To read the texts click on the texts: Dan 7:9-10,13-14; Rev12:7-12; Jn 1:47-51
The three Archangels Michael (Who is as God? or
Who is like God?), Gabriel (Strength of God) and Raphael (God heals) are the
only angels named in Sacred Scripture. However, ancient apocryphal literature
mentions others beside these three, but the names are spurious.
Archangel Michael is invoked for protection
against evil and regarded as a Champion of God’s people. Gabriel is mentioned
four times in the Bible. Of these the most significant are in the New Testament
when he makes the announcement of the birth of john the Baptist and Jesus to
Zechariah and Mary respectively. Raphael is mentioned in the Book of Tobit and
is the one who heals Tobias’ blindness. Raphael is not mentioned in the New
Testament, but is invoked for healing and acts of mercy.
The choice of the Gospel reading from John is
because of the mention of angels in the last verse of the text. Though having
an opinion about where the Messiah would come from, Nathanael remains open to
another revelation. Though skeptical, he is willing to be convinced. Jesus
addresses Nathanael as an “Israelite” which signifies his faithfulness to the
law and is used here in a positive sense. He is without guile because though he
has questions and even doubts, he is open and receptive and willing to learn.
Jesus’ intimate knowledge of Nathanael and the revelation that he makes to him
leads to a transformation in Nathanael and he comes to faith. He responds to
Jesus with a confession and though he begins with Rabbi, he moves on to
recognizing Jesus as Son of God and King of Israel.
However, Jesus responds by pointing out to
Nathanael that this is only the beginning of the revelation that Jesus makes.
If he continues to remain open he will experience even greater things. By means
of a double “Amen”, Jesus points out to Nathanael and to others there that he
will be the bridge between heaven and earth. Through the phrase “you will see
heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of
Man.” (Jn 1:51) which combines images from the descent of the Son of Man as
narrated by Daniel (7:13) and the ladder of Jacob’s dream in Genesis (28:12),
Jesus states that Jacob’s ladder is replaced by the Son of Man. He will be that
place and person in whom the earthly and divine encounter each other. He as Son
of man will make God known. The Son of Man becomes the place where the earthly
and the heavenly, divine and human, temporal and eternal meet.
When looked at from this angle, the feast of the
Archangels is saying to us that our God is not merely in the
heavens. Our God is not merely a God who has created the world and left it to
its own design. Rather our God is a God who is intimately connected to the
world and present to and in it. Our God is a God who is concerned about our
world and ever willing to lend a hand whenever any one of us requires it.
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