Let’s Celebrate the Archangels: Saints Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Beloved in Christ, today the Church celebrates the three Archangels mentioned in the Sacred Scripture— Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael; and all three have important roles in the history of salvation.

St. Michael is the “Prince of the Heavenly Host,” the leader of all the angels. He is mentioned four times in the Bible: in the Book of Daniel 10 and 12, in the letter of St. Jude, and in the Book of Revelation. The God we serve is not a match to Lucifer. When Lucifer and fellow fallen angels declared a coup d’etat in heaven, the meaning of his name in Hebrew “Who is like God?” became the battle cry of the good angels against Lucifer and his followers. St. Michael was asked by God to lead the forces that comprehensively defeated, humiliated and casted Lucifer and the evil spirits into hell. St. Michael is invoked for protection against Satan, all evils and evil spirits. In 1899, Pope Leo XIII had a prophetic vision of the evil that would be unleashed on the Church and the world in the 20th century, hence, he composed a prayer asking for St. Michael’s protection to be said at the end of every Mass. According to Christian tradition, St. Michael is invoked primarily to do four things: one, to fight against Satan; two, to rescue the souls of the faithful from the power of the enemy, especially at the hour of death; three, to be champion of God’s people; and four, to call away from earth and bring people’s souls to judgment. If you think you are being attacked by the forces of darkness, you can make novena to St. Michael and ask God to send him to fight for you. 

St. Gabriel whose name means “God’s strength” is also mentioned four times in the Scripture. In Luke 1:9, he introduces him as “I am Gabriel, who stand before God.” He is the one who announced the birth of John the Baptist to his father, Zachariah, and the Incarnation of the Word in the womb of Mary. According to Christian tradition, St. Gabriel is the angel who appeared to St. Joseph and to the shepherds, and also the one who “strengthened” Jesus during his agony in the garden of Gethsemane. St. Gabriel is known as the bringer of good news and transforming messages. If you are praying for something particularly significant, for good news, for something that will transform your life to the glory of God, you can make a novena to St. Gabriel, and ask God to use him to deliver the wonderful news you have been praying for.

Saint Raphael is mentioned in the Book of Tobit 12:15, “I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand and serve before the Glory of the Lord.” Raphael means “God has healed” because in the Book of Tobit, God sent him to heal Tobias of his blindness. Tobit is the only Book in which he is mentioned. His office according to tradition is that of healing and acts of mercy. If you are in need of healing— surely, we all are, St. Raphael is the the Saint and Archangel to invoke. 

Sisters and brothers, through St. Michael, God demonstrates his almighty and matchless power to protect and preserve his creation; through St. Gabriel, God manifests his strength by altering human history and saving humanity through the instrumentality of a Woman; and through St. Raphael God shows off his healing mercy, kindness and compassion on us. May God’s name be praised, adored, worshipped, glorified for ever. Amen.