The Gospel passage proposed by the Church for this feast of the archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael is the meeting of Jesus with Nathanael, which St. John places at the beginning of his Gospel. "You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man" (Jn 1:47-51). Jesus makes himself known as the Messiah, and describes the mission of the angels, who are part of the history of salvation, carrying out different missions entrusted by God.
The liturgy celebrates the biblical faith and the doctrinal tradition of the Church. In this case it has unified in on September 29, the feast of the archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Their names refer to their functions as intermediaries between God and men, as well as executors of his orders and transmitters of his messages.
Its name means Fortress of God. The archangel Gabriel was entrusted with the mission of announcing to the Virgin Mary that she would be the Mother of the Savior. The message it conveys is transcendental. Undoubtedly the most important in the History of Salvation; it is about the arrival of the Messiah, the Son of God, to the world.
It was "In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he went in to her and said to her, 'Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you....'". Luke 1:26-28.
In Hebrew it means Who is like God, an expression that is in harmony with his mission and interventions. The archangel Michael is in command of the heavenly armies.. He is the defender of the Church and his name is the battle cry in the battle waged in Heaven against Satan. That is why St. Michael is depicted attacking the infernal serpent. The Church has worshipped him since the 5th century for his role as protector, both in the first reading, during the celebration of the Holy MassThe liturgy of the hours, in antiphons and in the Office of Readings.
The archangel Raphael is the friend of the wayfarers and physician of the sick. His name means Medicine of God or God has worked health. In the Bible he is presented as the protector and companion of all, and is one of the seven great angels present before the glory of the Lord.
It appears in the book of Tobit 12:17-20 that it is the Archangel Raphael himself who reveals his identity: "Do not be afraid. Peace be with you. Bless God forever. If I have been with you..., it has been by God's will. To Him you must bless every day, to Him you must sing... And now bless the Lord on earth and confess to God. Behold, I go up to him who sent me...".
I prayed the prayers of the Work of God, invoking the Holy Archangels, our Patrons: St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael... And how sure I am that this triple call, to such high lords in the Kingdom of Heaven, will be -is- most pleasing to the Triune and One, and will hasten the hour of the Work!
St. Josemaría Escrivá.
St. JosemaríaFrom the beginning of the foundation of the Work, he felt that he needed a lot of help from heaven to carry out the mission that God had entrusted to him: to transmit the message that it is possible to be a saint through work and ordinary life. Part of that help came from the holy archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.
On Thursday, October 6, 1932, while praying in the chapel of St. John of the Cross during his spiritual retreat in the convent of the Discalced Carmelites in Segovia, St. Josemaría chose as patrons of Opus Dei the archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael and the Apostles St. John, St. Peter and St. Paul. From that moment on, he considered them patrons of the different apostolic areas that make up Opus Dei.
Under the patronage of the archangel St. Raphael is the work of Christian formation of youth, from where they arise vocations in the early years, the years of great deeds. Under the patronage of the archangel St. Michael, we find the vocations who are formed spiritually and humanly in celibacy. As for the fathers and mothers of families who are part of the Work, their patron is the Archangel Gabriel.
Thus, we can then recall the passage from the Gospel of Luke that will be read on the feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, and think that God has wanted all Christians to count on the help of the archangels and with the help of the guardian angels who know a lot about the task of kindling cold hearts and helping to make generous decisions.
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