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Gospel Reading for September 29, 2025 – John 1: 47-51

INTERMEDIARIES
Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

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The word “angel” comes from the Greek word, “angelos” and Hebrew word, “ mal’akh,” both meaning, “messenger.” Today, we celebrate the feast of the 3 archangels: ST. MICHAEL who is known as the warrior against evil; ST. GABRIEL who is known as a messenger bringing good news; and ST. RAPHAEL who is known to bring good health and guidance;

In both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, angels were known to be INTERMEDIARIES between God and humanity. In Psalm 91: 11, angels are described as guardians. In Genesis 16: 7-16, an angel delivers a message from God to Hagar. In Genesis 19, angels were sent to rescue Lot and his family before the destruction of Sodom. In Genesis 28, Jacob dreams of angels ascending and descending on a ladder from heaven. In the New Testament, angel Gabriel was sent to Mary to announce God’s message that she would conceive and bear the Son of God (Luke 1: 26-38). When Jesus was born, angels announced to the shepherds about his birth, and at the place were he was born, a multitude of the heavenly host came down from heaven singing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is well pleased” (Luke 2: 8-14). In Matthew 4: 11, after the devil unsuccessfully tempted Jesus during his 40 days in the desert, when the devil left him, angels came to minister to him. In Matthew 18: 10 Jesus says, ““See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”

In Filipino, we even have an expression: “Sana magdilang anghel ka!” meaning, I hope the good thing you said will come true. There is even a love song – “You are my special angel sent from up above. The Lord smiled down on me and sent an angel to love …” These show the importance we give to the role of angels in our lives.

When we were children, we were taught the prayer, “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day, be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen”. Hopefully, even as adults, we continue to pray this prayer, especially when we ask for God’s protection from the evil one.

At the Eucharistic Celebration, we sing the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy) with all the choirs of angels in heaven: The Seraphims, Cherubims, Thrones, Dominations, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, and Guardian Angels. Imagine at every mass the kind of glory we give to God when we sing with all his angels in heaven – “heaven and earth are full of your glory, hosanna in the highest!”

Sts. Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and all the holy angels of God, be with us always!