Angels have always been among us.
September 29, Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.
Dear brothers and sisters, humanity has always wondered about the existence of some form of intelligent life in the universe beyond mankind. The search continues without result...
And yet, dear friends, we Christians have always known of the existence of another form of intelligent life in the universe...
They are called Angels, and they have always been in our midst...
They are intelligent spiritual beings who possess no body and are therefore invisible.
They are endowed with superior intelligence and will, and possess extraordinary preternatural powers.
It is God who created them and revealed this to us; therefore, there is not a shadow of a doubt regarding their existence and their influence upon us.
Regarding Angels, dear friends, there are two pieces of news: one good and one bad...
The bad news is that some of them rejected God’s plan and, by rebelling against His will, condemned themselves to eternal unhappiness.
They exert a negative influence on us and seek to drag us into their rebellion against the Creator.
The good news is that the majority of Angels joyfully embraced the will of God the Creator and are our allies.
They defend us against evil forces and help us fulfill "the plan" for which we were created...
The feast we celebrate on September 29th honors three of the most powerful among them: the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.
Michael ("Who is like God?") is the archangel who rises up against Satan and his minions (Jude 9; Rev 12:7; cf. Zech 13:1-2), the defender of God’s friends (Dan 10:13, 21), and the protector of His people (Dan 12:1).
Gabriel ("Strength of God") is one of the spirits who stand in God’s presence (Luke 1:19); he reveals the secrets of God’s plan to Daniel (Dan 8:16; 9:21-22) and announces the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah (Luke 1:11-20) and the birth of Jesus to Mary (Luke 1:26-38).
Raphael ("God has healed")—also one of the seven angels standing before God’s throne (Tobit 12:15; cf. Rev 8:2)—accompanies and guards Tobiah through the trials of his journey and heals his blind father.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us thank God for giving us such great and powerful protectors, and let us follow their inspirations so that we may fulfill the wonderful plan God has for us.