9/29 Archangels St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael Feast Day
Prayer of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta, the Little Daughter of the Divine Will at the beginning of Volume One in “The Book of Heaven”:
Most Holy Virgin, lovable Mother, come to my aid, obtain for me from your sweet Jesus and mine, grace and strength in order to do this obedience (write the Volumes). Saint Joseph, my dear protector, assist me in this circumstance of mine. Archangel Saint Michael, defend me from the infernal enemy, who puts so many obstacles in my mind to make me fail this obedience. Archangel Saint Rafael and you, my guardian Angel, come to assist me and accompany me, and to direct my hand, that I may write nothing but the truth.
May everything be for the honor and glory of God
***
The Sacred Scriptures have revealed the proper names of only three Angels, all of whom belong to the Choir of the Archangels. The names are well known to all, namely: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael. Ancient apocryphal literature of the Old Testament contains several other names of Archangels in addition to the three just mentioned. Like the sources themselves, these other names are spurious. Names like Uriel, Raguel, Sariel, and Jeremiel are not found in the canonical books of Sacred Scripture, but in the apocryphal book of Enoch, fourth book of Esdras, and in rabbinical literature. The Church does not permit proper names of Angels that are not found in the canonical books of the Bible. All such names that were taken from apocryphal writings were rejected under Pope Zachary, in 745. There must have been danger of serious abuses in this regard during that century.
The Church honors the archangels, invokes their intercession and relies on their assistance in the spiritual warfare we daily face. In Hebrew, “Michael” means “Who is like God?” Saint Michael is mentioned four times in Scripture: Daniel 10 and 12, in Jude and in Revelation. Scripture reveals to us that Saint Michael is known as the “Prince of the Heavenly Host,” hence, the leader of all angels. It is to the Prince of the Heavenly that we owe a debt of gratitude for casting down to Hell Lucifer and the evil spirits; he is invoked for protection against Satan and all evil.
Sacred Tradition teaches that there are four offices connected to Saint Michael:
- to fight against Satan, his minions and the power of evil
- to rescue and protect the faithful from evil, especially at the hour of death
- to lead the people of God to full communion with God Himself
- to call our souls to judgment before God.
We know the archangel from his announcement of the dawn of salvation to Mary: “I am Gabriel, who stand before God” (Luke 1:19). What is crucial to remember about Gabriel are his two announcements in the New Testament: the birth of John the Baptist to his father Zachary and of the Incarnation, the Word made flesh in Mary. Saint Gabriel, whose name means “God’s strength,” is also mentioned four times in Scripture. Again, sacred Tradition tells us that it is Saint Gabriel who appeared to Saint Joseph and to the shepherds. At the beginning of the Passion it was Gabriel who “strengthens” Jesus in the his agony of the garden.
“I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord” (Tobit 12:15) Saint Raphael, whose name means “God has healed” because of his healing of Tobias’ blindness in the Book of Tobit. This book in the Old Testament is the only book in which Raphael is mentioned. He is the archangel of healing and acts of mercy. Tradition tells us that Saint Raphael is the angel in John 5:1-4 who descended upon the pond and bestowed healing powers upon it so that the first to enter it after it moved would be healed of whatever infirmity he was suffering.
Those familiar with what is called the “old Mass” will remember praying the Prayer to Saint Michael at the conclusion of Mass. In 1899, after a vision of evil, Pope Leo XIII wanted to protect the Church and instructed that his prayer be prayed by all, especially the priest. I can’t recommend the prayer enough to you when making your thanksgiving following Mass or the Divine Office. Plus, I would recommend that you pray the Prayer to Saint Michael prior to going to bed. Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, pray for us.
The three Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael
are the only Angels named in Sacred Scripture.
The Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta the Little Daughter of the Divine Will, had a great love and respect for the Angels, evidenced by her prayer written when she was given the obedience to write her spiritual diary.
Thus Luisa begins Volume One in the “Book of Heaven, The Call of the Creature to the Order, the Place and the Purpose for which He was Created by God“:
In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Out of pure obedience, I begin to write.
You know, O Lord!, the sacrifice it costs me, such that I would submit myself to a thousand deaths rather than write one single line of the things that have passed between me and You. Oh my God!, my nature trembles, it feels crushed and almost undone at the mere thought of it. O please!, give me strength, oh Life of my life, that I may do the holy obedience! . . .
. . . Most Holy Virgin, lovable Mother (The Blessed Mother), come to my aid, obtain for me from Your sweet Jesus and mine, grace and strength in order to do this obedience. Saint Joseph, my dear protector, assist me in this circumstance of mine. Archangel Saint Michael, defend me from the infernal enemy, who puts so many obstacles in my mind to make me fail this obedience. Archangel Saint Rafael and you, my Guardian Angel, come to assist me and accompany me, and to direct my hand, that I may write nothing but the truth. . . .
Volume 11 – September 29, 1912
The Divine Will in Jesus is the center, the life and the origin of everything in Him. Jesus is the One who disposes the intentions of one who lives in His Will, in whatever he does. Only Jesus is enough for him, while earthly things do not attract his will; so, if he eats, it is only according to the Will of God.
The Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta the Little Daughter of the Divine Will:
I am writing of past things. I was thinking to myself: “The Lord spoke to some about His Passion, to some about His Heart, to some others about His Cross, and many more things. I would like to know which soul has been favored the most by Jesus.”
My adorable Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, do you know who has been most favored by Me? The soul to whom I manifested the prodigies and the power of My Most Holy Will. All other things are parts of Me, while My Will is the center, the life and the holder of everything. My Will directed My Passion, gave life to My Heart, and exalted the Cross. My Will understands everything, catches everything, and activates everything – My Will is greater than anything. As a consequence, the one to whom I spoke about My Will has been the most favored, above everyone and everything.
How much you should thank Me for having admitted you to the secrets of My Volition! Even more, the one who is in My Will is also in My Passion; she is My Heart; she is all the beauty of My Cross and she is My very Redemption. Nothing dissimilar exists between us. Therefore, I want you completely in My Will, if you want to take part in My goods.”
Another time I was thinking about what would be the best way to offer our actions, our prayers, etc. – whether as reparations, adoration, etc. My always benign Jesus told me: “My daughter, one who lives in My Will and does her things because I want it so, does not need to dispose her intentions.Since she is in My Will, as she operates, prays or suffers, I Myself dispose these things the way I please. Do I like the reparation? I placed them for reparation. Do I like love? I take them as love. Being the owner, I make of them whatever I please. It is not so for those who are not in My Will: they dispose, and I respect their will.”
Another day, having read in a book about a saint who, first had almost no need of food, and then needed to feed herself very often – her necessity being such that she would cry if they didn’t give her something – I remained concerned, thinking about my state, since once I used to take very little food and I was forced to bring it up, and now I take more and I don’t bring it up. And I was saying to myself: “Blessed Jesus, how is this? I consider this a mortification for me. My wickedness leads me to these miseries.”
And Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, do you want to know why? I am here to make you content. At the beginning, in order to render a soul completely Mine, to empty her of all that is of the senses and place into her all that is Celestial and Divine, I detach her even from the necessity of food, in such a way that she almost doesn’t need it. So, the soul rises high, neglecting and ignoring everything: her life is Celestial.
After I have trained her well, for years and years, no longer fearing that the senses might shade her – since after the soul has tasted the heavenly it is almost impossible that she might appreciate earthly things, which are nothing other than mud and slime – I give her back to ordinary life, because I want My children to take part in the things that I created for love of them – but according to My Will, not to theirs. It is only for love of these children that I am forced to feed the others. Further, since many use natural goods with attachment and not according to My Will, it is for Me the most beautiful reparation to see these souls who, like celestial children, take the necessary things with sacrifice, detachment, and according to My Will.
How can you say that there is wickedness in you for this? Not at all. What’s the evil of taking, in My Will, a little more or a little less of what is nothing other than an earthly thing? Nothing…nothing. There cannot be any evil in My Will, but always good, even in the most insignificant things.”