In the spirit of S. Raphaëlis Archangeli – III. classis
Tempora: Feria VI infra Hebdomadam XIX post Oct. Pentecostes (October 4)
On this Feria Sexta, within the 19th Week after the Octave of Pentecost, Holy Mother Church presents us with a beautiful convergence of readings that illuminate the hidden yet powerful ministry of God’s angelic messengers—especially the healing and guiding presence of Saint Raphael the Archangel, whose feast, according to the traditional Roman calendar, is observed today with great reverence. The lessons from Tobit 12:7–15 and John 5:1–4 draw us into a deeper understanding of the invisible operations of grace and divine providence, through the ministry of angels, particularly in times of suffering, healing, and conversion.
“For I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord.” (Tobit 12:15)
In the Book of Tobit, the Archangel Raphael reveals his identity only at the mission’s completion. This delayed revelation is no accident, but a pattern in divine pedagogy. God often hides His agents until the appointed hour, that faith might mature through trial and humility.
Raphael’s ministry is multifold: he delivers Tobit from blindness, brings Tobiah and Sarah together in holy matrimony, and binds the demon that tormented her. His work is healing, but also ordering and sanctifying. As Saint Gregory the Great teaches:
“Those who deliver messages are simply called angels, but those who announce more weighty matters are called archangels… Raphael, as his name indicates, is entrusted with healing: he touched Tobit’s eyes to dispel the darkness of his blindness.” (Homiliae in Evangelia, II, 34)
Thus, the archangel’s name—Rapha-El, “God heals”—is not mere nomenclature but a mission, a sacramental sign of his role in God’s salvific economy.
“An angel of the Lord descended at certain times into the pond; and the water was moved.” (John 5:4)
This enigmatic verse from the Gospel of Saint John, long cherished in the liturgical tradition though omitted from many modern translations, is rich with meaning when read through the lens of tradition. It recounts how the sick would gather at the pool of Bethesda, awaiting the angelic stirring of the waters.
This scene mirrors the sacramental life of the Church. Just as the angel moved the waters for physical healing, so too do the sacraments—especially Baptism and Confession—stir the waters of grace for the healing of souls. Saint John Chrysostom reflects:
“The movement of the water was a type of Baptism… the angel descending was a symbol that it was not a man but God who wrought the miracle.” (Homilies on the Gospel of John, XXXVI)
Moreover, the pool becomes a figure of the Church herself: a place where grace is dispensed through the operation of divine messengers and the faith of the penitent.
The Hidden Ministry of Angels
Both readings reveal the unseen yet potent ministry of angels. They are messengers, healers, defenders, and guides. They are not abstract symbols, but spiritual persons, created by God for His glory and our benefit. Saint Basil the Great affirms this when he writes:
“Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd, leading him to life.” (Adversus Eunomium, III, 1)
Raphael, in particular, is appointed as the patron of travelers, the sick, and those seeking spouses—a ministry much needed in a fragmented and disoriented world. His discreet guidance reminds us that divine help is never far from those who pray with faith, even if the answer comes in veiled form.
Practical Reflections and Devotion
Today, let us imitate Tobit and Tobiah, whose fidelity to prayer, almsgiving, and obedience opened their lives to angelic intervention. Let us seek Saint Raphael’s intercession:
When we or our loved ones suffer from bodily or spiritual ailments;
When we face long journeys—geographical, vocational, or interior;
When seeking the healing of relationships or guidance in vocation.
We are reminded by Saint Augustine that:
“Angels are mighty beings, but they serve. They are not gods, but ministers of God for our good.” (Enarrationes in Psalmos, 103)
In a time marked by confusion, disorder, and a loss of the supernatural sense, devotion to the holy angels—especially Saint Raphael—can reawaken in us a living awareness of God’s presence, providence, and the sacred ordering of the cosmos.
Closing Prayer (adapted from the traditional Roman Missal)
O God, Who gave blessed Raphael the Archangel to Thy servant Tobias as a companion on his journey: grant to us, Thy servants, that we may always be protected by his guardianship and strengthened by his help. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saint Raphael the Archangel, healer of the blind, companion of the faithful, terror of demons, pray for us.