When we recite the Creed at every Sunday Mass, we profess God as the Creator of “all things visible and invisible.” The “invisible” refers to the nonmaterial, the creatures of pure spirit, known as angels. The Catechism says, “The existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scriptures usually calls ‘angels’ is a truth of faith.” The angels are called in the letter to the Hebrews “ministering spirits” because “With their whole being the angels are servants of God”
Today we celebrate the feast of the Archangels, Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.
All Angels are ministering servants of God, but the Archangels are entrusted with very special missions.
It was an angel that brought the message of the birth of Samson, but it was the Archangel Gabriel who announced the incarnation of the Son of God. Every angel works to drive back the darkness of evil, but it as the Archangel Michael who was placed by God as Prince of the Heavenly army who drove the Lucifer and the rebellious angels out of heaven. The angels bring healing, and cheer, and inspiration, and protection; but it was the Archangel Raphael who brought healing to the blind Tobit and accompanied Tobias on his special journey.
Since we returned to public masses after Pentecost, we have been praying after mass on Tuesdays and Fridays the so-called Leonine prayers which include the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel. This prayer was composed by Pope Leo XIII after the holy Pope had a terrifying vision of the gathering demonic forces which spurned such great hatred for Catholicism during the 20th century. Pope Leo XIII lived in a time when Masonic, godless, anti-clerical, anti-church forces were congregating in Europe, spreading not only error, but physical violence toward Catholics.
And so he composed the St. Michael prayer, which was to be invoked for the protection of the Church, as Michael is truly the great angelic protector and our defender against the powers of evil—the powers of temptation which afflict all of us, and the powers of evil which seek the ruin of the Church.
Now more than ever we need to invoke these heavenly helpers. For, out of all the angels of heaven, God made the names and work of these archangels known to us because God wants us to call upon their help. For just as Michael was successful at driving the devil and the rebellious angels out of heaven, as we heard in our first reading, God will continue to use Michael to drive back the powers of hell which afflict us, He’ll continue to use Gabriel to help us deliver clearly the Gospel message, and He’ll continue to use Raphael to bring the healing the world so desperately needs.
We should invoke these three archangels every day: for healing, for the ability to communicate the Gospel well, and to drive back the powers of hell for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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Through the intercession of St. Raphael may all who suffer from loneliness or sickness know the healing graces of our loving God. We pray to the Lord.
Through the intercession of St. Gabriel, may God’s strength be with all those who work for the Spread of the Gospel. We pray to the Lord.
Through the intercession of St. Michael, may all who are persecuted for the faith be protected against the wickedness and snares of the devil. We pray to the Lord.
For safety in our city this evening as the presidential candidates gather for debate, that St. Michael patron of police officers will protect those who are tasked with protecting us, that Gabriel may help them communicate well, and Raphael may bring healing to our divided nation.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased clergy and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.
Heavenly Father, may our prayers rise like a pleasant fragrance before you and be brought to your altar on high through the hands of your holy angels. Through Christ Our Lord.
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