“Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.”
— From Frank Capra’s film
“It’s a Wonderful Life”
(Continued from last week …)
The belief in the presence and power of angels to intervene is strong in popular conservative culture. In a remarkable 1999 Hallmark film, “A Season for Miracles,” an angel plays a pivotal role in helping a loving aunt to two children whose incarcerated, drug addicted mother places them in a situation forcing them to run and escape from the foster care system that threatens to split them apart during Christmas. The film is based on a novel by Marilyn Pappano and scripted by Maria Nation. It was very ably directed by Michael Pressman.
It is a heartwarming story set in a small town called Bethlehem during Christmas with engaging characters like Agatha and Corrina. For those with a penchant for romance, the story has spades of it as well. So check this film out on youtube whether it is Christmas or not. In my opinion, this is a timeless piece of good work worth watching a hundred times. It will be an hour and some minutes to lighten your load and feel the presence of angels in your life as well.
Suspend disbelief. That is the only way to enjoy stories about angels.
Trawl the internet and social media and read about how angels, though unseen in many instances, can be felt by many who believe in them. There are many instances when the presence and oftentimes the direct interventions of one’s personal guardian angel are a part of the twists and turns of the unraveling story of many people’s lives.
Many have written about their encounters with angels, documenting how their guardian angels are a real part of their lives guarding, guiding and protecting them from harm and on many occasions, even from death, because their time had not yet come. I am sure many others have their own personal stories to tell about this unseen entity that can be ascribed to the presence of God himself – an ever-present help to aid us in navigating life on earth.
The common image of an angel is a beautiful heavenly being with piercing eyes, big white pair of wings and long cascading golden hair, robed in androgynous white gown and who is neither male nor female but to which we ascribe the word “he” just for convenience.
An angel, who is an eternal celestial being, is not subject to the constraints of gravity, time, space or language problems. Communication between protector and protectee is often wordless and automatic. Some are messengers and some bring punishment and death but each has a definite purpose, most of which are beneficial to humans.
Some claim to have seen their angels appearing differently from the common image we believe of winged beings. Some morph into human form to lend a hand, to protect from danger or avert disaster then disappear quickly.
They appear specially when the humans they are protecting find themselves in dire straits and need help. As one might imagine, angels are extremely busy considering the weakness of humans and their predilection to stray from the straight and narrow.
In Frank Capra’s classic Christmas film, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Clarence, a portly, bumbling character aspiring to become an angel must earn his wings by doing something good for a human being in desperate need and contemplating suicide. “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings,” is a memorable line in this classic film that is intended never to get old and aptly becomes new again for a new generation around the Christmas season.
On the other hand, in the warped imagination of liberal film makers, “Michael” supposedly about Michael, the Archangel, the highest seraphim who fought Satan and flung him to the burning sulfurous depths of hell and believed to be the protector of the nation of Israel, is portrayed as somewhat of a sleaze who is more human than angelic.
In this film, Archangel Michael can charm females because he smells of cookies and who is a bit of a Lothario to boot. It may be somewhat funny to color outside the lines in portraying angels but don’t be fooled by the liberal yarn on angels. Hollywood, in my opinion, has no gravitas on angelic matters.
Trust your own instincts. Your own personal experience will color the lens with which you view and relate with your personal guardian angel. God so loved the world, He sent His only son to redeem us from sin and death so we may gain eternal life. Angels are sent to help us during our time here on earth towards this arduous journey to eternal life.
(To be continued …)
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Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail [email protected].
