Tag: meaningofangelsandarchangels

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 29 September – Angels and Archangels

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 29 September – Feast of the Dedication of St Michael the Archangel, Readings: Daniel 7: 9-10, 13-14 or Apocalpyse 12: 7-12a; Psalm 138: 1-5; John 1: 47-51

“Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and it’s angels fought back …” … Apocalypse 12:7

REFLECTION – “That angels exist is attested by many pages of Holy Scripture … You should be aware that the word “angel” denotes a function rather than a nature. Those holy spirits of heaven have indeed always been spirits. They can only be called angels when they deliver some message. Moreover, those who deliver messages
of lesser importance, are called angels and those who proclaim messages of supreme importance, are called Archangels. Hence it is, that not just any angel was sent to the Virgin Mary but that Gabriel the Archangel was sent – it was right that the proper one for this role should be of the highest rank of angels, since he was to announce the greatest news of all. …

Whenever a mighty deed is in question, Michael is assigned, so that by his actions and name, which means “Who is like God?”, it may be made known that no-one can do what God can do. So, in the case of our ancient enemy, who, in his pride wanted to be like God when he said: ‘I will ascend to heaven;,above the stars of God, I will set my throne on high; I will make myself like the Most High’ (Is 14:13): when he is shown to be condemned to eternal punishment at the end of the world, he is described, as about to do battle with Michael, as Saint John says : ‘War broke out with Michael the Archangel. The Dragon and its angels fought back but they did not prevail and it was thrown down to earth’ (cf. Rv 12:7-9).

Gabriel was sent to Mary, for Gabriel means ‘Strength of God‘. He came to announce Him who deigned to be lowly so as to wage war on the spiritual powers of the air. He who came as God of power and, as One strong in battle (Ps 24[23]:8) was to be announced by Gabriel, the strength of God. Finally, Raphael is interpreted as ‘Healing of God‘, since he wiped away the shadows of blindness from Tobias when he touched his eyes to cure him. The one who is sent to cure, was indeed worthy of the name .’Healing of God .”- St Gregory the Great (540-604) – Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Homilies on the Gospel, 34, 8-9).

PRAYER – Dear and Holy God, let us offer You all our daily struggles against sin and evil. Grant us the strength to resist all forms of idolatry, to seek only You and never to allow the material goods of this world to seduce us. Sustain us ever more with Your word and help us to find in it, the source of life. Grant that the angels who always minister to You in heaven may defend us during our life on earth and protect us from evil. Grant this, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Quote of the Day – 29 September – – The Feast of Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 29 September – – The Feast of Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael

St Gregory the Great teaches us about the Archangels and why they are distinct from angels.

You should be aware that the word “angel” denotes a function rather than a nature.
Those holy spirits of heaven have indeed always been spirits.
They can only be called angels when they deliver some message.

ANGELS & ARCHANGELS
Moreover, those who deliver messages of lesser importance are called angels;  and those who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called archangels.   And so it was that not merely an angel but the archangel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary.   It was only fitting that the highest angel should come to announce the greatest of all messages.you should be aware - st gregory the great - 29 sept 2017

Some angels are given proper names to denote the service they are empowered to perform.   In that holy city, where perfect knowledge flows from the vision of almighty God, those who have no names may easily be known.   But personal names are assigned to some, not because they could not be known without them but rather to denote their ministry when they came among us.   Thus, Michael means “Who is like God”  Gabriel is “The Strength of God” and Raphael is “God’s Remedy.”

ST MICHAEL
Whenever some act of wondrous power must be performed, Michael is sent, so that his action and his name may make it clear that no one can do what God does by his superior power.   So also our ancient foe desired in his pride to be like God, saying:  I will ascend into heaven;  I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven;  I will be like the Most High.   He will be allowed to remain in power until the end of the world when he will be destroyed in the final punishment.   Then, he will fight with the archangel Michael, as we are told by John:   A battle was fought with Michael the archangel.

GABRIEL & RAPHAEL
So too Gabriel, who is called God’s strength, was sent to Mary.   He came to announce the One who appeared as a humble man to quell the cosmic powers.   Thus God’s strength announced the coming of the Lord of the heavenly powers, mighty in battle.   [Luke 1:11-38]

Raphael means, as I have said, God’s remedy, for when he touched Tobit’s eyes in order to cure him, he banished the darkness of his blindness.   Thus, since he is to heal, he is rightly called God’s remedy.

This post on the archangels is an excerpt from a homily on the Gospels (Hom. 32, 8-9: PL 76, 1250-1251) by St Gregory the Great is used in the Roman Catholic Office of Readings for the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael today.