Read Daniel 7:9-14, Psalm 138 and John 1:47-51
“Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.” (John 1:51)
The existence of angels is a fact not easily comprehended by human logic. Angels form part of what St. Paul talks about when he said: “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1st Corinthians 2:9). Today we celebrate the three Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.
Michael is mentioned as a warring prince who fights on behalf of God’s children. Daniel 10:12-13 reads: “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your mind to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard…The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me….”
Michael is again mentioned in the book of Revelations as waging war against the devil. “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.” (Revelation 12:7-8).
In the book of Tobit, we encounter the Archangel Raphael as a travel companion, a healer and a demon-destroyer. Tobit 3:17 reads: “And Raphael was sent to heal the two of them: to scale away the white films of Tobit’s eyes; to give Sarah the daughter of Raguel in marriage to Tobias the son of Tobit, and to bind Asmodeus the evil demon, because Tobias was entitled to possess her.”
Archangel Gabriel plays the role of the messenger of good news in the Annunciation: “In the sixth month the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.” (Luke 1:26-28) Gabriel also announced to Zechariah that at his old age, he would have a child. (Luke 1:19ff).
The power and working of the Angels is a testimony to the greatness of God and the fact with him, nothing is impossible. As we read in the Gospel passage, Jesus said to Nathanael, “Truly, I say to you, you shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
Let us pray: Lord Jesus may I be an Angel to those around me. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you.
(Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels – Feast. Bible Study: Daniel 7:9-14, Psalm 138 and John 1:47-51).