"Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven."

The "little ones" are the humble and simple among the faithful.  Jesus would not have warned us to "take care not to despise them" if there were not something in us which is tempted to look down upon simple believers.  But how great is their dignity!

"Their angels."  In this one simple phrase Jesus reveals an entire world of the deepest consolations for us.  For each of us has beside us at every moment a powerful but meek angel companion who has been prepared for us and no other from out of the eternal realm.  This angel, created with exquisite, unearthly beauty by God, was created with each of us in mind.  Their strengths are our goals, their unique gifts are our strivings, their personality is our maturing temperament, their mission is the unfolding mystery of our vocation.  So much do these loving, burning flames love us that they wrap themselves in silence by our side so that we may think of the one they point to - Christ - instead of getting lost in them.  Yet the will of the human heart would have a say in this and it is with the profoundest, most tender devotion do we consider this loving companion beside us who has eyes only for us as it were.  But their mission is not just compassion - with fearsome strength will they chastise our conscience, with unflagging duty will they reprimand.  They will not let their consuming love for us cause them to pause when we are in need of stern correction, which is often.

Even so, there is something deep in the human heart which craves such spiritual intimacy with a singular angelic companion.  And how could it be otherwise?  We were made by God for our angel as surely as they were made for us.  The one who is unattached to any earthly love for the purpose of serving God alone may discern this more readily.

Why should God, who is the perfect fulfillment and perfect enjoyment of every human soul and every angelic spirit deign to create both types of creatures to find the deepest joy in the profound spiritual union with each other?  It is a mystery, but it does speak to how he wishes to reveal his generous nature that such profound love, which so very few while on earth experience with their holy angel, be enjoyed amongst his creatures, between themselves (though coming from him), instead of purely and only between creature and God.  How unfathomably generous, what mysterious Humility God is!

Can we not see a prototype, as it were, of this generous gift of God to creature in the foundation of our creation, in the very primordial garden in which God placed man?  Though man was perfectly happy in Eden, though he walked and spoke with God in the evening delights, the Father declared "It is not good that the man should be alone." (Genesis 2.18)  His perfect creation could be perfected even more by creating a species just like man - of his very bones - yet different so that man may have a helper and companion on the earth.  And so woman was created and the hearts of man and woman were turned to each other.

Leaving aside for a moment the great and desperate need man has for a powerful angelic ally who knows how to restrain the demonic forces who would destroy us in an instant if given free reign, leaving that aside for a moment let us consider how the Fathers' declaration that "it is not good that the man should be alone" also applies even more perfectly to the creation of our own unique angel who will be ours and only ours for all of eternity.  In Matthew 22.30 Jesus tells us that in heaven "man neither marries nor is given in marriage but is like the angels in heaven."  Now if the Father declared it wise that man in Eden before the fall and the coming of sin have a help mate and intimate companion in the flesh how much more wise has he considered it that we have a vastly more intimate companion in the spirit with whom we can walk the Eternal Halls, ever the more so since we will be "like them" in that we will no longer require these help mates in the flesh, this union of the sexes.  If man in his natural state of sinlessness before the Fall be given such an earthly companion, what will our relationship be like with our angelic companion once we experience in our bodies and souls the full and complete transformation into glory which the Incarnation has won for us?  Meditate often on the mystery of this invisible companion by your side not, as your angel desires it, so that you consider the angel but rather God's graciousness and wisdom in creating the relationship.  They are so vastly closer to you than any earthly companion as to redefine the term.  They know everything about you and will reveal nothing of it to others (except to God or as commanded by him).  They know only the most profound love for you, and this love is an intimate love specific to you and you alone: your angel does not have the same kind of love for me, oh no!  That love he has for you was placed within him by God, that he never weary of his service to you, that he burn with the most intense desire that you make it into heaven so that he may share the eternal delights of the kingdom with you in a most special way above any other person or angel.  Silence yourself, therefore, and make room in your busy mind and cluttered heart for this most sensitive creature whom God deigns that you grow ever closer to , the more surely so you can come to Him.

"In heaven...they continually see the face of my Father."  From this it is clear that the angels can be in more than one place at the same time.  It is also clear that they can do more than one thing at the same time.  Their service is to man yet they continually see God's face.  How powerful do you suppose their service to us can be if, while they are beside us to "light, guard, rule and guide" they are at the very same time looking straight at the face of God?  From this statement it is also certain that at least part of our own place and activity in heaven will be the same: to stand before God and behold his face.  We must leave for another time a complete meditation on this mystery of "seeing God's face."  For now we will content ourselves on knowing that the seemingly simple act of gazing on our Creators' face will bring with it complete and utter fulfillment and joy.  Gazing on God's face means the understanding of all mysteries.  It means no longer will any separation be possible between God and man.  "We will know as we are known." (1 Corinthians 13.12)  "As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness." (Psalm 17.15)  No longer will we cry out like the psalmist "How long O Lord will you hide your face from me?" (Psalm 13.1), those of us who "seek the face of the God of Jacob." (Psalm 24.6)  "'Come,' my heat says, 'seek his face!'  Your face, Lord, do I seek.  Do not hide your face from me." (Psalm 27.8-9)  Until that happy day when we will stand by our angels side before the Father we are told to "constantly seek the Lord's face" (Psalm 105.4 KJV & NAB).  On seeing God's face scripture also promises "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face." (1 Corinthians 13.12)  and "God's servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads." (Revelation 22.4)

Taken all together, this warning to "not despise little ones whose angels see the Fathers face" is a warning that the angels see all acts of wickedness and are witnesses of our misdeeds before God.  So never imagine that any act toward another goes unwitnessed; there are at least two witnesses who stand before God while gazing on your disrespect - your angel and the angel of the one you have despised.  Consider that but most especially consider the dignity of your brother for whom Christ died.