Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 or Apocalypse 12:7-12 / John 1:47-51
Even though we are Catholics, we are certainly influenced and maybe even affected by the events of the recent Chinese 7th month.
We are more inclined to believe that the hungry ghosts and devils are roaming around to scare the wits out of us, than to believe in angels that look like cute chubby babies with wings.
But in the spiritual world of the invisible, if we believe in the existence of evil spirits, then all the more we too must believe in the presence of angels.
Today we celebrate the feast of three archangels: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.
All three names end with "el", which is the old Jewish word for "God".
The name Michael means "Who can be like God?" - it is a name that has the form of a rhetoric question. It was Michael and the heavenly army of angels that fought against Satan and drove him and the fallen angels out of heaven, and also protected God's people (Rev 12:7; Daniel 12:1)
Gabriel means "the power of God". He announced the Good News of salvation to Zechariah and Mary and manifested God's saving power with the Good News of salvation (Luke 1:5-38)
Raphael means "the healing power of God". He brought about God's healing power in the book of Tobit and healed Tobit's blindness (Tobit 11)
Through these three archangels, God manifested His power and presence in the Bible as well as even now.
Indeed, who can be like God, who is so loving that He saved us by sending His Son to forgive us and heal us of our sinfulness
We can only be thankful to God. And as we honour the three Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, we can be confident that there is the heavenly army of angels to protect us from evil.
Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in the day of battle,
be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him we humbly pray;
and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host,
by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits
who roam throughout the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.