Angels—messengers from God—appear frequently in Scripture, but only Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are
named.
Michael appears in Daniel's vision as "the great prince"
who defends Israel against its enemies; in the Book of Revelation, he leads
God's armies to final victory over the forces of evil. Devotion to Michael is
the oldest angelic devotion, rising in the East in the fourth century. The
Church in the West began to observe a feast honoring Michael and the angels in
the fifth century.
Gabriel also makes an appearance in Daniel's visions, announcing
Michael's role in God's plan. His best-known appearance is an encounter with a
young Jewish girl named Mary, who consents to bear the Messiah.
Raphael's activity is confined to the Old Testament story of
Tobit. There he appears to guide Tobit's son Tobiah through a series of
fantastic adventures which lead to a threefold happy ending: Tobiah's marriage
to Sarah, the healing of Tobit's blindness and the restoration of the family
fortune.
The memorials of Gabriel (March 24) and Raphael (October 24) were
added to the Roman calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of the calendar joined
their feasts to Michael's.
Comment:
Each of these archangels performs a different mission in
Scripture: Michael protects; Gabriel announces; Raphael guides. Earlier belief
that inexplicable events were due to the actions of spiritual beings has given
way to a scientific world-view and a different sense of cause and effect. Yet
believers still experience God's protection, communication and guidance in ways
which defy description. We cannot dismiss angels too lightly.
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