"Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this."
And he 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."
Today we celebrate a holy trinity of angels. The medieval Church gratefully assigned different feast days to three archangels as they remembered the many ways in which angels serve God and his people.
- September 29. St Michael;
- March 24, St Gabriel; and
- October 24, St Raphael.
A strict reading of the Bible, without reference to extra-biblical literature, Christian or Jewish, finds only a few references to today's honorees; and assigns different chores to each of them.
- Saint Michael is the warrior:
- Daniel 10:13: As one of the chief princes in God's kingdom, he comes to the aid of another angel who is withstanding the prince of Persia.
- Daniel 12:1: "At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands for your people".
- Jude 1:9: Michael disputes with Satan over the body of Moses.
- Revelation 12:7-9: "War broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back... the dragon was hurled down to the earth, with his angels hurled down with him".
- Saint Gabriel is the messenger from God.
- Daniel 9:20-25 -- He reassures the prophet that the people's prayers and penance have been heard and that relief in on the way.
- He reappears in Luke 1 with more good news as he announces the births of John the Baptist and Jesus to Zechariah and Mary of Galilee.
- Saint Raphael guided Tobit's son Tobiah to meet his future wife Sarah, and to heal Tobit's blindness. He says he stands with six other angels in the presence of God.
(Saint Uriel has also been counted as an archangel in some Christian traditions but appears only in extra-biblical literature.)
Although many people today, including Christians, doubt the existence of angels, they appear in every book of the Bible. To suppose that we know better than many generations of practicing Jews and Christians amounts to conceit. We have no evidence to show they do not exist; and innumerable witnesses, living and dead, to show they do.
Nor do they only protect children. The archangels exercise great authority in battle against demons as we find in the Books of Joshua, Daniel, and Revelation. They are powerful friends and allies to everyone who would resist evil. Saint Gabriel speaks of their continual ministry in the presence of God; and Raphael is approachable and helpful with astonishing authority to heal.
As he prayed in Saint Damien's abandoned chapel below Assisi, Saint Francis found that he had entered the presence of Mary, the Queen of Angels. The place was full of them, singing her praises and continually ready to obey her commands! The very humility of the dusty old shrine spoke of her poverty in Galilee and her majesty in heaven. I experienced something similar when, for two years, I celebrated Mass alone in the VA chapel during the COVID epidemic. I knew the room was willed with worshiping angels and singing saints.
When we are sore beset with troubles, we should remember God's help; it comes to us in battalions of angels, as Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane. We should never doubt their eager readiness to stand with us. We should never hesitate to call upon them in the hour of need.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.