ஆண்டவருடைய விண்ணேற்றம் மே 12 ஞாயிறு

 † Saint of the Day †

(September 29)

✠ St. Raphael ✠

Archangel, 'Angel of Tobit', Angel of the Trumpet:

Venerated in: Judaism, Christianity, Islam

Feast: September 29

Patronage:

Apothecaries; Ordained marriage; Blind people; Bodily ills; Diocese of Madison, Druggists; Archdiocese of Dubuque, Lowa; Eye problems; Guardian angels; Happy meetings; Insanity; Lovers; Mental illness; Nightmares; Nurses; Pharmacists; Healing; Physicians; Archdiocese of Seattle, Washington; Abra de Ilog, Mindoro Occidental, Philippines; Aloguinsan, Cebu, Shepherds; Sick people; Travelers; Young people

Raphael performs all manners of healing according to all Abrahamic religions.

Raphael as being one of the three angels that appeared to Abraham in the oak grove of Mamre in the Book of Genesis. Raphael is also mentioned in the Book of Enoch alongside archangels Michael, Gabriel and Uriel.

Raphael was generally associated with the angel mentioned in the Gospel of John as stirring the water at the healing pool of Bethesda. Raphael is also an angel in Mormonism, as he is briefly mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants. Raphael is also mentioned in the Book of Tobit, which is accepted as canonical by Catholics, Orthodox, and some Anglicans. Raphael is a venerated angel within the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran traditions, and he is often given the title "Saint Raphael".

In Islam, Raphael is the fourth major angel; and in the Muslim tradition, he is known as Israfil. Though unnamed in the Quran, hadith identifies Israfil with the angel of Dura 6, verde 73. Within Islamic eschatology, Israfil is traditionally attributed to a trumpet, which is poised at his lips, and when God so commands he shall be ready to announce the Day of Resurrection.

The name of the angel Raphael appears in the Biblical Book of Tobit. The Book of Tobit is considered deuterocanonical by Catholics, Orthodox, and some Anglicans. Raphael first appears disguised in human form as the travelling companion of Tobit's son, Tobiah calling himself "Azarias the son of the great Ananias". During the course of the journey the archangel's protective influence is shown in many ways including the binding of a demon in the desert of upper Egypt. After returning and healing the blind Tobit, Azarias makes himself known as "the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord" Tobit 12:15. He is venerated as Saint Raphael the Archangel.

Regarding the healing powers attributed to Raphael, there is his declaration to Tobit (Tobit, 12) that he was sent by the Lord to heal him of his blindness and to deliver Sarah, his future daughter-in-law, from the demon Asmodeus, who kills every man she marries on their wedding night before the marriage can be consummated.

In the New Testament, only the archangels Gabriel and Michael are mentioned by name (Luke 1:9–26; Jude 1:9). Later manuscripts of John 5:1–4 refer to the pool of Bethesda, where the multitude of the infirm lay awaiting the moving of the water, for "an angel of the Lord descended at certain times into the pond; and the water was moved. And he that went down first into the pond after the motion of the water was made whole of whatsoever infirmity he lay under". Because of the healing role assigned to Raphael, this particular angel is generally associated with the archangel.

Comments:

Regarding devotion to the Angels, something rarely spoken about today is that Heaven is a true court. When I was a boy and the egalitarian spirit was less pervasive in society, more was said about the Heavenly Court. Books of piety, religion teachers and people, in general, spoke much more about the Heavenly Court.

The idea of a heavenly court is based on the idea that God stands before the Angels and Saints as a King before his court. Because of the similarity that exists between Heaven and creation, the earthly courts in many ways are images of the Heavenly Court. For example, following the monarchic protocol that existed to make the work of the King easier, there were eminent nobles who assisted the King when he received placets, that is, the requests of his people.

First, each person would approach the King, be presented by a noble, and speak briefly with the King putting forth his request. Then, he would deliver a scroll with his formal request to the King, which would be passed to a high dignitary and placed on a table. In this way, the King would hear many different persons in an audience. Their requests would be examined by a special council, which would give its opinion and ask the King for his final decision. 

You can see that requests to the King, as well as his decisions, were mediated by many nobles. One would reach the King through the same steps that served to distribute his decisions. In the court, there is a hierarchy of functions, dignities, and mediations that allow an individual to approach the King, as well as for the King to reach the individual. This is the mechanism of the court. 

In the Heavenly Court, much the same thing happens. In absolute terms, God Our Lord does not need anyone. However, since He created a multitude of diverse beings, it is natural that He would give these creatures tasks according to their positions, dignities, and missions. It is also natural that these beings would exert a special efficiency, brilliance, and splendor to serve their Creator. 

Heaven needs, therefore, a life with hierarchy, diversification of function, protocol, and dignity of the court. One of the consequences of this is that, according to the order created by God, the Angels should be the intercessors and rulers of men.

The feast day of St. Raphael reminds us that he is an eminent intercessor – a special patron of the sick and travelers – who brings our prayers to God. He is one of the highest angelic spirits that assist God and, therefore, has conditions to ask God for the graces we need. 

This general consideration inspired by St. Raphael’s mission shows us how similar earthly realities are too heavenly realities. Insofar as we love the earthly realities that are similar to those of Heaven, we are preparing ourselves for Heaven. Love of hierarchy, nobility, distinction, and elevation prepare us for Heaven. 

This preparation for Heaven is ever more necessary as we sink into a world of horror. Our exterior surroundings are increasingly monstrous, chaotic and disorganized. In order not to fall into despair, the human soul needs to see something that is magnificent and well-organized. It is harmful to a man’s soul to live in constant disarray, seeing things deteriorating and decaying. Since everything that is elevated and dignified is disappearing from the earth, our desire for Heaven should intensify in order not to lose the psychological conditions to survive in this world. 

Just to have an idea of the splendor of St. Raphael, we can consider that a saint, whom I think was Blessed Anna Maria Taigi but I am not sure, saw her Guardian Angel. When she saw him, she prostrated herself on the ground to adore him, thinking that he was God. The Angel then explained that he was just her Guardian Angel. From this, we can have an idea of how the splendor of a simple Guardian Angel – who belongs to the lowest choir of Angels – is absolutely superior to our human nature. Further, if this is the case regarding a simple Guardian Angel, we see that it is almost unimaginable for the human mind to grasp the full splendor of St. Raphael.

Is there a way for us to visualize the relation of St. Raphael with Our Lady? We know that it is difficult, but returning to the earthly realities that are images of Heaven, we can picture how St. Louis of France, for example, would have dealt with his mother, Blanche of Castile. He was a tall man, handsome, magnificent, who both attracted and imposed respect. He was affable to his friends and terrible before his enemies. He was the most grandiose and decorous king of his time. He was also a saint, and the aura of sanctity reflected in him. This grand man was a devoted son as well. If we imagine him speaking with Blanche of Castile, we picture in the scene a great distinction, elevation, and sublimity. 

This image provides us an analogy to understand the relation of St. Raphael with Our Lady. St. Louis was a kind of angel on the earth; St. Raphael is a kind of St. Louis in Heaven. The transposition gives us an idea of the joy that we will have in Heaven contemplating St. Raphael. 

Let us ask him to help us to reach Heaven in order to contemplate him. We should also ask him to help us maintain a constant consideration of the celestial order to give us consolation and the hope of Heaven and the Reign of Mary in the increasingly sad days in which we live.