Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels
Today’s readings include mentions of angels, but they are generic references. A number of years ago, I happened to be on an 8-day silent retreat at a Jesuit Retreat House on this feast. That gave me plenty of time to explore all the bible passages and stories of these three Holy Ones. It was a wonderful exploration, that I comment to you as well. As a Marianist, I am more familiar with the most famous appearances of Gabriel (“God is my strength”), in the Gospel of Luke (Chap. 1) first to Zechariah and then to Mary. To Zechariah, the Angel says “I am Gabriel… and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news.” To Mary, his first word is “Rejoice!” and tells her she is favored in God’s sight. Would that we would listen for this voice and gain strength to follow our call in the assurance that God also favors us and sends us messages of Good News! Michael (“Who is like God?”) appears in a vision of Daniel’s call and again in the book of Revelation as the one who “comes to the assistance” of those who are in need. In Revelation, he comes to defend the Woman who has given birth in the face of the dragon who wanted to devour her child (Rev. 12). We often pray to St. Michael “to be our protection,” recognizing that we can get caught in the troubles and even the evil of the world around us. Raphael (God heals) is presented to us in the Book of Tobit, who, in disguise, guides Tobit’s son Tobias on a long and sometimes perilous journey to find his wife Sarah and to learn ways of healing that allow Tobias to return and heal his father’s blindness. Only afterwards, when Tobit and Tobias are trying to express profound thanks to the Guide and wondering how to repay him, does Raphael reveal his true nature saying, “My presence was by the will of God and God is the one whom you must bless as long as you live.” So too for us, the challenge to recognize the guides and healers that God send into our lives, to praise God for this accompaniment and then to proclaim what God has done for us.
-Sr. Laura M. Leming, FMI, PhD.