Feast of The Archangels

[BarbTherese]

 

29th September 2018

Feast of

The Archangels Raphael, Gabriel and Michael

 

About today's Feast of The Archangels

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/sts-michael-gabriel-raphael-archangels-609

 

Heavenly King, You have given us archangels
to assist us during our pilgrimage on earth.
Saint Michael is our protector;
I ask him to come to my aid,
fight for all my loved ones,
and protect us from danger.
Saint Gabriel is a messenger of the Good News;
I ask him to help me
clearly hear Your voice
and to teach me the truth.
Saint Raphael is the healing angel;
I ask him to take my need for healing
and that of everyone I know,
lift it up to Your throne of grace
and deliver back to us the gift of recovery.
Help us, O Lord,
to realize more fully the reality of the archangels
and their desire to serve us. 
Holy angels,
pray for us.
Amen.

[Guest]

St Michael

He is mentioned in the Apocalypse as the leader of the heavenly host. He is a patron of soldiers.

  See the article in the Catholic Encyclopaedia. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10275b.htm

 

St Gabriel 

He appears in the book of Daniel to explain some of the prophet’s visions, and was also the bearer of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

  See the article in the Catholic Encyclopaedia.  http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06330a.htm

 

St Raphael

In the Book of Tobit, he is the angel who heals Tobit of his blindness. His name means God heals.

  See the article in the Catholic Encyclopaedia.  http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12640b.htm

A sermon of Pope St Gregory the Great

The word "angel" denotes a function rather than a nature

(Second Reading, Office of Readings, 29th Sept 2018)

"You should be aware that the word “angel” denotes a function rather than a nature. Those holy spirits of heaven have indeed always been spirits. They can only be called angels when they deliver some message. Moreover, those who deliver messages of lesser importance are called angels; and those who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called archangels. And so it was that not merely an angel but the archangel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary. It was only fitting that the highest angel should come to announce the greatest of all messages.

  Some angels are given proper names to denote the service they are empowered to perform. In that holy city, where perfect knowledge flows from the vision of almighty God, those who have no names may easily be known. But personal names are assigned to some, not because they could not be known without them, but rather to denote their ministry when they came among us. Thus, Michael means “Who is like God”; Gabriel is “The Strength of God”; and Raphael is “God’s Remedy.”

  Whenever some act of wondrous power must be performed, Michael is sent, so that his action and his name may make it clear that no one can do what God does by his superior power. So also our ancient foe desired in his pride to be like God, saying: I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven; I will be like the Most High. He will be allowed to remain in power until the end of the world when he will be destroyed in the final punishment. Then, he will fight with the archangel Michael, as we are told by John: A battle was fought with Michael the archangel.

  So too Gabriel, who is called God’s strength, was sent to Mary. He came to announce the One who appeared as a humble man to quell the cosmic powers. Thus God’s strength announced the coming of the Lord of the heavenly powers, mighty in battle. Raphael means, as I have said, God’s remedy, for when he touched Tobit’s eyes in order to cure him, he banished the darkness of his blindness. Thus, since he is to heal, he is rightly called God’s remedy."