Catholic Men’s Daily Devotional and Bible Study – Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael – September 29 – John 1:47-51

The Gospel reading for the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael is John 1:47-51.

As He walks the 60 minutes to His home in Galilee from His baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, Christ recruits Peter, Andrew, John the Evangelist and Philip, who recruits the skeptical Nathanael (also called Bartholomew). Christ’s supernatural knowledge convinces Nathaniel to proclaim Christ’s divinity;  a great consolation, Christ affirms Nathanael’s words and prophesizes he will see even greater miracles.

Christ’s revelation of the reality of angels in today’s Gospel offers the opportunity to remember the role of angels in God’s Kingdom and calls special attention to Sts. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. To serve Christ in Heaven and on earth, God created angels, purely spiritual and immortal creatures who have intelligence and will that surpass men’s abilities (CCC 329-331).  Within the hierarchy of the Heaven, seven angels who surround God’s Throne are archangels (Rev 8:2).

St. Michael (meaning, “Who is like God?”) is attributed by the Fathers to many actions to battle Satan, including the future decisive battle at the end of time (Rev 12:7).  St. Gabriel (meaning “Power of God”) brings clarity and prophecy in the Old Testament to Daniel (Dan 8-9), to Zechariah (Luke 1:19) and the Virgin Mother (Luke 1:26); Catholic tradition holds that it was Gabriel who spoke to St. Joseph (Matt 1:20) and strengthened Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43-44). St. Raphael (meaning “God has healed”) is seen as an angel of healing for he heals Tobias (Tobit 12) and is considered by some to be the “angel of the Lord” who helped heal the sick in Jerusalem (John 5:4).

Awed by Jesus Christ – Son of God, Christ demonstrates supernatural insight into both Philip and Nathanael. Divine King, Christ deliberately recruits His core group of Apostles around whom He will build His Catholic Church. Divine Prophet, Christ inspires and uses the Scriptures to evangelize men and prophesizes about future events that come true.

Being a Heroic Catholic Man

1) Be astounded at Christ’s divine knowledge of His own Divine Identity (Son of Man), of heavenly things (Angels) and His prophetic vision that “you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

2) Christ’s revelation confirms the reality of angels. Renew your understanding of Angels (CCC 57, 326-336, 350-352, 1034, 1352) and pray for Sts. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael to pray for and protect you and your loved ones from the Evil One.

3) To help protect men against calamity and the Evil One, God in His mercy gives each man a personal Guardian Angel as a “protector and shepherd leading him to life.”  Renew your understanding of your Guardian Angel (CCC 336) and pray for your Guardian Angel to draw near, protect you against evil and draw you closer to Christ.