For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways (Ps 91:11).

Two hours after he was born, my child turned blue and was whisked away to the NICU. Over the next several days, doctors, nurses, and specialists visited, ran tests and scans, and attempted to figure out what had gone wrong and how to fix it.

Gripped with fear, we enlisted friends and family near and far to pray for our little one. My husband performed an emergency baptism, just in case. We hung blessed medals over the little incubator, recited Goodnight Moon so he could hear our familiar voices amid beeping machines, admired tiny fingers and toes through a plastic dome, and ached to hold him.

Throughout that NICU stay, we relied heavily on faith, hope, and trust. Prayers of faith, our own and those of others, sustained us. Hope that the situation would improve, that we’d find a cause or a solution or both, that we’d finally – finally – get to go home, gave us the stamina to continue to trek back & forth to the hospital. Trust – that the hospital staff would care for our child, and that our baby would be okay when we had to leave him behind for the night and return home, again, without him.

As the years have passed, there have been many times where I can’t physically be there for my kids—especially as they’ve grown older. As they head out to school, to new jobs, to drive to a friend’s house, or even just to pick up a sibling or some groceries, faith and hope and trust come into play again.

We trust they’ll arrive safely. We hope that they’ll make good decisions and good friends, and that people will be kind. We have faith they’ll make it back home.

And, as the years have passed, I realize I have some leverage, a secret weapon of sorts, to help guide my children: their guardian angels.

St. John Vianney said, “Our guardian angels are our most faithful friends, because they are with us day and night, always and everywhere. We ought often to invoke them.”

A constant presence to watch over our children, even when we can’t be there is such a great gift!

Even if my child doesn’t hear me, their guardian angel can reach them.

Even if my location app isn’t working, I know their guardian angel knows where they are.

Even if I can’t be with my child, their angel always is.

A guiding light to guard, rule, and guide their souls provided by the one everlasting light is a comforting thought. Especially for moms.

I can entreat my child’s guardian angel to help keep them safe, to help them be a good friend, to help them be kind. And ultimately, their guardian angel can help them along the narrow path so they will finally—finally—make it to their eternal home.