Homily For Friday Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 29th September, 2023. The Feast of Saints. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels

Readings:  Daniel 7:9-10.13-15, Ps. 138, John: 47-51

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

ARCHANGELS, GOD'S MOST POWERFUL INSTRUMENT FOR SAFEGUARDING THE HUMAN SOUL

 

For us to be fruitful in our given vocation as Christians, there is the need for us to build a personal relationship with God and building this relationship is not as difficult as some people think, because God desires to have such a relationship with us and this he often manifested through the instrument of angels and Archangels. Little wonder we celebrate today the three great Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael who are God’s most powerful instrument for safeguarding the human soul.

 

In these Archangels, we have a powerful link to God, especially in our constant struggle and the spiritual battle for the sake of our souls. This Archangels are categorized based on their responsibilities. Archangel Michael is known as the Prince and defender of the heavenly hosts. He defends us in battle and helps us to be humble, so that we may not fall into pride, ambition, greed and vanity like the devil who he defeated and sent away from heaven so that we can remain firm in our commitment to serving the Lord.

 

Archangel Gabriel is known as the Messenger of God. He helps us to have faith in God through his Words so that we may always hope in God. While Archangel Raphael is known for the manifestation of the healing and mercy of God, especially for the soul corrupted by sin. This shows us the extent God can go for the sake of humanity. The fact is that God loves us so much and it is not about our love for him, but his love for us.  This is manifested in the life of Jesus who loves us personally and desires to share in our daily struggles through the angels and Archangels.

 

All The Lord demands from us is to acknowledge his presence in our lives and cooperate with his grace, and when such a relationship is established our lives will change for good just like Nathaniel in our Gospel passage, who acknowledged that Jesus is the Son of God, of which Jesus commended him for his faith and goes on to tell him that he shall see great things in heaven including the angels ascending and descending in the presence of God. Likewise, Daniel in our first reading, who saw a mission of one coming on the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man. A thousand thousand waited on him, ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.

 

Dear friends, what is our experience of angels and Archangels? Is there any occasion where we can say that we have personally encountered or experienced the presence of an angel? What is our relationship with our guardian angels? If none we should desire to have one through our daily activities. For today we are reminded that God through the Archangels manifests his power and presence in human activities. So we are called to always cooperate with the will of God as directed by his angels and Archangels who minister to us. We are called to build a personal relationship with God through his Archangels, who are there to defend, guide and heal our souls from sin and death.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you often send your  Archangels to guide and direct our affairs in life. Through their faithful direction and protection, may our life advance boldly along the path of salvation, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.