From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   September 29th - Archangels   
      
   Today we celebrate the feasts of the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Rafael   
   as   
   well as all the other angels of the heavenly court. The feast of the   
   Guardian   
   Angels is celebrated separately, on October 2nd. Each of the Archangels   
   feasts   
   were celebrated on separate dates at one time, but with the review of the   
   Roman   
   Martyrology, they were all moved to this date.   
      
      
   Archangel Gabriel   
      
   Gabriel is found in the Book of Daniel and in Luke 1:19 and 26. His name is   
   the   
   Hebrew word for "Hero of God." In Daniel 8:16 we read, "...and I heard a   
   human   
   voice by the Ulai, calling, 'Gabriel, help this man understand the   
   vision..."   
   and in 9:21 we read, "...while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel,   
   whom I   
   had seen before in a vision, came to me in swift flight at the time of the   
   evening sacrifice. He came and said to me, 'Daniel, I have now come out to   
   give   
   you wisdom and understanding..." In the Gospel of Luke 1:19 we read, "The   
   angel   
   replied, 'I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent   
   to   
   speak to you and to bring you this good news..." and 1:26 relates, "In the   
   sixth   
   month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called   
   Nazareth..."   
   In the Book of Daniel, Gabriel's role is to strengthen Daniel and explain   
   the   
   visions to him. In Luke's Gospel Gabriel's role is as a messenger from God   
   foretelling the coming birth of John the Baptist to Zachariah and the coming   
   birth of Jesus to Mary. A 5th century mosaic of the Annunciation is the   
   first   
   representation of an angel with two wings and feet. The first liturgical   
   reference to Gabriel is found in a 7th century litany of the saints which   
   mentions all three angels. Gabriel was made patron of those in   
   telecommunications by Pope Pius XII in 1951. He is popular in both Jewish   
   and   
   Islamic traditions.   
      
      
   Archangel Michael   
      
   Michael is found in Daniel, Jude and the Book of Revelations. Michael, also   
   is   
   taken from the Hebrew, and means "who is like to God." He is represented as   
   the   
   defender and protector of Israel. In the Book of Daniel, chapter 10, Michael   
   fights against the angel of the Persians. In 12:1 he is their source of   
   help,   
   strength and comfort. We read, "At that time Michael, the great prince, the   
   protector of your people shall rise..." In the Book of Jude 9, we read, "But   
   when the archangel Michael contended with the devil and disputed about the   
   body   
   of Moses, he did not dare to bring a condemnation of slander against him,   
   but   
   said, 'The Lord rebuke you'..." Michael is the victor against Satan and his   
   followers in the war of rebellion. The Book of Revelations 12:7-9 relates,   
   "And   
   war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon.   
   The   
   dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated, and there was no   
   longer any place for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, that   
   ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the   
   whole   
   world-he was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown down with   
   him."   
   Michael was the first to have a specific liturgical observance. At least   
   since   
   the 4th century churches have been dedicated to Michael and the other   
   angels.   
   Since about the 5th century he has been honored as the patron of soldiers.   
   Today   
   he is also the patron of bankers, grocers, paratroopers and radiologists. In   
   sacred art he is usually pictured with the scales of justice and a sword.   
      
      
   Archangel Raphael   
      
   Raphael (Rafael) is found in the Book of Tobit. His Hebrew name means "God   
   has   
   healed." In Tobit his role is that of God's envoy, sent to bring healing to   
   Tobit and Sarah in answer to their ardent appeals to Yahweh. Raphael becomes   
   the   
   traveling companion hired by Tobit to take his son, Tobias, to Medea to   
   collect   
   his father's money. During the journey Raphael has Tobias catch a fish,   
   which   
   will be used to minister to Sarah, daughter of Raguel, whose seven husbands   
   have   
   died before consummating their marriage to her. Sarah's prayers are answered   
   and   
   Tobias becomes her husband. The couple returns with Raphael to Tobit's home   
   where Raphael again uses Tobias. This time the fish is used to heal Tobit's   
   blindness. In 12:15, Raphael tells Tobit and Tobias, "I am Raphael, one of   
   the   
   seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord." A   
   church   
   in Venice, Italy was dedicated in the 7th century to Raphael, but it wasn't   
   until the 17th century that a more formal liturgy was established for his   
   feast.   
   In 1921 a universal feast was established for him by Pope Benedict XV.   
   Because   
   his name means God has healed and because of his role of healing in the Book   
   of   
   Tobit, many believe that it was Raphael who caused the water of the healing   
   sheep-pool to be moved (John 5:1-4). Today Raphael is the patron of   
   travelers,   
   pharmacists, blindness, health inspectors and those who are leaving home.   
      
      
   Quote:   
   The Church must steadily and firmly heed that although the language of the   
   people may change, the language of liturgy should not be altered.  Thus, the   
   Mass must be said in the language in which it was said from the beginning,   
   even   
   if such a language be already, antiquated and strange to the people, for it   
   is   
   wholly enough, if the learned men understand it.   
    -Pope Benedict XIV   
      
   Bible Quote   
   41 The men of Ninive shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall   
   condemn it: because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas. And behold a   
   greater than Jonas here.  (Matthew 12:41)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   A prayer to Saint Michael, for aid against the spiritual enemies of God:   
      
   Glorious St. Michael, Prince of the heavenly hosts, who standest always   
   ready to give assistance to the people of God; who didst fight with the   
   dragon, the old serpent, and didst cast him out of heaven, and now   
   valiantly defendest the Church of God that the gates of hell may never   
   prevail against her, I earnestly entreat thee to assist me also, in the   
   painful and dangerous conflict which I have to sustain against the same   
   formidable foe.   
      
   Be with me, O mighty Prince! that I may courageously fight and   
   wholly vanquish that proud spirit, whom thou hast by the Divine Power, so   
   gloriously overthrown, and whom our powerful King, Jesus Christ, has, in   
   our nature, so completely overcome; to the end that having triumphed over   
   the enemy of my salvation, I may with thee and the holy angels, praise the   
   clemency of God who, having refused mercy to the rebellious angels after   
   their fall, has granted repentance and forgiveness to fallen man. Amen.   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Saint Anthony, Restorer of Speech to the Mute   
      
   Dear St. Anthony, how tongue-tied I can be when I should be   
   praising God and defending the oppressed. My cowardice   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)