Daily Gospel Reflection
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September 29, 2022
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
“Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him.”
Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
Nathanael answered him,
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this.”
And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened
and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
Reflection
Today, the church celebrates the feast of the archangels: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. In the gospel, Jesus tells Nathanael that he will “see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man”—Jesus himself.
Many people are skeptical about the existence of angels. They may seem to be a comforting fancy invented by the childish. But again and again, Scripture testifies to their reality, and the appearance of an angel is anything but fanciful. The angel’s first words upon appearing are often, “Do not be afraid,” suggesting that its appearance is both wonderful and terrifying to behold.
Throughout the Bible, angels appear to deliver God’s message—the word angel means messenger, after all—and those to whom they appear are often people of great humility, of great faith.
Think of Tobias, to whom Raphael appeared as a guide and healer. Think of St. John, who saw visions of Michael warring against the devil. Think of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who received Gabriel’s greeting with faith and joy, and said yes to God’s plan to bear the Savior of the world in her womb.
The truth is that those who believe in angels, who listen for their messages, can hardly be said to be childish. Rather, they are like Nathanael: true children of God, in whom there is no duplicity or guile. They are the ones who are open to receiving the Good News of salvation wrought in Christ Jesus. They are the ones who will, one day, behold the Son of Man in his glory and will worship him in the presence not only of the archangels but of all the angels and saints, singing before the throne of God forever.
Angels and archangels, pray for us.
Prayer
Lord God, you are glorified without ceasing by the choirs of angels. In the archangels, Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel, you provide us with shining examples of strength and fidelity. May the angels, messengers of your will, always guide and protect us on our journey of life, and may they always lead us to Jesus, the Son of Man and our Lord. We ask this in his name. Amen.
Saint of the Day
On today's feast, the Catholic church honors three great angels—Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael—for the role they play in salvation history.
The word “angel” comes from the Hebrew word for “messenger.” As a category of spiritual being, angels are unique to the three Abrahamic religions—Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. In the Catholic theological tradition, angels are purely spiritual beings who possess intellect and will. Angels in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures appear as messengers of God and often announce new developments in God’s saving plan, and help to bring it to fulfillment. The archangels celebrated liturgically are the angels who are given names in the Hebrew Scriptures. No new angels are named in the canonical New Testament, rather the writers of Christian scriptures used the names of angels found already in Hebrew sacred texts. In Christian angelology, there are generally nine choirs of angels, although different theologians rearrange the hierarchy of the choirs slightly. The archangels are a choir within the third sphere of angels, comprised of the lowest three choirs.
In Hebrew, the name Michael means, “Who can compare to God?” Michael appears in Scripture four times—twice in the book of Daniel, once in the letter of Jude, and once in the book of Revelation leading the battle in heaven:
“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.” (Rev 12:7-9)
Traditionally, Michael is understood to be the prince of the heavenly host of angels, and is invoked by Christians in spiritual fights against temptation and the devil. Michael is also the patron of soldiers, paramedics, and police officers. Saint Michael is depicted in several places on Notre Dame's campus, but most prominently above the east door of the Basilica, as part of the memorial that honors students who fought and died in World War I. Today's featured image is of this depiction.
The archangel Gabriel’s name means, “God is my strength,” and this angel appears three times in Scripture as a messenger: in the book of Daniel to explain a vision, and in Luke's Gospel, announcing the births of John the Baptist and of Jesus. In Islamic tradition, Gabriel brings the beginning of the Quran to Mohammed. Gabriel is the patron of those who deliver messages for a living, such as diplomats, broadcasters, postal workers, communications and public relations professionals. Gabriel is depicted on campus in several places, including this Basilica window that shows the Annunciation.
Finally, the angel Raphael’s name means, “God has healed,” and we know of Raphael from the book of Tobit, where the angel travels with the young Tobias as a healer and companion. Tradition holds that Raphael also was the angel who stirred the waters at the famous healing pool in Bethesda, outside the temple in Jerusalem. Raphael is the patron of travelers, of the sick, and of medical personnel. Raphael has also been invoked to protect young people, especially those leaving home for the first time. A figure of Raphael stands on the exterior of Notre Dame's student medical center, St. Liam's Hall, as shown below.
Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels of God—pray for us!