

God bless!

ps--Book 24 is over 6,600 words presently. Making good progress!

Every Time You Meet Someone, This Is Happening (Padre Pio) (video title)

Because I love angels...

This is a very good explanation, and it gives me hope that those who have cut off communication with me are still receiving the messages through their angels from the grace of God from my prayers.

DO this in your NEXT CONFESSION to overcome shame (video title)

05 Dec 25 - Interesting Facts About Angels and Demons (video title)

I've always had a fascination with angels and demons, and it's influenced my writing. That should be obvious with my primary series, the only one I keep published--Starfire Angels. It's worthwhile understanding the preternatural truth.

The angel sent the dog to help Fr. Reehil? 16 Beautiful Things I've Learned about Guardian Angels (video title)

This past week were two angelic recognition days in the church:

• (Sept. 29) Michaelmas, the Feast of St. Michael, St. Raphael, and St. Gabriel, the only angels named in the Bible
• (Oct. 2) The Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels

LEARN YOUR FAITH! The Queenship of Mary | Dr Scott Hahn (video title)

Who fights for you when you can’t? The invisible battle you can’t ignore. (video title)

I've always had an interest in angels, which should be evident by my longest-running book series (Starfire Angels). Those fictional angels aren't real angels, but I did intend them to be as close as a mortal creature could be.

But I have a particular attachment to St. Michael. I've learned that when we're drawn to a particular saint, it's because God has assigned them to help us in some way for our spiritual growth. (I use the common image of St. Michael in Book 22 of Starfire Angels: Forgotten Worlds, along with parts of the Pope Leo the XIII's St. Michael prayer and the guardian angel prayer in a way that fit perfectly in the story, but neither is referenced to the source. Those who know will know.)

I've recently purchased stones from the cave mentioned in the video and noticed a change for the better in my prayers in the vicinity of these stones. They were also recommended by one of the exorcists I listen to, and he had said they are powerful, but they're sacramentals, not relics. They're something different, because they come from the cave in Gargano, Italy, consecrated by St. Michael, the angel tasked with sending Satan and his minions from heaven.

We all have a guardian angel, but St. Michael commands the armies of heaven.

St. Michael, defend us in battle!

God bless!

Here's a longer presentation about this powerful defender we can call upon to help us, not because God won't but because God made angels for this purpose:

Feeling off lately? The enemy might be closer than you think. (video title)

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle,

be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,

and do thou, O prince of the heavenly host,

thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits

who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.

(prayer by St. Pope Leo XIII)

From Wall Street to Exorcisms w/ Fr. Dan Reehil | The Lila Rose Podcast...

Symbols of Tolkien's faith within Lord of the Rings

Something many readers either don't understand or choose to ignore is that John Ronald Ruel Tolkien was a devout Catholic. He incorporated that into Lord of the Rings. I once read that when the Novus Ordo mass became the main format (versus the Traditional Latin Mass), he continued to respond in the Latin responses (instead of English).

In this video is an interesting discussion about the ways that aspects of Tolkien's faith are incorporated into LOTR and some of the deeper symbolisms we don't necessarily think about when enjoying the story.

I write Starfire Angels, especially Forgotten Worlds, from the perspective of my own Catholic faith. I have a special affinity for angels and all that they do for us, especially our guardian angels. Like Padre Pio suggested, I thank my angel every day for taking care of me and helping me. In my deepening faith, I've developed an ability to hear him more clearly, and the outcome of obeying God's will as shared by one's guardian angel (whose job is to bring us to God) is far more rewarding than ignoring Him. (I'm not talking about earthly rewards but spiritual benefits, although often there are more tangible benefits in our lives too.)

The Starfire entities in my Starfire Angels are much like our real guardian angels, the reason they are alternatively known as Guardians. They only provide what is needed when it's needed. This helps the story but it is also based on the Keeper needing to have faith and obeying the Starfire. Keepers have to give up themselves in order to serve the will of the Starfire, like we are asked to give up our free will to love God by complete obedience through the virtues, especially faith, hope, and charity (divine virtues) and the many other virtues He expects from us (which counter sin).

We can choose not to obey, but that way lies damnation and slavery, as described in the discussion in the video above. There is freedom in virtues and absence of sin, which is obedience to God - "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Like only those souls who perfect the virtues will be allowed in the presence of God (no stain of the least sin is allowed, the reason for spending time purging ourselves of the stain of sin before entering heaven), so too will only those Keepers who are virtuous be accepted to bear the power and responsibility of the Starfire shards. The Starfire entities (Guardians) have been known to destroy worlds where evil is too entrenched, just as God throughout the Bible and events since the last letter of the Bible and continuing throughout history has unleashed punishments when humanity has become so evil that a chastisement is necessary.

There are more subtle aspects to the Starfire Angels universe that are based on Catholic theology, but the Pints with Aquinas video started me thinking about this aspect of my world.

God uses each of us to help others; we just need to listen and obey. This song has always been one of my favorites about angels and even describes how we need to be loving to one another, to be angels to others.

You don't have to be Catholic to enjoy it (just as you don't have to be Catholic to enjoy Lord of the Rings or Starfire Angels).

ps--In the Catholic church, October 2nd is the feast day to celebrate our guardian angels.

Angel of God, my guardian dear...

I may write about alien "angels" in Starfire Angels, but each of us is actually assigned a real guardian angel when God infuses our soul into our body in the womb. St. Padre Pio was said to see and communicate with his guardian angel, as were several other saints.

I've heard my guardian angel on a few occasions and depend on him to wake me up in the morning for morning prayers--I never need an alarm clock--before I get ready for work. I've only kind of seen my guardian angel a couple of times in my life. I've never had a clearly defined image of his face, but their wings are of pure light, not feathers, which makes perfect sense as they are spiritual beings. I wasn't shown that until recently when being shown by my angel how to properly prostrate myself in respect to the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. (I saw him as if he was next to me, which is why I never saw his face, but the white robe and brilliant wings of pure light were amazingly clear!)

Anyway, here's something else to ponder about our guardian angels, from The Mystical City of God, Volume IV, by Ven. Sr. Mary of Jesus of Agreda (Spain), written in the 1600's:

At the moment in which a human being is conceived, the Lord commands the angels to stand guard over it and its mother. Afterwards, at the right time, He assigns a particular angel as its guardian, as I said in the first part of this history (Part I, 114). From the very beginning the angels enter into violent combat with the demons for the protection of the souls committed to their care. The demons contend that they have jurisdiction over the creature, because it is conceived in sin, a child of malediction, unworthy of grace and divine favor, and a slave of hell. The angel refutes them by maintaining that it was conceived according to the laws of nature, over which hell has no power; that, if it is conceived in sin, it was due to its human nature, by default of the first parents and not of its own free will; and that, even if conceived in sin, God has created it to know, praise and serve Him, and, by virtue of his Passion, to merit eternal glory; and that these high ends are not to be frustrated by the mere will of the demons. (par. 283)

If they are legitimate children, the angels allege, that the parents have received the Sacraments and blessings of the Church; likewise, that they have some virtues, such as having given alms, being kind, having practised some devotions or good works. The holy angels avail themselves of these things as powerful arms to ward off the devils and defend their charges. Over illegitimate children the combat waxes more difficult; the enemy exercises a greater right, because in the begetting of such children, wherein God has been so grievously offended, the enemies obtain a greater right and the parents justly deserve rigorous chastisement. Hence, in defending and preserving illegitimate children, God manifests his most liberal mercy in a special manner. The angels base their arguments against the demon on this mercy, and that, after all, the children are the results of natural causes, as I have said above. If the parents have no merits of their own, neither any virtues, but are sullied by sins and vices, then the holy angels refer to the merits found in the forefathers of the child, in its brothers or relations; to the prayers of its friends and acquaintances, and that it is no fault of the child if the parents are sinners or have committed excess in its generation. They also contend, that those children, if they live, may reach a high degree of virtue and holiness, and that the demon has no right to hinder them from arriving at the knowledge and love of their Creator. (par. 284) 

There's much more, but this chapter was an incredible revelation of what goes on in the spiritual realm and all that our guardian angels do for our souls.

As for the opening line of the prayer as the subject of this post...

Angel of God, 

my guardian dear,

to whom God's love 

commits me here,

ever this day 

be at my side

to light and guard, 

to rule and guide.

Amen

Incredible real angel story: the protection of Saint Michael the Archangel

I love stories like this and wanted to share. It's a true story from a Korean War soldier's letter to his mother as reported at https://pjmedia.com/culture/catherinesalgado/2023/10/01/a-u-s-marines-story-of-archangel-michael-the-korean-war-and-a-miracle-n1731448.

Make sure you read to the end. The result of this incident will have your jaw hanging on the ground. This is just a teaser:

"When I got to Korea, I prayed even harder. Remember the prayer you taught me? ‘Michael, Michael of the morning, Fresh court of Heaven adorning…’ you know the rest of it. Well, I said it every day. Sometimes, when I was marching, sometimes resting…I even got some of the other fellows to say it."

[...]

"I opened my eyes for one last look. ‘I’m dying,’ [I thought,] maybe I was even dead. I remember thinking, ‘Well, this isn’t so bad.’ Maybe I was looking into the sun, maybe I was in shock, but it seemed that I saw Michael standing erect again, only this time, his face was shining with a terrible splendor.

"As I say, maybe it was the sun in my eyes, but he seemed to change as I watched him. He got bigger, his arms stretched out wide. Maybe it was the snow falling again, but there was a brightness around him like the wings of an angel. In his hand was a sword that flashed with a million lights."

Follow the link above and read to the whole story. You will not be disappointed.

I love stories about angels. Today is the feast day of Guardian Angels. Michael isn't a guardian angel but, rather, an Archangel, specifically the one who cast Satan into hell upon God's order. He's considered the patron of soldiers because of this.

When I first created Starfire Angels (back in early 2008), I wanted to make my "angels" like the real angels as much as I could, but clearly they would not be true angels. That's where the Starfire crystal came in, an explanation for giving the mortal aliens extraordinary powers. Although my Inari will never be like true angels, stories like this prior to creating them were part of my inspiration.

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Another guardian angel story that came out today: Actor Bug Hall's First Encounter With His Guardian Angel: "I Was Immediately Overwhelmed"