SAINTS MICHAEL, GABRIEL, AND RAPHAEL, ARCHANGELS (FEAST)

In the presence of the angels I will sing your praise. 

Why does the Church set aside a special feast day for the archangels? In a morning meditation on this day in 2017, Pope Francis provided an answer: “We celebrate three of these archangels because they played an important role in the history of salvation, and also because they play an important role in our journey toward salvation.” Let’s consider each one in turn.

Francis said that St. Michael is “the one who fights against the devil,” as described in the Book of Revelation (12:7-12). “Troubling our lives, he always tries to seduce us as he seduced our mother Eve.” St. Michael “helps us to fight against [the devil] and to not be seduced by this evil spirit which deceives us.”

St. Gabriel “is the one who brings the good news.” Just as he delivered the good news of salvation to Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph, so he is the messenger of salvation for us as well. “With so much bad news or news with no substance, we forget the good news, the one of the gospel,” the Holy Father said. “Gabriel himself . . . reminds us of this.”

Finally, St. Raphael “takes us by the hand and walks with us; he helps us with the many things that occur along the journey.” He is our “traveling companion,” Pope Francis said. Just as he guided the steps of Tobiah on his arduous journey (Tobit 5–13), so he guides our steps. We must ask him to help us “not to be tempted to take the wrong step, to take the wrong path.”

The archangels are holy and powerful, but as Pope Francis pointed out, our vocation is very similar to theirs: to serve the Lord, to praise him, and to contemplate his glory. Today, let’s call upon these mighty servants of God and ask them to intercede for us. As they defend us in battle, remind us of the good news, and accompany us on our journey, they will be helping us to fulfill this great vocation to which we have all been called!

“Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, pray for us!”

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
John 1:47-51
Psalm 138:1-5

WORD AMONG US