Angels are messengers from God. Three of the special messengers mentioned in the Bible are the archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. The names of each of these archangels tell us about the work God gave them to do.
Michael’s name means “Who is like God?” God gave Michael the responsibility of protecting us as God protects us. Gabriel’s name means “hero of God.” Gabriel is God’s hero because he communicates God’s message to people. We remember Gabriel best for being the angel who announced to Mary that she would be the mother of God’s only Son. Raphael’s name means “God has healed.” In the Bible, Raphael heals a blind man and is said to have stirred the water in a pool where Jesus healed a paralyzed man.
On the feast day of the archangels, we remember that God’s messengers guide us in our journey to everlasting life with our Father. We can pray to Michael when we face temptation. We can ask to Gabriel to help us say “yes” to God as Mary did so many years ago. We can pray to Raphael when we are ill or know someone who is in need of healing.
We honor the archangels as saints. They remind us that God is always with us and that God loves so much about us that he gives us special helpers to light and guide us to him.
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