Dear Parishioners,

Today is the Feast day of the three Archangels: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Angels are spiritual beings created by God to aid humans in their spiritual life. Their name comes from the great word “Angelos” (ἄγγελος) which means messenger. The Archangels are like regular angels except that they carry great messages and are named. We see three of them in scripture.

St. Michael is the most well known Archangel because he appears three times in scripture. First, he appears in the book of Daniel and is described as the one of the princes who assists Daniel. (Dan 10:13) Then, he is specifically called an Archangel in a letter of St. Jude (Jude 1:9) where he is mentioned fighting with the Devil over Moses’s body. Lastly, he is portrayed in Revelations as the one who makes war with the Devil and casts him from heaven. (Rev 12:7-9) In each of these cases, St. Michael is making war against the spirits of evil. So, he is the Guardian of the Church and the patron of police and military personnel. He is also known as being a healer which is why he is also the patron of grocers, doctors and first responders. Pope St. John Paul II encouraged devotion to this Archangel to help the fight against evil forces in the world. So, he recommended the prayer composed by Pope Leo XIII.

The second Archangel is Gabriel. He is most well known for bearing the messages surrounding the birth of Jesus our Lord. He first appeared to Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist. Then he appeared to the Blessed Virgin Mary to announce the conception of Our Lord. His name means the Strength or Power of God. He is a reminder that God’s strength does not come from force because it is seen most clearly in the weakness of a little child. The child Jesus seemed weak and helpless next to the powers that sought His destruction. But in the end the Lord triumphs.

St. Raphael is the least known of the Archangels because he only appears in the Book of Tobit in the Old Testament. In that story, He is the guide of Tobias as he seeks to marry Sarah who is afflicted by a demon who kills every man she is married to. Raphael exorcises Sarah and cures Tobias’s father who suffers from blindness. He does both of these miracles with a fish that Tobias catches earlier in the story. Raphael’s name means God Heals and he is a reminder that God brings healing and peace when we call to Him for help. We are all in need of the care and protection of God who does not abandon His children.

God Bless!

Fr. Carter