Word to the Wise
Monday, September 29, 2008 - Sts. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, archangels
[Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 or Revelation 12:7-12AB and John 1:47-51]Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man......
A recent poll I saw on the internet shows that more than 50% of the sample surveyed believed their lives had been impacted by an angel! It is a remarkable figure since many in the poll were not particularly "churchy" but still believed in other beings. For us Roman Catholics, the angels seem to be more emphasized in our catechetical youth, as it were. In a few days we'll celebrate the feast of the Guardian Angels and I'll have more to say about general angels! Today we celebrate three beings who make special "appearances" in various biblical situations. Michael is militant. Gabriel is talkative. Raphael is comforting. They seem to represent different "moods" of God, as it were. In the gospel for this feast, the angels are part of a scene represented in Daniel and then echoed in the gospel as part of identifying who Jesus truly is. Other unnamed angels announce Jesus' resurrection. It may comfort us to have those kinds of beings around, or it may make us uneasy! The accounts in public media are almost always positive about these encounters. It may be that the titles of ARCHangel and GUARDIAN angel are the product of human imagination and need, but not the very existence of these benevolent beings. They are part of God's creation. We have to live with them and they with us! AMEN
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