Angels

Vampires are currently the craze in popular culture, both here in Poland and in the United States (at least it was when I left the States a year ago).  It wasn't so long ago that angels were "the thing" in popular culture.  A lot of silliness has been written about angels, but they're a healthier topic of interest than vampires.

How the "living dead" who feed off the blood of live human beings have become sex symbols is beyond me.  When I think about it, that seems a Satanic inversion of the Eucharist, where Christians attain everlasting life through participation in the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ (see Gospel of John chapter 6; 1 Corinthians 10:16 & 11:23-29)

C. S. Lewis warned against a morbid fascination with Satan and devils and I'd counsel the same in regards to vampires. 

Today, however, I'd rather talk about angels.  September 29th is the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael on the Catholic calendar.



Tobias and the three Archangels

All three major world religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - teach the existence of angels.  The word angel comes from a Greek word meaning "messenger."  Angels are mentioned numerous times in both the Old and New Testaments, sometimes as "messenger of God".

Many people believe in guardian angels.  Do they exist?  Our Lord Jesus says this, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father." (Matthew 18:10) 

What about archangels?  Let's take them one by one.

Michael

In Hebrew, Michael means "Who is like God?"  It's a rhetorical question which expects an answer in the negative, "No one."  Michael is one who performs acts of justice and power.  In art he is typically portrayed holding a sword.

Michael is mentioned three times in Daniel:  . . . but the prince of the kingdom of Persia stood in my way for twenty-one days, until finally Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. (10:13); No one supports me against all these except Michael, your prince, standing as a reinforcement and a bulwark for me. (10:21); At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people; It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since nations began until that time.  At that time your people shall escape, everyone found who is written in the book. (12:1).

Michael is mentioned in two places in the New Testament: Yet the archangel Michael, when he argued with the devil in a dispute over the body of Moses, did not venture to pronounce a reviling judgement upon him but said, "May the Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 1:9); Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.  The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.  The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it. (Revelation 12:7-9)

Notice the mention of evil angels in the passage from Revelation.

Some believe this mention of an archangel refers to Michael: For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

Gabriel

Gabriel means "the strength of God" and he serves as a messenger to humans from God.  He is typically portrayed in art holding a lily.

Gabriel is mentioned twice in Daniel: While I, Daniel, sought the meaning of the vision I had seen, a manlike figure stood before me, and on the Ulai I heard a human voice that cried out, "Gabriel, explain the vision to this man."  When he came near where I was standing, I fell prostrate in terror.  But he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the end of time." (8:15-17); I was still occupied with this prayer, when Gabriel, the one whom I had seen before in vision, came to me in rapid flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.  He instructed me in these words: "Daniel, I have now come to give you understanding . . . " (9:21-22)

In the Gospel of Luke, Gabriel appears to Zechariah and the Virgin Mary to announce the births of John the Baptist and Jesus (Luke 1:11-38).  The passages are too long to include here entirely, but they're some of my favorite in all of Scripture: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard.  Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John."  To Mary: "Hail, favored one!  The Lord is with you."  "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus."  " . . . for nothing is impossible with God."

Raphael

Raphael means "God heals" and he brings God's healing to humans.  In art he is usually depicted holding a fish.

The angel Raphael is one of the main characters in the Book of Tobit.  (Tobit was declared canonical by the Council of Carthage in 397.  However, Protestants consider the book apocryphal since it was never considered canonical in Judaism.)  I'll quote Wikipedia to give a brief synopsis of Tobit: Raphael first appears disguised in human form as the travelling companion of Tobit's son, Tobiah, calling himself "Azarias the son of the great Ananias". During the adventurous course of the journey the archangel's protective influence is shown in many ways including the binding of the demon in the desert of upper Egypt. After the return and the healing of the blindness of Tobit, Azarias makes himself known as "the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord" Tobit 12:15 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raphael_(archangel)  (See also Revelation 8:2 regarding the seven angels who stand before the Lord.)

 Song of the Angels by William-Adolphe Bouguereau

 

 

Some excerpts from a text by Father Adolphe Tanquerey: The angels show forth God's greatness and perfection.  It is God, then, whom we honour in the angels.  They are like mirrors reflecting the perfections of their infinite Creator.  They have at heart our sanctification.  They long for our salvation that we may join them in glorifying God.  Thus it is with joy that they accept those God-given missions to minister to our sanctification.  Victors over demons, they ask but to shield us from the perfidious enemies of our souls.  They present our prayers to the Most High by joining their own supplications to our requests.  It is, therefore, to our advantage to call upon them, especially in the hour of trial, and above all, at the hour of death, that they may defend us from the attacks of our enemies and conduct our souls to paradise.