May the Lord give you. It is 29th September 2023. We celebrate the feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel & Raphael, the Archangels. We reflect on Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 and John 1:47-51.
Is our life a mess or a message?
St. Michael, the protector; St. Gabriel, the presenter of Good News; St. Raphael, the healer intercedes for us all as we celebrate their feast today. Our presence here around either is in a mess or has become a message the way we have related with God and communicated with people around.
Very few angels are given names by God due to the responsibility and the mission that they had to do it for God and in the name of God. Angel means the messenger. Michael protects; Gabriel announces; Raphael guides.
In 1886, Pope Leo XIII composed the “Saint Michael Prayer” that was said at the end of the Mass until 1968. Seldom do we speak and recourse to the aid of the Archangels in our life. Only a handful of Catholics still pray daily for the protection of St. Michael, the Arch Angel or the intercessions of the St. Raphael for our bodily and spiritual ailments.
Most of us swiftly run to the human mediums and false prophets for the protection and healing forgetting these Arch Angels God has given us. Michael means, “Who is like God?” It is to show that how courageous God could be in dealing with the Satan. Every manifestation, and revolt of the Evil one (Rev. 12:7) is thwarted by the courageous battle of St. Michael.
“The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth and its angels were thrown down with it.” (Rev.12:9).
In saving humanity, God wanted to deliver a message of salvation through St. Gabriel means ‘the strength of God’ who announced to the Virgin Mary to be the Mother of God.
While St. Raphael means, “The medicine of God.” We have an inspiring account detailed in the book of Tobit when St. Raphael healed the blindness of Tobit. The Entrance antiphon rightly praise, “Bless the Lord, all you God’s angels, mighty in power, fulfilling God’s Word, and listening to God’s voice.” (Ps.102:20).
The Church never fails to invoke the assistance of the angels in the liturgy more particularly asking the help of the Angels to lead the souls to God during the funeral liturgy. It is our duty to know them, honour them and we all need to seek their assistance for our daily living.
The first reading from the prophet Daniel presents a vision of God’s sovereignty served by multitudes of angels.
The responsorial Psalm praises, “In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.” (Ps.138:1).
In the Gospel, Jesus himself assures the presence of angels in Him as the Son of Man. Jesus said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (Jn.1:51).
May we always ready to communicate and be guided by the angels to have enough protection against all satanic and evil attacks in our lives. May you have a good day. God bless you.