Heaven's Celestial Triumvirate: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael in Divine Service by Jeff Callaway

 

Heaven's Celestial Triumvirate: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael in Divine Service 

by Jeff Callaway

Texas Outlaw Poet

The Roman Catholic Church, in its rich tapestry of theology and devotion, acknowledges the existence and active ministry of spiritual beings known as angels. Among these celestial hosts, three stand out for their explicit roles in the history of salvation as documented in Sacred Scripture. These are the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, celebrated collectively on their Feast Day, September 29. A deep investigation into their biblical foundations, liturgical veneration, and historical apparitions reveals a unified and complementary divine mission—to combat spiritual evil, announce God's saving plan, and minister healing and guidance to humanity.

The Angelic Existence: Foundation of a Divine Ministry

The Catechism of the Catholic Church establishes the existence of spiritual, non-corporeal beings called "angels" as a foundational truth of the faith, a reality attested to with clarity by both Scripture and Tradition. The very name "angel" is not a descriptor of their nature but of their function. As St. Augustine eloquently stated, their nature is "spirit," while their office is "angel," for they are, in their very being, servants and messengers of God. As purely spiritual creatures, angels possess intelligence and will, making them personal and immortal beings who surpass all visible creation in their perfection, a truth made manifest by the splendor of their glory. They were created by God's overflowing love for the purpose of worshiping, serving, and glorifying him in a vast, unseen portion of the universe.

At the center of the angelic world stands Christ. The angels are his own, for they were created through him and for him. Their entire existence is thus oriented toward his salvific mission, serving as "ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation". Their presence is a constant thread throughout the history of salvation, from their appearance at the gates of the earthly paradise and their protection of Lot, to their assistance to the prophets, and their final mission to serve at Christ's return for the Last Judgment. The life of Jesus himself is surrounded by their service and adoration, as they protect him in infancy, strengthen him in the Garden of Gethsemane, and proclaim the Good News of his Resurrection.

The Church's relationship with angels is one of profound communion. In her liturgy, she joins with the angelic choirs to adore God and invokes their assistance in prayers and funeral rites, such as the funeral liturgy's plea that "the angels lead you into Paradise". This practice is a reflection of the belief that human life, from its beginning until death, is surrounded by the watchful care and intercession of angels, a reality that the Church makes real for every believer. The veneration of these celestial beings is not an end in itself; rather, it is a practice that finds its ultimate purpose in their role as instruments of God's will. The Church's doctrinal discipline, which officially recognizes and liturgically honors only three of the seven archangels named in certain traditions, is a testimony to her focus on those specific messengers whose missions are clearly revealed in canonical Scripture. The Archangels are especially noted for their office, for they are the ones entrusted with "announcing the greatest of mysteries".

Saint Michael the Archangel: The Champion of God

The name of the Archangel Michael, Mikha'el, is a Hebrew rhetorical question: "Who is like God?". This question is not merely a designation but a profound theological statement, a battle cry against the ultimate act of pride—Lucifer's desire to be "like the Most High". It is a name that defines Michael's primary role as a champion of divine sovereignty and a direct combatant of spiritual rebellion.

This role is woven through the fabric of Sacred Scripture and Tradition. In the Book of Daniel, he is twice mentioned as the "chief prince" and "great prince" who aids Gabriel in his struggles and stands for the people of Israel, a protector in times of trial. The Letter of Jude records his famous dispute with the devil over the body of Moses, in which he does not bring a slanderous judgment against Satan but says, "The Lord rebuke you," thereby demonstrating the humility and authority that are his hallmarks. His most dramatic appearance, however, is in the Book of Revelation, where he leads the heavenly host in a great cosmic battle, defeating the dragon—the Devil and Satan—and casting him and his angels out of heaven. This pivotal event defines his four traditional roles: to fight against Satan and his demons, to rescue souls from the power of evil, to champion the Church Militant, and to serve as a summoner of souls for judgment, a duty sometimes depicted by his holding scales to weigh human merits.

Michael's veneration has a rich history marked by divine interventions that rooted his cult in specific places. The most famous of these is the apparition at Monte Gargano in Puglia, Italy, in 492 AD, where he appeared in a cave, commanded that it be dedicated to Christian worship, and established it as a sanctuary consecrated not by human hands but by his presence. This event, along with his role in a Lombard victory over Naples in 663 AD and his appearance to Bishop Aubert in 708 AD that led to the foundation of Mont-Saint-Michel, cemented his status as a divine protector and military patron. The tradition that he signaled the end of a plague in Rome in 590 AD by sheathing his sword atop the Castel Sant'Angelo further solidified his role as a protector against pestilence and a defender of the city.

The fervent devotion to Saint Michael in the modern era is epitomized by a story from the late 19th century. In 1884, following a mystical experience during which he heard a conversation between Christ and Satan, Pope Leo XIII received a terrifying vision of the Earth enveloped in darkness and an abyss from which legions of demons spread out to destroy the Church, which was reduced to the point of exhaustion. The vision then showed St. Michael appearing and driving the evil spirits back into the abyss. Stunned, the pontiff immediately composed a prayer to the Archangel, an extended version of which was included in the Church's official exorcism book. A shorter, more widely known version was ordered by Pope Leo XIII to be recited in all churches at the end of Mass for decades, a practice that continued until the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. The inclusion of this prayer was a powerful act of faith, a public acknowledgment of the reality of spiritual warfare and a call for divine protection in a time of profound crisis for the Church. Other devotions, such as the Chaplet of Saint Michael, are also highly valued, as they honor the Archangel and his fellow celestial beings through nine salutations to the nine Choirs of Angels.

In art, Michael is almost universally depicted as a heavenly warrior in armor, wielding a sword or spear, with the defeated dragon—representing Satan—at his feet. His shield often bears his battle cry, the phrase Quis ut Deus?. This iconography serves not merely as a symbol of past triumph but as a continuous reminder of his enduring role as the Church's defender and a spiritual model for all who seek to combat sin and spiritual darkness in their own lives.

Saint Gabriel the Archangel: The Herald of the Incarnation

The name Gabriel, Ghevri'el, carries the meaning "God is my strength" or "Man of God". This name is a fitting emblem for an Archangel whose entire ministry is one of communication and revelation, serving as the messenger par excellence of God's most powerful and transformative messages. While Michael's name challenges the pride of rebellion, Gabriel's name offers assurance of the divine strength available to those who humbly receive God's word.

Gabriel's mission of proclamation begins in the Old Testament, where he appears to the prophet Daniel to interpret complex visions and deliver the prophecy of the "seventy weeks" that would elapse before the coming of the Messiah. This role as a prophetic interpreter sets the stage for his most pivotal and celebrated appearances in the New Testament. He is the angel who appears to the high priest Zechariah to announce that his elderly and barren wife, Elizabeth, would bear a son who would be named John, the precursor to the Savior. When Zechariah questions the message, Gabriel declares his identity with solemn gravity, stating, "I am Gabriel, who stand before God," an assertion that underscores the unique dignity of his office and the authority of his words. For his doubt, Zechariah is rendered mute until the prophecy is fulfilled.

The climax of Gabriel's ministry is the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, an event that marks the inauguration of the Incarnation. Sent by God to a virgin in Nazareth, he greets her with the now-famous words, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you". He then announces that she will conceive a son by the Holy Spirit, who will be called the Son of the Most High, and that his kingdom will have no end. Mary's humble reply, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word," is the faithful response that allows the divine plan of salvation to unfold. Tradition also holds that Gabriel may have been the angel who appeared to St. Joseph in a dream to explain Mary's miraculous conception and who strengthened Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane during his agony.

Given his role as the great messenger of divine mysteries, Gabriel's patronages logically extend to those who carry messages in the modern world, including messengers, postal workers, communication workers, and broadcasters. In iconography, he is often depicted with a lily, a symbol that refers both to Mary's virginity and purity and, according to St. Bernard of Clairvaux, to Christ himself. Other representations show him with a scepter or a scroll inscribed with the Latin words Ave Maria, gratia plena, an emblem of his role as the bearer of the Word of God.

Saint Raphael the Archangel: The Medicine of God

The name Raphael, Rafa'el, translates from the Hebrew as "God has healed," "Divine Healer," or "Medicine of God". Unlike Michael and Gabriel, who appear in multiple books of the Bible, Raphael's entire narrative and identity are drawn from the single, captivating story of the Book of Tobit, a deuterocanonical text recognized by the Catholic Church. This narrative is a profound model of angelic companionship, guidance, and holistic healing.

The story centers on a devout and righteous man named Tobit who has been afflicted with blindness. He sends his son, Tobias, on a long and dangerous journey to a foreign land to retrieve a family debt. Unbeknownst to Tobias, the guide he hires is the Archangel Raphael, disguised in human form. Throughout the journey, Raphael protects Tobias and guides him with wisdom. He instructs Tobias on how to catch a large fish, whose heart, liver, and gall are to be preserved for specific medicinal and spiritual purposes.

Raphael's mission culminates in two miraculous acts of healing. First, he leads Tobias to Sarah, a kinswoman who has been married seven times, only to have each of her husbands killed on their wedding night by a demon named Asmodeus. With Raphael's guidance, Tobias uses the fish's heart and liver to drive away the demon, thereby freeing Sarah from a demonic curse and allowing them to have a happy and fruitful marriage. Upon their return, Raphael instructs Tobias to use the fish's gall to cure his father's physical blindness, miraculously restoring his sight.

The story is not merely a chronicle of events but a theological lesson on divine providence and the proper veneration of angels. When Tobit and Tobias attempt to offer payment for his services, Raphael reveals his true identity, stating that his mission was not by his own will but by the will of God, and that all thanks should be directed to God alone. This detail highlights a critical distinction in Catholic doctrine: angels and saints are not sources of power but conduits of God's grace, and the veneration they receive is directed toward their loving service as instruments of the Lord's will. Raphael’s story teaches that divine healing is not limited to physical ailments but is a holistic process that also encompasses spiritual and relational restoration.

Raphael's enduring legacy is reflected in his patronages, which directly flow from the narrative of Tobit. He is the patron of travelers, the blind, physicians, nurses, and pharmacists, as well as those seeking a spouse and a happy marriage. In sacred art, he is consistently depicted in pilgrim's garb, with a staff, and often accompanied by Tobias and a dog, while the fish remains his most familiar symbol.

United in Feast: A Confluence of Grace

The liturgical celebration of the three Archangels on September 29 is a modern consolidation that reflects a mature theological understanding of their complementary ministries. Historically, each Archangel had a distinct feast day. The Feast of St. Michael on September 29 is the oldest, dating back to the consecration of a basilica dedicated to him in Rome before 450 AD. The feast of Gabriel was traditionally celebrated on March 24, the day before the Annunciation, in a deliberate linkage to his most celebrated act of proclamation. Raphael's feast was observed on October 24.

The unification of these feasts in the 1969 liturgical calendar reform was a deliberate act by the Church to emphasize a unified and collective ministry of the Archangels as a single, harmonious manifestation of God's action in the world. This liturgical choice invites the faithful to understand that the spiritual works of combating evil, communicating divine truth, and providing healing and guidance are not isolated events but interconnected parts of the same salvific plan. Michael's role as a protector from spiritual forces, Gabriel's as a herald of divine words, and Raphael's as a minister of God's remedy are all essential for the life of the Church and for every believer on their earthly pilgrimage.

The existence of these three named Archangels is a profound assurance of God's loving care and a call for continued trust in his divine providence. The Church continues to venerate them in her liturgy and to encourage private devotions, seeing in them not only powerful intercessors but also a model for humanity. Their service to God, marked by humility, obedience, and self-sacrificial love, serves as an example for all believers. To seek their intercession is to align one's will with the divine plan, to ask for courage in the face of spiritual combat, clarity in hearing God's voice, and healing for all the ills of soul and body. As these Archangels consistently demonstrate, their ultimate purpose is to serve and glorify the Lord, and in doing so, they lead all of creation toward a final, blessed union with God.

~ by Jeff Callaway

Texas Outlaw Poet

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