St. Raphael the Archangel

     The Church likes to celebrate the Saints in Heaven. Some of the angels have their own feast days. Of course, everyone who makes it into Heaven is a saint. There are just some very holy and extraordinary people who are listed as saints to be revered and honored on their particular day. Their lives must have been, well, saintly, and miracles must have been attributed to them and proved, without doubt, to be something not of the natural world, e.g., unexplained and impossible healings.

     The angels that remained faithful to God after the fall of Lucifer have their various places in the hierarchy of angels.  There are seven that stand before the throne of God, the archangels, three of whom most of us know by name, Michael, Raphael and Gabriel.

     Raphael is known to us from the Book of Tobias in the Old Testament. He is called the angelical physician of soul and body. His name signifies "Medicine of God." He is also the guide of travelers.
We know from the story of Tobias that he brought healing to him, released Sara from an attack of the devil and gave the youthful pilgrim, Tobias the Younger, in his charge, safety and guidance.

     Both father and son wanted to reward their benefactor. but he said, "...offer your praises for all men to hear. He it is that has shewn mercy to you. When thou, Tobias, wert praying with tears, when thou wert burying the dead, (read the story) leaving thy dinner untasted, I, all the while, was offering that prayer of thine to the Lord (angels and saints intercede for us). Then because thou hadst won His favor, needs must that trials should come and test thy worth....I am the angel Raphael and my place is among those seven who stand in the presence of the Lord."

     From the book, St. Michael and the Angels, is this quote: "St. Raphael is the angel of peace, of health and of joy. 'Joy be to thee, always,' was his salutation to Tobias. He is the angel sent in God's Providence to guide and guard, to heal and save. so it is that he forever typifies the watchfulness, tenderness and helpful affection of our own Guardian angels. For that reason we look on him with a particular affection."

10/24/11