Hello everyone! Heyo! Welcome back to Scattering Flowers with Elise and Miles, a podcast where we read the daily Gospels and the Saint of the Day.
Let’s get started! Today is Monday, September 29th, and the Gospel reading is John 1, 47-51, and the scripture to reflect on is John 1, 51.
And he said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.
Today is a special day on which we remember three angels who are powerful with God.
What’s the difference of an archangel from an angel?
In heaven there are nine choirs of angels and archangels are members of the second last choir.
Their name means above the angels.
When you see drawings of angels, they often have wings and halos.
Sometimes they are shown sitting on clouds or playing harps.
But the Bible and the church teaches us that angels have many jobs.
There are many angels who guard and guide us, and they are powerful archangels who work for the world.
The most three famous are Saint Michael, the archangel.
He is the protector of God’s creation.
His name actually means who is like God.
He is the leader of the heavenly army.
There is Saint Gabriel, the archangel.
He is the communicator with humans.
You usually remember him best from the visiting of the Blessed Mother.
His name means God is my strength.
And Saint Raphael, the archangel.
He’s known as a great healer.
His name actually means God is my healer.
If you read the book of Tobit, you can read how he helps Tobias on his journey, cures his father’s blindness, and gets rid of a demon.
Today is the feast day of the archangels, Saint Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.
They receive the title of saint because they are not technically canonized, but they are an eternity with God.
The archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are the only three angels named in the Bible.
They are messengers from God.
Michael is described in the book of Revelation as leading a company of angels against Satan and the angels who followed him in a rebellion against God.
Michael is often seen in art as a soldier wearing armor and carrying weapons.
He protects people from temptation.
Gabriel is mentioned by name twice in the New Testament.
He appears to Zachariah to tell him about the birth of John the Baptist and to Mary to tell her that she will become a mother of Jesus.
Tradition has also said that Gabriel is the angel who reassures Saint Joseph about taking Mary into his home and asks the angel who appears to the shepherds announcing the birth of Jesus.
Raphael appears in the Old Testament to Tobit’s son Tobias while he’s on a journey with the help of Raphael, who is in disguise of a man.
Tobias marries his beloved Sarah, defeats a demon, and restores sight of his father Tobit.
At the end of his journey, Raphael reveals his identity as an angel sent from God.
The archangels are a great way to remember that God is always with us, even that he protects us and guides us.
They are very powerful intercessors.
No need is too small or too large for them to handle.
They will bring up our petitions before God.
On the feast of the archangels, we should say a special prayer that they will be with us and protect us.
We should turn to them in our every need on any day and at any time.
Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, thank you for giving us angels to help us fight the evil around us and for protecting us always.
Help me to remember to rely on the angels for guidance and examples of true holiness.
Saint Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the archangels, pray for us.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Thank you so much for listening.
We’ll be back tomorrow scattering more flowers.
See ya!