Saint of the Day - Sts. Michael, Gabriel, Raphael - The Archangels (September 29th)

The three Archangels: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are the only angels named in Sacred Scripture and all three have important roles in the history of salvation. The Catholic Church commemorates them every September 29th. Archangel Michael Michael is the "Prince of the Heavenly Host," the leader of all the angels. The Book of Enoch lists him as one of seven archangels, who, in the Book of Tobit, "stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord". His name is Hebrew for "Who is like God?" and was the battle cry of the good angels against Lucifer and his followers when they rebelled against God. He is mentioned four times in the Bible, in Daniel 10 and 12, in the letter of Jude, and in Revelation. Michael, whose forces cast down Lucifer and the evil spirits into Hell, is invoked for protection against Satan and all evil. Pope Leo XIII, in 1899, having had a prophetic vision of the evil that would be inflicted upon the Church and the world in the 20th century, instituted a prayer asking for Saint Michael's protection to be said at the end of every Mass. Christian tradition recognizes four offices of Saint Michael: (i) to fight against Satan, (ii) to rescue the souls of the faithful from the power of the enemy, especially at the hour of death, (iii) to be the champion of God's people, and (iv) to call away from earth and bring men's souls to judgment. Archangel Gabriel "I am Gabriel, I stand in the presence of God." (Luke 1:19) Gabriel, whose name means "God's strength," is mentioned four times in the Bible. He is the archangel with the power to announce God's will to humans. Most significant are Gabriel's two mentions in the New Testament: to announce the birth of John the Baptist to his father Zacharias, and the Incarnation of the Word in the womb of Mary. Christian tradition suggests that it is he who appeared to St. Joseph and to the shepherds, and also that it was he who "strengthened" Jesus during his agony in the garden of Gethsemane. Islam regards Gabriel as the archangel sent by God to various prophets, including Muhammad. The first five verses of the Al-Alaq, the 96th chapter of the Quran, are believed by Muslims to have been the first verses revealed by Gabriel to Muhammad. Archangel Raphael "I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Glory of the Lord." (Tob 12:15) Raphael is the archangel first mentioned in the Book of Tobit and in 1 Enoch. Raphael, whose name means "God has healed" because of his healing of Tobias' blindness in the Book of Tobit. His office is generally accepted by tradition to be that of healing and acts of mercy. In later Jewish tradition, he became identified as one of the three heavenly visitors entertained by Abraham at the Oak of Mamre. Because of his association with healing, Raphael became identified with the unnamed angel of John 5:1–4 who periodically stirred the pool of Bethesda "For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had". The Catholic Church accordingly links Raphael with Michael and Gabriel as saints whose intercession can be sought through prayer. Images attributed to the following: By Luca Giordano - -gFuGVtOFBqDjg at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons By Leonardo da Vinci - http://www.marysrosaries.com/collabor..., Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons By http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Archang.... Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons. 2007-11-26 (original upload date) Original uploader was Commment at en.wikipedia, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons