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SAINT RAPAHEL THE ARCHANGEL

ARTICOLE

Archangel Raphael and Healing Raphael is the patron of healers and those in need of healing. This mighty Archangel is able to fearlessly move into what ever area is in need of healing, bringing a host of Angels with him to accomplish this. It does not matter what we are facing, Archangel Raphael is there with us helping us to open our hearts and minds to the healing power of Spirit and the Universe. This Angel works with and through all sorts of healers and counselors, anyone who is willing to open up to the energy of the Higher to bring peace and healing to others. He assists us in being a catalyst for healing while not taking on or emptying what is happening with those we are serving. This allows us to be both clearer channels for the healing process as well as insuring we do not take on the problems or issues of another. Archangel Raphael's name means " God Heals". This Angel represents the ability contained within each of us to heal ourselves if we can shift our consciousness into a state where we truly believe that Spirit has gifted each of us with it's vast creative and healing powers, Spirit held nothing of itself back when we were birthed into the Universe. Archangel Raphael is the overseer of all healers be they alternative or allopathic. The Person who teaches school by day and offers counseling support by night to friends and family is being a channel for Raphael and as such is under his protection and guidance. We are all healers for ourselves and each other, whether we go through 1

training to practice a for mal type of healing or whether we simply respond as needed when the occasion arises, we all should be aware of how we are supporting the healing process of others and remember to call upon this archangel to support ourselves lest we take on the problems and issues of others and make them our own. An illness or issues can be absorbed into our energy field and repeated exposure can create a fertile environment for these same problems and issues to grow in out own lives. One can prevent this is simply upon calling upon this Archangel for protection and guidance, to offer what healing we are able to and then turning it over to Raphael and Spirit for continued resolution. Working with this Archangel offers protection both for the healer and the person seeking healing. When we are ill or in the midst of a serious issue or problem, this leaves us open and vulnerable to all sorts of psychic intrusions and thought forms that can blow the issues completely out of proportion and what started off as the sniffles can turn into something more serious. Likewise a minor financial problem can suddenly blossom into a huge concern. Raphael reminds us that it is not up to us to figure out how to heal ourselves and others, it is our duty instead to call upon him and the Universe to guide us through the healing process, to allow the power of Spirit to flow through us as hollow bones . Likewise we are not responsible for anyone's healing except our own. I have known many healers who became burned out and frustrated, doubting their path because the people they were drawing to them seemed to making little to no progress. They felt responsible to set things right for these people and the rest of the world instead of understanding that they can only be the catalyst for healing. It is up to the individual to accept the healing. Yet we can also call upon Raphael to help ourselves accept the healing that he is trying to give us each day. We never have to go through the process of learning how to receive on our own, but always have the mighty presence of this Angel working for us! You can work with Archangel Raphael and his healing energy using meditation. To prepare say a prayer to Mother/Father/God/Arch Angel Raphael, to please help you be as open to the healing as possible and to join in the healing work and support you through your healing process. Sit comfortably where you will not be disturbed. Begin by grounding and centering yourself. Close your eyes and imagining roots growing from your feet into Mother Earth. Then follow this simple breathing exercise to relax your physical body: breathe in through your nose, hold it for 7 seconds, and release it very slowly through your mouth. Repeat 3 times then unconsciously continue breathing this way throughout the meditation. Tell your Ego-self to move toward your left shoulder. Let the Egoself know that it’s only an observer during the healing and know this is so. Ask God/dess to send down a beam of protective white light. God/dess hears your request and in your minds eye you immediately envision a beam of light coming down from the universe. Watch it surround you in a protective glow. Call Archangel Raphael, either mentally or out loud and ask. "Archangel Raphael please come to me now and assist me in my healing." If you like, also invite in your Higher Self and your own Spirit Guides and Guardian Angels. You don’t need to know their names, just say "Spirit Guides and Guardian Angels, please go in Archangel Raphael in my healing session." In your mind’s eye, picture Raphael standing over you with his hands out stretched over your head. See the healing energy in the form of green light flowing from his hands down into your body through your crown chakra (the top of your head). Try to relax and feel the energy. You may not be able to feel the energy at first, but after doing this a few times (if needed); you will probably begin to become more sensitive to the energy. Most people feel the healing energy as warmth or tingling. Others feel a soft and loving stream running through their body. Whatever you feel is right for you. The first time, let this energy flow through you for a while, opening you to Archangel Raphael ’s curative energy and preparing you on all levels to accept the healing. This initial step can last for 2

several minutes or until you feel that it is time to move on to the next step. Now change the focus onto specific parts of your body. Picture Raphael's h ands over these areas and feel and see the green light flowing through his hands to your injury or area of illness. When you are through, thank Archangel Raphael, and ask him to protect you from negative thoughts and feelings that manifest into health problems. Also thank your Spirit Guides and Angels for assisting in the healing. Focus on grounding and centering yourself. Again, picture the roots from your feet into Mother Earth. Now open your eyes. It does not matter if you are good at visualization, or whether or not you can physically feel the healing energy from Archangel Raphael and your intentions are what you are healed by. This method works with injuries and illnesses equally well. You may repeat this work several times a day if necessary, or whenever you feel you need it. Once you are used to healing work with Archangel Raphael, your Spirit Guides and Angels, you can ask them for quick relief and healing. This is especially helpful for chronic conditions they regularly work with you on such as pain relief. Please remember to thank Archangel Raphael, your Guides and Angels for their help. It’s not necessary but they really appreciate the acknowledgment that you know they are their working with you. You can also take the time and support unity to talk with them, either telepathically in your mind or softly out loud. They do hear what you say and acknowledge in ways that they can, even if you can't hear their responses back to you in words. Healing Others with Archangel Raphael’s Energy You can also work with Archangel Raphael to heal others. We are all beings of light and anyone can work with the healing energy and assist in another person's healing. You do not need any special training to do this type of healing work. You just act as a channel for the healing energy. All that is needed is y our intention to help the other person in their highest good. Archangel Raphael, your Higher Self and Spirit Guides, and the Higher Self and Spirit Guides of the person you are doing the healing work with are directing the healing being done. Your main job is support for the person, or "receiver," and to facilitate the healing work. Make the person you are going to work on comfortable by having them sit in a chair or lay down. Together, ask your ego-selves to move toward your left s houlders. Let the ego-selves know they are only observers during the healing and know this is so. Ask your Angels, Guides and the receiver�s Angels and Guides to accompany you on this quest to heal now. Ask God/dess to send down a beam of protective white light. God/dess hears your request and in your mind’s eye you can immediately envision a beam of light coming down from the universe. Watch it surround you and the receiver in a protective glow. Both of you say, out loud, "Archangel Raphael please come to us now and assist in the healing in [Healer's highest good and that [Receiver] accepts the healing in their own highest good. Of course, all of this can be done silently. The person being healed doesn't have to participate in the prayers and invitation. But it is helpful if they do take an active role in the healing. Place your hands on or above the person's head. Picture Archangel Raphael standing behind you and working through you. Try to envision or feel the healing green light energy flowing from Archangel Raphael into your hands and then into the crown chakra of the receiver. Your hands may become warm from the energy. After several minutes of this, move on to specific areas of the body where it is needed the most. Trust your own feelings and guidance on the length of time to spend on each area and where to place your hands. You could be guided to work on areas that have nothing to do with the are as of the symptoms, disease or injury. This could be underlying causes or just a separate need for healing in that area of the body. Just follow your intuition. When you are through, don’t forget to thank Archangel Raphael and the spirits involved. Working with Archangel Raphael and his healing energy is very easy. The 3

healing is done by your intention and willingness to work with the Beings of Light ministering to you and the people that you are working with. Raphael (Standard Hebrew ‫א ל‬ ‫ ָפרפ ָפ ֵא‬, Rāfāʾēl, "It is God who heals", "God Heals", "God, Please Heal") is an archangel of Judaism and Christianity, who in the Judeo-Christian tradition performs all manners of healing. In Islam, Raphael is the same as Israfel. Raphael in Judaism The angels mentioned in the Torah, the older books of the Hebrew Bible, are without names. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish of Tiberias (A.D. 230–270), asserted that all the specific names for the angels were brought back by the Jews from Babylon, and modern commentators would tend to agree. Raphael is named in several Jewish apocryphal books (see below). Raphael in the Book of Enoch Raphael bound Azazel under a desert called Dudael according to Enoch 10:4–6: And again the Lord said to Raphael: 'Bind Azazel hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dudael, and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may not see light. And on the day of the great judgment he shall be cast into the fire.[1] Of seven archangels in the angelology of post-Exilic Judaism, only Michael, mentioned as archangel (Daniel 12:1; Jude verse 9) and Gabriel are mentioned by name in the scriptures that came to be accepted as canonical by all Christians. Raphael is mentioned by name in the Book of Tobit, which is accepted as canonical by Catholics, Anglicans and Orthodox. Raphael in Catholicism The name of the angel Raphael appears only in the Deuterocanonical Book of Tobit. The Book of Tobit is considered canonical by Roman Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox Christians. Raphael first appears disguised in human form as the travelling companion of Tobit's son, Tobiah (Greek: Τωβίας/Tobias), calling himself "Azarias the son of the great Ananias". During the adventurous course of the journey the archangel's protective influence is shown in many ways including the binding of the demon in the desert of upper Egypt. After the return and the healing of the blindness of Tobit, Azarias makes himself known as "the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord" Tobit 12:15. Compare the unnamed angels in John's Revelation 8:2. He is often venerated and patronized as Saint Raphael the Archangel. Regarding the healing powers attributed to Raphael,[2] we have his declaration to Tobit (Tobit, 12) that he was sent by the Lord to heal him of his blindness and to deliver Sarah, his future daughter-in-law, from the demon Asmodeus, who abducts and kills every man she marries on their wedding night before the marriage can be consummated. Among Catholics, he is considered the patron saint of medical workers, matchmakers, and travelers and may be petitioned by them or those needing their services.[3] Vectorial representation of Archangel Raphael atop a fish. The feast day of Raphael was included for the first time in the General Roman Calendar in the year 1921, for celebration on October 24. With the reform of the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints in 1969, this feast was transferred to September 29 for celebration together with Saint Michael and Saint Gabriel.[4] Within limits, the Roman Catholic Church still authorizes use of the 1962 calendar. The Church of England also celebrates "Michael and All Angels" on September 29.[5] Raphael has made an impression on Catholic geography: Saint Raphaël, France and Saint Raphaël, Quebec, Canada; San Rafaels in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, the Philippines and in Venezuela as San Rafael de Mohán and San Rafael de Orituco. In the United States, San Rafaels inherited from Mexico survive in California (where besides the city 4

there are San Rafael Mountains), in New Mexico, and in Utah, where the San Rafael River flows seasonally in the San Rafael Desert. The Archangel also lends his name to St. Raphael's Cathedral, the seat of the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin, to St. Raphael's Cathedral, the seat of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, and to Mission San Rafael Arcángel in San Rafael, California. In the New Testament, only the archangels Gabriel and Michael are mentioned by name (Luke 1:9-26; Jude 1:9). Later manuscripts of John 5:1-4 refer to the pool at Bethesda, where the multitude of the infirm lay awaiting the moving of the water, for "an angel of the Lord descended at certain times into the pond; and the water was moved. And he that went down first into the pond after the motion of the water was made whole of whatsoever infirmity he lay under". Because of the healing role assigned to Raphael, this particular angel is generally associated with the archangel. Raphael is sometimes shown as standing atop a large fish or holding a caught fish at the end of a line. This is a reference to Book of Tobit (Tobias), where he told Tobias to catch a fish, and then uses the gallbladder to heal Tobit's eyes, and to drive away Asmodeus by burning the heart and liver.[6] Raphael (archangel) 3 Raphael in Islam Raphael is honored in Islam as one of the great archangels and is known more commonly as "Israfel" or "Israfil" in Islamic history. According to the hadith, he is the angel responsible for signaling the coming of = Judgment Day by blowing the trumpet (namely Sûr). According to tradition, the trumpet will be blown three times. The first blow of the trumpet will signal the beginning of Last Day and the second blow will signal the death of every living thing including angels, demons and humans and the third blow will signal the time when all the souls from all ages will be gathered for the Last Judgement. According to the Quran, an unnamed trumpet-angel, assumed to be Israfel, has been holding his breath, waiting for Allah's order to blow the Sûr. Raphael in Paradise Lost The angel Raphael, along with many other prominent angels, appears in John Milton's Paradise Lost, in which he is assigned by God to re-warn Adam concerning the sin of eating of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He also expounds to Adam the War in Heaven in which Lucifer and the demons fell, and the creation of the Earth. In popular culture • The Archangel Raphael serves as the antagonist in the fifth and sixth seasons on the CW Television Network horror/drama series Supernatural, Raphael serving as a traditionalist archangel who seeks to restart the apocalypse after protagonists Dean and Sam Winchester and 'renegade' angel Castiel averted the Apocalypse by trapping Lucifer and other archangel Michael in Lucifer's Cage. He is finally killed in the finale when Castiel absorbs the souls of Purgatory to increase his power to a level where he can defeat Raphael. • The upcoming Nicholas Sparks drama The Watchers focuses on the life of Raphael as an angel who has given up immortality, for the love of a human woman.[7] • In season 2, episode 14 of the show Criminal Minds, the unsub refers to himself as Raphael as he goes on a religious mission to kill sinners. It is eventually revealed that he has dissociative identity disorder and one of his personalities believes itself to be the archangel Raphael. References [1] "The Book of Enoch: The Book of Enoch: Chapter X" (http:/ / www. sacred-texts. com/ bib/ boe/ boe013. htm). Sacred-texts.com. . Retrieved 2011-12-05. [2] The Hebrew word for a doctor of medicine is Rophe connected to the same root as Raphael.

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[3] "Dictionary of Patron Saints' Names", Thomas W. Sheehan, p514, Our Sunday Visitor Publishing, 2001, ISBN 0-87973-539-2 [4] "Calendarium Romanum" (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), p. 143) [5] Calendar of saints (Church of England)#September [6] "saintr02.htm Patron Saints Index" (http:/ / www. catholic-forum. com/ saints/ saintr02. htm). Catholic-forum.com. . Retrieved 2011-12-05. [7] "Nicholas Sparks Injects a Dose of Romance Into American Living Rooms with ABC’s ‘The Watchers" (http:/ / www. wordandfilm. com/ 2011/ 09/ nicholas-sparks-injects-a-dose-of-romance-into-american-living-rooms-with-abcs-thewatchers/ ). . Retrieved September 30, 2011. External links • Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Raphael (http:/ / www. newadvent. org/ cathen/ 12640b. htm) Healing With Archangel Raphael Archangel Raphael is the Archangel of Healing. He wishes to extend an open invitation to anyone who would like to work with him for their own personal healing, or for that of another. Each person is capable of healing themselves and assisting others to heal. Mother/Father God supports you in your intentions of healing and there are many Angels and Masters who can assist you directly with healing and guidance, if you ask them. All that you need to do is be open to their help and loving energy. Each person can readily work with Archangel Raphael and all of the Archangels, Angels, and Masters here to support us. They have unconditional Love for us and wish to help us live our lives to our highest potential. Asking your Higher Self to join you in the healing is a very important component. Your Higher Self is your soul, who you are on a spiritual level. Working in unison with their energies and intentions can expedite the healing process. Please note the when you do a healing on others it is always with the help of their Higher Self, whether it is a hands on healing, or a long distance healing. To work with Archangel Raphael and your own Higher Self and angels all you need to do is invite them in and state your intentions. It is best to ask for healing in your highest good. That way any underlying problems are healed and you are not just concentrating only on the symptoms. The best way to ask Archangel Raphael and your angels to work with you is from a meditative or quite state of mind. To prepare you might want to take a few slow deep breaths and say a prayer to Mother/Father God to help you be as open to the healing as you can and ask Them to please join in with the healing work and support you through your healing process. When you are ready to begin the healing say Archangel Raphael's name either in your mind or softly out load and ask that he come in to assist in your healing. At that time you can also invite in your Higher Self and your own angels. You do not need to know their names, they are very aware of you, all that you need to do is direct your thoughts to them and say "Please help me heal" or "Please join with Archangel Raphael in my healing process". Work With Archangel Raphael for Your Own Healing: After getting into a relaxed or quite state of mind and inviting Archangel Raphael in: Try to picture Raphael standing near you with his hands outstretched over your head. See the healing energy in the form of White Light flowing from his hands down through your body. Try to relax and feel the energy. You may not be able to feel the energy at first, but after you work in this manner for several sessions (if needed) you will probably begin to become more sensitive to the energy. Most people feel the healing energy as a warmth, or a tingle. Some people feel it as a soft and loving current running through their body. It is best to do this overall healing first to open you to the healing energy and prepare you on all levels to accept the healing. This initial step can last for several minutes or until you feel that it is time to move on to the 6

next step. You can now work on specific areas of your body. If you can, place your hands over the area that you would like healed, picture Raphael's hands over your own and see the White Light flowing through his hands to your own and on to your injury or area of illness. Your hands may become very warm from the healing energy when you do this. If you cannot reach the injured part of your body visualize Raphael's hands over that part and picture and try to feel the energy flowing there. It does not matter if you are good at visualizations, or whether or not you can physically feel the healing energy, your intentions and the assistance of Raphael, your Higher Self, and the angles that you are working with are what enables you to heal. This method works with injuries and illnesses equally well. You may repeat this work several times a day if necessary, or whenever you feel that you need it. In many cases once you are use to working with Archangel Raphael, your Higher Self, and your Angels in this way it is easy to establish a good connection with them fairly quickly for relief and healing. This is especially true if the situation is chronic and they work with you many times throughout the day or week for healing or symptom management such as pain relief. But even when you are use to working with them throughout the day it is best to go through the process and picture White Light flowing to the area that needs healing. Your conscious participation in the healing work is very helpful. Find what works best for you. Some people like or need the extra focus and visualizations each time. 2 Please remember to thank Archangel Raphael, your Higher Self and your Angels for their help. They really appreciate the acknowledgment that you know they are their working with you. You can also take the time and opportunity to talk with them, either telepathically in your mind or out loud. They do hear what you say and acknowledge it in ways that they can, even if you cannot hear their responses back to you in words yet. Working With Someone Else For Healing: Anyone can work with the healing energy to assist in another person's healing. You do not need any special training to do this type of healing work. You are offering your assistance by acting as a channel for the divine healing energy. All that is needed is your intention to help the other person in their highest good. You cannot do any harm. The healing energy can only help. Raphael, your Higher Self and Angles, and the Higher Self and Angels of the person you are doing the healing work with are directing the healing. Your main job is to be a physical conduit for the divine energies. Ask the person you are going to be working with to either sit in a chair or lay down. It is very helpful at that time if both of you take a moment to take a few slow deep breaths and say a prayer to be open to the healing energy and to the highest help and support from your Higher Selves and the angels that you will be working with. It is also very helpful to include in the prayer a request to Mother/Father God to join in the healing work, and for support for the person throughout their healing process. When this is done take a few more minutes to ask to be readied to accept the flow of the healing energies through you. As you are stating your wishes your Higher Self will begin to open your chakras so that you can be a more efficient channel for the divine energies. When you are ready to begin you can both invite Archangel Raphael and your own Angels, and your Higher Self to begin work with you. State your intentions clearly for the healing. You can include a statement that you wish to assist in the healing in the person's highest good and the person being healed can state that they accept the healing in their own highest good. All of this can be done silently, if you like. The person being healed doesn't necessarily have to participate in the prayers and invitation. But it is very helpful if they do take a more active role in the healing and know that their own Higher Self and Angels are participating at their request. It is also important that they know that 7

they can call in those Beings of Light at any time themselves for healing or symptom control such as pain management etc. The first step when assisting someone in healing: Place your hands on or above the person's head. Picture Archangel Raphael standing behind you working through you, or in front of you working with you. Try to picture and or feeling the healing divine energies flowing from your hands to the person you are working with. Your hands may become warm from the energy. After several minutes of this you can move on to specific areas of the body where it is needed the most. Trust your own feelings and guidance as to the length of time to spend on each area and where to place your hands. Don't be surprised if you feel that you should work on areas that seemingly have nothing to do with the areas of disease or injury. Sometimes there are underlying causes in other areas of the body, or even an unrelated need for healing in that area of the body. Working with the healing energy is truly that easy. The healing is done by your intention and willingness to work with Raphael and the Angels ministering to you or the people that you are working with.

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Archangel 1 Archangel The Annunciation by Paolo de Matteis An archangel (pron.: /ˌɑrkˈeɪndʒəl/) is an angel of high rank. Beings similar to archangels are found in a number of religious traditions; but the word "archangel" itself is usually associated with the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Michael and Gabriel are recognized as archangels in Judaism, Islam, and by most Christians. The Book of Tobit—recognized in the Catholic and Orthodox Bibles, but considered apocryphal by Protestants—mentions Raphael, who is also considered to be an archangel. The archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with a feast on September 29 (between 1921 and 1969 March 24 for Gabriel and 24 October for Raphael) and in Orthodox on November 21. The named archangels in Islam are Gabriel, Michael, Israfil and Azrael. Jewish literature, such as the Book of Enoch, mentions Metatron as an archangel, called the "highest

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of the angels," though the acceptance of this angel is not canonical in all branches of the faith. In Zoroastrianism, sacred texts allude to the six great Amesha Spenta (literally "divine sparks") of Ahura Mazda. Some branches of the faiths mentioned have identified a group of seven Archangels, but the actual angels vary, depending on the source. Raphael, Gabriel, and Michael are always mentioned; the other archangels vary, but most commonly include Uriel as well, who is mentioned in the book 2 Esdras. Most archangels are considered to be good angels. Satan, sometimes called Lucifer, is also considered an archangel, but one who has fallen from God's grace and is considered evil, leading fallen angels against God in the War in Heaven in the traditions in which such a concept exists. The word archangel is derived from the Greek ἀρχάγγελος (arch- + angel, literally chief angel).[1] Archangel 2 In Judaism Jacob wrestling with the Angel by Gustave Doré 1885 The Hebrew Bible uses the terms ‫( מ לאכי א לוהים‬malakhi Elohim; Angels of God),[2] "The Hebrew word for angel is "malach," which means messenger, for the angels are God's messengers to perform various missions." ‫( מ לאכ י י‬malakhi Adonai; Angels of the Lord),[3] ‫( בני א לוהים‬b'nai elohim; sons of God) and ‫( הקדושים‬ha-qodeshim; the holy ones) to refer to beings traditionally interpreted as angelic messengers. Other terms are used in later texts, such as ‫( הע ליונים‬ha-elyonim, the upper ones, or the ultimate ones). Indeed, angels are uncommon except in later works such as the Book of Daniel, though they are mentioned briefly in the stories of Jacob (who, according to several interpretations, wrestled with an angel) and Lot (who was warned by angels of the impending destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah). Daniel is the first biblical figure to refer to individual angels by name.[4] It is therefore widely speculated that Jewish interest in angels developed during the Babylonian captivity.[5] According to Rabbi Simeon ben Lakish of Tiberias (230–270 AD), specific names for the angels were brought back by the Jews from Babylon. There are no explicit references to archangels in the canonical texts of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). In post-Biblical Judaism, certain angels came to take on a particular significance and developed unique personalities and roles. Though these archangels were believed to have rank amongst the heavenly host, no systematic hierarchy ever developed. Metatron is considered one of the highest of the angels in Merkavah and Kabbalist mysticism and often serves as a scribe. He is briefly mentioned in the Talmud,[6] and figures prominently in Merkavah mystical texts. Michael, who serves as a warrior and advocate for Israel (Daniel 10:13 [7]), is looked upon particularly fondly. Gabriel is mentioned in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 8:15-17 [8]) and briefly in the Talmud,[9] as well as many Merkavah mystical texts. The earliest references to archangels are in the literature of the intertestamental periods (e.g., 4 Esdras 4:36). Within the rabbinic tradition, the Kabbalah, chapter 20 of the Book of Enoch, and the Life of Adam and Eve, the usual number of archangels given is at least seven, who are the focal angels. Three higher archangels are also commonly referenced: Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel. There is confusion about one of the following eight names, concerning which one listed is not truly an archangel.Wikipedia:Please clarify They are: Uriel, Sariel, Raguel, and Remiel (possibly the Ramiel of the Apocalypse of Baruch, said to preside over true visions), Zadkiel, Jophiel, Haniel and Chamuel. [10] Medieval Jewish philosopher Maimonides made a Jewish angelic hierarchy. In addition, traditional homes often sing a song of welcome to the angels before beginning Friday night (Shabbat) dinner. It is entitled Shalom Aleichem, meaning "peace onto you." This is based on a statement attributed to Rabbi Jose ben Judah that two angels accompany each worshiper home from the Friday

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evening synagogue service.[11] These angels are associated with the good inclination yetzir ha-tov and the evil inclination yetzir ha-ra.[12] Archangel 3 In Christianity Guido Reni's Archangel Michael Trampling Satan, 1636. The New Testament speaks frequently of angels (for example, angels giving messages to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds; angels ministering to Christ after his temptation in the wilderness, an angel visiting Christ in his agony, angels at the tomb of the risen Christ, the angels who liberate the Apostles Peter and Paul from prison); however, it uses the word "archangel" only twice: "When the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you'" (Jude 1:9 [13]); and "The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God" (1 Thessalonians 4:16 [14]). In Christianity, whether in the Catholic or the Protestant Bible, the term "archangel" appears only twice: in Jude 1:9 [13], where it is applied to Michael, and in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 [14], where it is used generically or, according to Jehovah's Witnesses, of the Lord. Roman Catholic In Roman Catholicism, three are honoured by name: • St. Gabriel • St. Michael • St. Raphael The last-named of these identifies himself in Tobit 12:15 [15] thus: "I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand and serve before the Glory of the Lord." To the other four of these seven "archangels" post-Exilic Judaism gave the names Uriel, Raguel, Sariel, and Jerahmeel (Book of Enoch) or Uriel, Izidkiel, Hanael, and Kepharel (other apocryphal sources),[16] but these are not venerated by the Catholic Church. The Fourth Book of Esdras, which mentions the angel Uriel, was popular in the West and was frequently quoted by Church Fathers, especially Ambrose, but was never considered part of the biblical canon.[17] Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Tradition mentions "thousands of archangels;[18] however, only seven archangels are venerated by name.[19] Uriel is included, and the other three are most often named Selaphiel, Jegudiel, and Barachiel (an eighth, Jeremiel, is sometimes included as archangel).[20] The Orthodox Church celebrates the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers on November 8 of Stencyl the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar (for those churches which follow the Julian Calendar, November 8 falls on November 21 of the modern Gregorian Calendar). Other feast days of the Archangels include the Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel on March 26 (April 8), and the Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Colossae on September 6 (September 19). In addition, every Monday throughout the year is dedicated to the Angels, with special mention being made in the church hymns of Michael and Gabriel. In Orthodox iconography, each angel has a symbolic representation:[20] Archangel 4 Russian icon of the Archangel Jegudiel. • Michael in the Hebrew language means "Who is like unto God?" or "Who is equal to God?" St. Michael has been depicted from earliest 12

Christian times as a commander, who holds in his right hand a spear with which he attacks Lucifer/Satan, and in his left hand a green palm branch. At the top of the spear there is a linen ribbon with a red cross. The Archangel Michael is especially considered to be the Guardian of the Orthodox Faith and a fighter against heresies. • Gabriel means "Man of God" or "Might of God." He is the herald of the mysteries of God, especially the Incarnation of God and all other mysteries related to it. He is depicted as follows: In his right hand, he holds a lantern with a lighted taper inside, and in his left hand, a mirror of green jasper. The mirror signifies the wisdom of God as a hidden mystery. • Raphael means "God's healing" or "God the Healer" (Tobit 3:17 [21], 12:15 [22]). Raphael is depicted leading Tobit (who is carrying a fish caught in the Tigris) with his right hand, and holding a physician's alabaster jar in his left hand. • Uriel means "Fire of God," or "Light of God" (II Esdras 4:1, 5:20). He is depicted holding a sword against the Persians in his right hand, and a flame in his left. • Sealtiel means "Intercessor of God." He is depicted with his face and eyes lowered, holding his hands on his bosom in prayer. • Jegudiel means "Glorifier of God." He is depicted bearing a golden wreath in his right hand and a triple-thonged whip in his left hand. • Barachiel means "Blessing of God." He is depicted holding a white rose in his hand against his breast. • Jerahmeel means "God's exaltation." He is venerated as an inspirer and awakener of exalted thoughts that raise a person toward God (II Esdras 4:36). As an eighth, he is sometimes included as archangel. Archangel 5 Angelic Council (Ангелскй Собор). Orthodox icon of the seven archangels. From left to right: Jegudiel, Gabriel, Selaphiel, Michael, Uriel, Raphael, Barachiel. Beneath the mandorla of Christ-Emmanuel are representations of Cherubim (blue) and Seraphim (red). In the canon of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, 1 Enoch describes Saraqael as one of the angels that watch over "the spirits that sin in the spirit." (20:7, 8). Protestant The Protestant Bible provides names for two angels: "Michael the archangel" and the angel Gabriel, who is called "the man Gabriel" in Daniel 9:21 [23]. Protestants who reject the apocrypha view Michael as the sole archangel, since he is the only one explicitly described as such in the Bible in Jude 1:9 [24]. Gabriel is never called an archangel in the Bible. Seventh-day Adventists hold that "Michael" and "archangel" are just other titles for the Lord Jesus Christ, who is not a created being but the Eternal Word of God, "very God of very God, of the same substance as the Father". They interpret Presbyterian Matthew Henry as supporting this view.[25] Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses believe that there is only one archangel (Michael), based on the literal meaning of the Greek word ἀρχάγγελος: "chief angel". They also believe that the definite article at Jude 9 ("Michael the archangel") means there is only one archangel. Citing 1 Thessalonians 4:16 [14], where

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Jesus is described as descending "with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet", they conclude that Michael is another name for Jesus in heaven.[26][27] Latter Day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints interprets the term archangel as 'Chief Angel',[28] Michael is the only individual so-designated in the scriptures of the Latter Day Saints' canon. (Jude 1:9 [29] KJV). It is believed that he is the head of all of the angels.[30] LDS doctrine also states that archangel Michael was the first man, Adam (D&C 128:20-21 [31]).[32] Though no other being is identified as an "archangel," LDS doctrine states that the angel Gabriel was known in mortality as Noah [33] and the angel Raphael is a being of significant standing even though he has never been identified with any mortal prophet.[34] In Islam In Islam, the named archangels include: • Gabriel ( Jibril in Arabic). Gabriel is the Archangel responsible for revealing the Quran to Mohamed and inducing him to recite it. Gabriel is known as the angel who communicates with the Prophets. This Angel has great importance in Islam as he is being narrated in various Hadiths about his role of delivering messages from 'God the Almighty' to the Prophets. • Michael (Mikhail in Arabic). Michael is often depicted as the Archangel of mercy who is responsible for bringing rain and thunder to Earth. • Israfil (Israfel or Israafiyl). According to the hadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad), Israfel is the Angel responsible for signaling the coming of Judgment Day by blowing a horn/trumpet. It translates in Hebrew as Raphael. Archangel 6 • Azrael (Izra'il). Azrael is usually regarded as the angel of death Malaku I-mawt, in the Quran (Surah al-Sajdah [Quran 32:11 [35]]) is responsible to parting the soul from the body. • Ridwan, The Guardian of Heaven. This Angel's name is often given to Muslim children in most of the countries as it is a name of great virtues. • Maalik, The Guardian of Hell where people doing misdeeds are sent to. • Munkar and Nakir, The two angels who are believed to come to the grave of a person to question the deceased person regarding their faith and belief. The angels are believed to interrogate about the person's faith in his religion. They ask him about the God the person worships, the prophet he follows and the scripture he follows. • Kiraman Katibin (Raqeeb and Atheed), The two angels who are believed to record the good deeds and the bad deeds, a person has done in his lifetime. • Harut and Marut are two angels mentioned in the second Surah of the Qur'an, who were sent down to test the people at Babel or Babylon by performing deeds of magic. (Sura Al-Baqara, verse 102). The Qur'an indicates that although they warned the Babylonians not to imitate them or do as they were doing, some members of their audience failed to obey and became sorcerers, thus damning their own souls. In Zoroastrianism An increasing number of experts in anthropology, theology and philosophy, believe that Zoroastrianism contains the earliest distillation of prehistoric belief in angels.[36] Zoroastrians believe, that as a complex the Amesha Spentas constitute a holy heptad made up of God's (Ahura Mazda, Lord of Truth and Wisdom) most potent qualities. Simultaneously, they individually inhabit immortal bodies, that operate in the physical world, to protect guide and inspire humanity, and the 14

spirit world. The formless aspect of the Amesha Spentas dual-functionality, might more easily be compared with Christianity's Holy Trinity or celestial Thrones but this in no way disqualifies them from being both divine hosts and archangelic archetypes. Along with tying up many other monotheist loose ends, the Avesta explains the origin and nature of archangels, most cohesively. Zarathustra taught that Ahura Mazda shone with such radiance that his own shadow became enraptured by his beauty. This caused a deviation from the complementary relationship between darkness and light. [citation needed] To maintain equilibrium, Ahura Mazda engaged in the first act of creation, distinguishing his Holy Spirit Spenta Mainyu, the Archangel of righteousness. Ignorant of the harmonious balance between light and dark, the stray shadow-aspect Angra Mainyu chose to separate from spirit and challenge the one true God. Angra Mainyu introduced falsehood, disease, suffering and death. In continued response to his growing aggressor, Ahura Mazda distinguished from himself six more Amesha Spentas, who along with Spenta Mainyu, aided in the creation of the physical universe. Then he oversaw the development of sixteen lands, each imbibed with a unique cultural catalyst, calculated to encourage the formation of distinct human populations. The Amesha Spentas were charged with protecting these holy lands and through their emanation, also believed to align each respective population in service to God. [citation needed] Zarathustra prophesied that Ahura Mazda orchestrated this guided transformation in order to demonstrate the supremacy of Asha, (Truth), beyond a shadow of a doubt. Angra Mainyu would sense no risk invading such seemingly helpless creatures as human beings. Yet through their decision to embrace 'Asha' over 'Drug' (falsehood), the universal demon could be trapped and forced to acknowledge his ignorance and deception. Only with human collaboration, could the Amesha Spentas defeat Angra Mainyu once and for all, returning darkness to its rightful place.[37] Amesha Spenta (Phl. Amahraspandan) 'Beneficent Immortals', these spiritual beings constitute the formal differentiation of Ahura Mazda's greatest attributes. • Spenta Mainyu (Phl. Spenamino): lit. 'Bountiful Spirit' • Asha Vahishta (Phl. Ardwahisht): lit. 'Highest Truth' Archangel 7 • Vohu Mano (Phl. Vohuman): lit. 'Righteous Mind' • Khshathra Vairya (Phl. Shahrewar): lit. 'Desirable Dominion' • Spenta Armaiti (Phl. Spandarmad): lit. 'Holy Devotion' • Haurvatat (Phl. Hordad): lit. 'Perfection or Health' • Ameretat (Phl. Amurdad): lit. 'Immortality' Other traditions Occultists sometimes associate archangels in Kabbalistic fashion with various seasons or elements, or even colors. In some Kabbalah-based systems of ceremonial magic, all four of the main archangels (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel) are invoked as guarding the four quarters, or directions, and their corresponding colors are associated with magical properties.[38] Lucifer or Sataniel in JudeoChristian traditions, or Iblis in Islam, is considered an archangel by Satanists and many non-Satanists, but non-Satanists consider him evil and fallen from God's grace. In anthroposophy, based on teachings by Rudolf Steiner, there are many spirits belonging to the hierarchical level of archangel. In general, their task is to inspire and guard large groups of human beings, such as whole nations, peoples or ethnic groups. This reflects their rank above the angels who deal with individuals (the guardian angel) or smaller groups.[39] In Steiner's view, the main seven archangels with the names given by the esoteric Christianism are Michael (Sun), Oriphiel (Saturn), Anael (Venus), Zachariel 15

(Jupiter), Raphael (Mercury), Samael (Mars), Gabriel (Moon) have a special assignment to act as a global Zeitgeist ("time spirit" or, "spirit of the times/age"), each for periods of about 380 years.[40] According to this system, since 1879, Michael is the leading Time Spirit. Four important archangels also display periodic spiritual activity over the seasons: Spring is Raphael, Summer (Uriel), Autumn (Michael) and Winter (Gabriel). In anthroposophy, archangels may be good or evil; all beings who do not follow the cosmic evolution become a source of evil. Certain types of spiritual forces are beneficial during a specific period. In the following period, when another spiritual activity begins, early forces begin to be inappropriate; this is the birth of evil. Another Catholic variation lists them corresponding to the days of the week as: St Michael (Sunday), St Gabriel (Monday), St Raphael (Tuesday), St Uriel (Wednesday), St Sealtiel/Selaphiel (Thursday), St Jehudiel/Jhudiel (Friday), and St Barachiel (Saturday).[citation needed] In the lesser banishing ritual of the pentagram,[41] the invocation includes the words "Before me Raphael; Behind me Gabriel; On my right hand Michael; On my left hand Auriel [Uriel]..." In art, archangels are sometimes depicted with larger wings. Some of the more commonly represented archangels are Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, and Uriel.[42] References [1] Online Etymology Dictionary (http:/ / dictionary. reference. com/ etymology/ arch-angel) [2] What Are Angels? (http:/ / www. chabad. org/ library/ article_cdo/ aid/ 692875/ jewish/ What-AreAngels. htm) [3] DEATH, ANGEL OF (http:/ / www. jewishencyclopedia. com/ view. jsp?artid=178& letter=D& search=mal'ak) "the "destroying angel" ("mal'ak ha-mashḥit")" Jewish Encyclopedia [4] Jewish Encyclopedia, accessed February 15, 2008 (http:/ / www. jewishencyclopedia. com/ view. jsp?artid=1521& letter=A& search=angels|The) [5] Judaism at HighBeam Encyclopedia (http:/ / www. encyclopedia. com/ doc/ 1E1-Judaism. html), Section: The Postexilic Period [6] Sanhedrin 38b and Avodah Zarah 3b. [7] http:/ / bibref. hebtools. com/ ?book=%20Daniel& verse=10:13& src=KJV [8] http:/ / bibref. hebtools. com/ ?book=%20Daniel& verse=8:15-17& src=KJV [9] cf. Sanhedrin 95b [10] Metzger & Coogan (1993) Oxford Companion to the Bible, p54. [11] Tractate Shabbat 119b. [12] Shlomo Katz, Vayeitzei, Hamaayan/The Torah Spring (http:/ / www. torah. org/ learning/ hamaayan/ 5759/ vayeitzei. html), Vol XIII, No. 7 (Nov. 28, 1998). [13] http:/ / bibref. hebtools. com/ ?book=%20Jude& verse=1:9& src=ESV Archangel 8 [14] http:/ / bibref. hebtools. com/ ?book=1%20Thessalonians& verse=4:16& src=ESV [15] http:/ / www. usccb. org/ bible/ scripture. cfm?bk=Tobit& ch=12 [16] Catholic Encyclopedia, "St. Raphael" (http:/ / www. newadvent. org/ cathen/ 12640b. htm) [17] Catholic Encyclopedia, "Esdras" (http:/ / www. newadvent. org/ cathen/ 05535a. htm) [18] anaphora, Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom 16

[19] The World of The Angels (http:/ / www. holy-transfiguration. org/ library_en/ ang_heavhost. html) Holy Transfiguration Russian Orthodox Church, Baltimore MD [20] Nicholai Velimirovic, November 8 (http:/ / www. westsrbdio. org/ prolog/ my. html? month=November& day=8& Go. x=13& Go. y=15) Prologe From Ochrid [21] http:/ / bibref. hebtools. com/ ?book=%20Tobit& verse=3:17& src=NAB [22] http:/ / bibref. hebtools. com?book=%20Tobit& verse=12:15& src=NAB [23] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ bible?passage=Daniel%209%3A21;& version=9; [24] http:/ / www. biblegateway. com/ bible?passage=Jude%201%3A9;& version=9; [25] SDAnet, "Questions on Doctrine: Christ, and Michael and Archangel" (http:/ / www. sdanet. org/ atissue/ books/ qod/ q08. htm) [26] Watchtower Official Website (http:/ / www. watchtower. org/ e/ archives/ index. htm), "The Truth About Angels" [27] What Does The Bible Really Teach?; Appendix, page 218–219. Published by Jehovah's Witnesses 2005. [28] LDS guide to the scriptures: Archangel (https:/ / new. lds. org/ scriptures/ gs/ archangel? lang=eng) [29] https:/ / new. lds. org/ scriptures/ nt/ jude/ 1. 9?lang=eng#8 [31] https:/ / new. lds. org/ scriptures/ dc-testament/ dc/ 128. 20-21?lang=eng#19 [32] LDS.org Ensign Article: Adam, the Archangel (http:/ / www. lds. org/ ldsorg/ v/ index. jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD& locale=0& sourceId=9b6dfc3157a6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____& hideNav=1) [33] (http:/ / eom. byu. edu/ index. php/ Noah) [34] (http:/ / lds. org/ scriptures/ dc-testament/ dc/ 128. 21?lang=eng#20) [35] http:/ / www. usc. edu/ org/ cmje/ religious-texts/ quran/ verses/ 032-qmt. php#032. 011 [36] Mary Boyce, A History of Zoroastrianism Volume One: The Early Period, E. J. Brill, Leiden 1975 [37] http:/ / www. sacred-texts. com/ zor/ sbe04/ sbe0428. htm (Page 199) Mary Boyce, A History of Zoroastrianism Volume One: The Early Period, E. J. Brill, Leiden 1975. [38] The Pagan's Path (http:/ / www. paganspath. com/ meta/ angels4. htm), Metaphysics 101: The Archangels [39] "The Mission of Rudolf Steiner," (http:/ / www. rsarchive. org/ RelAuthors/ KatzErnst/ AGM_Address. php) Dr. Ernst Katz, retrieved from The Rudolph Steiner archive (http:/ / www. rsarchive. org/ ) [40] http:/ / wn. rsarchive. org/ Lectures/ GA243/ English/ RSP1969/ 19240818p01. html [41] "On the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram" (http:/ / www. sacred-texts. com/ bos/ bos026. htm) from The Internet Book of Shadows at Sacred-texts.com (http:/ / sacred-texts. com) [42] Angels in Art (http:/ / www. humanitiesweb. org/ human. php?s=g& p=a& a=i& ID=334) on HumanitiesWeb (http:/ / www. humanitiesweb. org/ ) Bibliography • Metzeger, Bruce M. (ed); , Michael D. Coogan (ed) (1993). The Oxford Companion to the Bible. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-504645-5. 17

• Boyce, Mary (1984). Textual Sources for the Study of Zoroastrianism. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press. External links • The World of Djinn and Its Secrets (http:/ / www. islamawareness. net/ Jinn/ fatwa_secrets. html) • The Zorastrian Religion and its Progeny (http:/ / mailstar. net/ zoroastrianism. html) • Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers (http:/ / ocafs. oca. org/ FeastSaintsViewer. asp?SID=4& ID=1& FSID=103244) Orthodox icon and synaxarion Archangel 9 Christian angelic hierarchy First Sphere (liberated) Seraphim • Cherubim • Ophanim • Thrones Second Sphere (active) Dominions • Virtues • Powers or Authorities Third Sphere (active) Principalities or Rulers • Archangels • Angels Article Sources and Contributors 10 Article Sources and Contributors Archangel Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=555407175 Contributors: ***Ria777, 1Angelika, 2602:306:C454:540:ACF6:B3E:1AA5:7A20, 2602:306:CCEE:43B0:78C5:A3C:DA7A:9578, 3rdTriangle, A4, Aaron Brenneman, Abouttofly, Adwiii, Afzal alif, Alansohn, AlbertusmagnusOP, Alex earlier account, Alsandro, Alweth, Amrit 306, Andreas Kaganov, Andycjp, AnmaFinotera, Anson Stark, Antonia Graham, Aprilsharper, Armando12, Ashley Y, Atif.t2, Ausir, AuthorityTam, Aylad, Bailo26, BananaFiend, Bastique, Beastmaster105, Becksguy, Beleg Tâl, Bensaccount, Bleeve, Borgx, Bristus, Buddhaamaatya, Bulmabriefs144, Cabro-foto, Camyoung54, Canstusdis, Carl.bunderson, Celtic Minstrel, Cfsenel, Chairboy, Chamal N, Chensiyuan, Chowbok, Cleverings, Cmdrjameson, Cminard, ColinFine, Colincbn, Coradon, Corwin8, Csernica, Cspan64, DCB4W, DOSGuy, Dalrymple, Dava4444, David42718, Deflective, Deipnosophista, Delicates, Dhyun2, Doc Tropics, Doc glasgow, DocWatson42, DogFog, Douglas W. Jones, Dougweller, DrPickle, Drawn Some, Dream of Nyx, Dromidaon, Dryranm, Earlypsychosis, Eiad77, Ekabhishek, Ekwos, EliasAlucard, Emperorbma, Enaidmawr, EoGuy, Esoglou, Evanluxzenburg, Everyking, F Notebook, Favonian, Fckldjhfuwekhfnvsdv, Feeeshboy, Freestylefrappe, FrozenPurpleCube, FrummerThanThou, Fullstop, Gaius Cornelius, GamblinMonkey, Gbbinning, Gcm, Gogo Dodo, GrindtXX, Gwernol, Hairy Dude, Hajor, Harvestdancer, Hashem sfarim, Hgilbert, Historia, History2007, Hohenloh, Homier, Hottentot, Huey45, Ian.thomson, Ibrahim ebi, Iketsi, Ilhamhusainbhat, Imadjafar, InfernoX410, Isidorpax, Jackien1968, James Brush, Java7837, Jcsrauch, Jeff3000, Jeffro77, JeremyA, Jimmy10291, Jlcoving, Jnivekk, John of Reading, Johnbod, Jorge Stolfi, Jschwa1, Julia Rossi, Juniper Gnowell, Jyp, Karl.rosencrants, Keivan.f, Kent Wang, KingKane, Kiore, Kmccoy, KoosJaspers, Kostisl, Koven.rm, Kreizhn, Kwamikagami, LOL, Ling.Nut, Lithoderm,

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Loremaster, Lothimos, Lotje, LovelyLillith, M4bwav, MCSKY, Maaajid, MacGyverMagic, Madmedea, Maine7779, ManofTheAtom, Markmain, Mastermund, Matipop, Matthewgibson3321, Maury Markowitz, Mayaharmonycenter, Melchizedek22, Melodychick, Merwat, Michaelpremsrirat, Midsummer kid, Miffy900, Mike0001, MisfitToys, MishaPan, Mitch Ames, Mitsukai, Moebiusstrip, Mostafa Majd, Mpolo, Mschlindwein, NKOzi, Nafsadh, Nareek, Naru14358, Naruto153579, Nedrutland, NeoDeGenero, Neoman2026, Niaji Azure, Nicodemus75, Noraad, O not, ONEder Boy, Ojigiri, Okwidmer, Olivier, Onesius, Pagony, PamD, Parkie1, Pass a Method, Paul A, Pearle, Per Ardua, Phoe, Pinethicket, Plus-media, Polyamorph, Power level (Dragon Ball), Ppntori, Pretty Prince, Prolog, Qwerty Binary, Qwertyus, RA0808, RUL3R, ReaverFlash, Riccardo Riccioni, Rich Farmbrough, Ridge Runner, Rithom, Rmhermen, Robert.Allen, Rockstar915, Rreagan007, Rtkat3, Rwflammang, SAMiracle, SFV666, Samboy220, Sanctifii, SarekOfVulcan, Satanael, Seanbond5, Seeleschneider, Serenevannoy, Shadowbender, ShandiArchuleta, Shearonink, Shiroi Hane, Shirulashem, Shoaler, Shotwell, Silence, Simetrical, Sjakkalle, SkyWalker, Smeags07747, Spacecentipede, Spaceflower, Spacegogo, Sparthorse, Srich32977, StAnselm, SteinbDJ, Stillnotelf, Struway, Stylz1996, Syrthiss, Tanbircdq, Tarheelz123, Telpardec, That Guy, From That Show!, The Light Burns, TheJustObserver, Tide rolls, Tkech, Tobylaroni, Tom Peters, Tom harrison, Tomcat7, Toyokuni3, TrickyApron, Truco, Truth12788, Twindream, Unionhawk, Vaderzim, Valiantineus, Vanished user ewfisn2348tui2f8n2fio2utjfeoi210r39jf, Vassilis78, Vegaswikian, Velella, Vercetticarl, VernoWhitney, Vladislaus Draculea, VolatileChemical, Wasell, Welsh, Wetman, Weyes, What makes a man turn neutral?, WildElf, Will.spearshake, Willthacheerleader18, WookieInHeat, XLR8TION, YWHW, Zahakiel, Zanimum, Zeikan, Δ, 619 anonymous edits Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors File:Paolo de Matteis - The Annunciation.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php? title=File:Paolo_de_Matteis_-_The_Annunciation.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Mattes, Postdlf, ReaverFlash, Soerfm File:Jacob Wrestling with the Angel.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php? title=File:Jacob_Wrestling_with_the_Angel.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Gustave Doré (1832-1883) File:Guido Reni 031.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Guido_Reni_031.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: AnRo0002, Boo-Boo Baroo, FxJ, Jembob, Mathiasrex, Mattes, Prosfilaes, ReaverFlash, Robert Weemeyer, Shakko, Thomas Gun, 5 anonymous edits Image:Jegudil.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Jegudil.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Origianl painter passed away. Uploader was: Участник:EugeneZ (uploader) Image:Archangels.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Archangels.JPG License: Public Domain Contributors: 0 Noctis 0, Allforrous, Auntof6, Csernica, G.dallorto, Joker Island, Pvillani, Shakko, Wst, Лобачев Владимир, 3 anonymous edits Image:Paradiso Canto 31.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php? title=File:Paradiso_Canto_31.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Conscious, Infrogmation, Jappalang, Mattes, Mayer Bruno, Radagast3, Roomba, Sailko, Sdrtirs, Shakko, Syraceuse, Wikibob, Xenophon, 6 anonymous edits License Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported 19

//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Walking with St. Raphael PART I: THE BOOK OF TOBIAS The Book of Tobias is one of the books of the Old Testament. It belongs to the time of theAssyrian domination, about 722 before Christ. It sets forth the ideal of a saintly family life. Thestory of the Angel Raphael and Tobias is contained in these memoirs of Tobias and his son.Among the captives who were carried off to Assyria there was a very saintly man namedTobias. He consoled his fellow captives and was very kind to them.God allowed Tobias to become blind. When Tobias was already old, fearing that he would soondie, he called his son and said, "Honor your mother always. Fear God and never sin. Gives alms tothe poor. Keep yourself from all impurity. Never let pride rule you. Do not do to another what youwould not like him to do to you. Seek the advice of the wise man. Pray to God at all times, and ask Him to direct your ways. We are poor, but we shall possess much if we fear God and hate sin."One day Tobias sent his son, also named Tobias, into a distant country to collect a debt. Sincethe young Tobias did not know the way, God sent him the Angel Raphael to be his guide. On the journey they stopped at the river Tigris to rest and bathe. A large fish plunged after Tobias and hewas frightened. But the Angel told Tobias to seize the fish. When he had drawn the fish on to thebank, the Angel told him to take out its heart, gall, and liver to make a medicine.They then continued the journey and arrived at the home of a relative of Tobias. Tobias took hisdaughter as his wife because the Angel told him to do so.Tobias then returned home with his new wife, Sara. The Angel told him to apply the medicinemade from the fish to the eyes of his old father. At once his father's sight was restored.Both father and son tried to prevail on the Angel to accept half of their new-found wealth. Buthe told them to give their thanks to the God of Heaven. "To Him," he said, "offer your praises forall men to hear: He it is that has shown mercy to you. When you, Tobias, were praying, and withtears, when you were burying the dead, leaving your dinner untasted, so as to hide them all day inyour house, and at night give them burial, I, all the while, was offering that prayer of yours to theLord. Then, because you had won His favor, it was necessary that trials should come and test yourworth. And now, for your healing, for the deliverance of your son's wife Sara, from the attack of the evil spirit, He has chosen me for His messenger. Who am I? I am the Angel Raphael, and my place is among those Seven who stand in the Presence of the Lord." Upon hearing this, they were both filled with fear and fell down trembling with their faces to theearth."Peace be with you," the Angel said. "Do not be afraid. It was God's will, not mine, that broughtme to your side; to Him pay the thanks and praise you owe. I was at your side, eating and drinking,but only in outward show; the food, the drink that I live by, man's eyes cannot see. And now the

time has come when I must go back to Him Who sent me. Give thanks to God, and tell the story of His great deeds."With that he was caught away from their eyes, and they saw him no more. For

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three hourstogether, face to earth, they gave thanks to God; and when they rose up, it was to tell the story of allthese marvels. PART II: THE ARCHANGEL RAPHAEL Archangel (from the Greek meaning "ruling angel") in its wider meaning, is an Angel of higherrank, thus all the higher orders of Angels. The Archangels are God's messengers to man in mattersof graver importance, e.g., Raphael to Tobias. Also to the Archangels God entrusts the care of persons of exalted rank or sanctity.The name of the Archangel Raphael (Hebrew: "God has healed") occurs only in the Book of Tobias of the Old Testament, where the travelling companion of the younger Tobias makes himself known as "the Angel Raphael, one of the Seven, who stand before the Lord" (Tob. 12:15).As to the functions attributed to St. Raphael, we have little more than his declaration to oldTobias that when the latter was occupied in his works of mercy and charity, he, Raphael, offeredhis prayer to the Lord, and that he was sent by the Lord to heal him of his blindness and to deliverSara, his son's wife, from the devil. Many identify Raphael with the "Angel of the Lord" mentionedin the fifth chapter of St. John's Gospel, because of the meaning of his name and because of hishealing role in the Book of Tobias. Some theologians believed that Saint Raphael was Our Lord'sown Guardian Angel.Of the Seven Archangels, who in both Jewish and Christian tradition are venerated as standingbefore the throne of God, three only are mentioned by name in the Bible: St. Michael, St. Gabriel,and St. Raphael. The other four are well-known from ancient tradition: St. Uriel, St. Barachiel, St.Jehudiel, and St. Sealtiel. These have been venerated in the Church from early times, especially inthe East, but it was not till the pontificate of Pope Benedict XV that the liturgical feasts of St.Gabriel and St. Raphael were made obligatory throughout the Latin Church. Holy Mother Churchhas assigned St. Raphael's own feastday to October 24. Angel of Joy It would seem that God has appointed the Angel Raphael His minister for the province of joy. The Book of Tobias shows us unhappiness followed by happiness. It tells us how Raphaelappeared to the pious family of Tobias and led them by the hand away from their sadness into thepeace and the glory of joy. As Tobias begins his journey with St. Raphael, his father's last prayer isthat his Angel accompany him. And when Tobias and Sara leave, Raguel and Anna make a similarpetition. Belief, then, in the Holy Angels is a part of the faith of those who are being favored withthe presence of one of Seven who stand before the throne of God.What a flood of light the Book of Tobias sheds on God and His hidden ways of directing menand their affairs! In this drama you observe that St. Raphael, magnificent in his humility, hides

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himself while the characters suffer, in order that he may serve them better. The higher a creature,the more humble he is! That God increase and he decrease is the holy ambition which inflames hiszeal. Veiling his real nature by the form of a man, and his activities by human circumstances, St.Raphael gently controls the outcome of events for those who follow his inspirations.Young Tobias obeys his unknown guide, and because he obeys, his path is made smooth beforehim. As he journeys beside the Angel in simple obedience, Raphael directs every moment in light,although to the young man all appears in darkness. Everything follows a marvelous plan. Themarriage of the young man offers many dangers. But the Angel Raphael is there, and sadnessvanishes.Although he is an Angel of Light, Raphael appears in no resplendent form; he uses no dramaticdisplay of heavenly power. But working quietly through a series of human circumstances he bringsto those who hire him for wages the promise of joy and healing. Although he is Angel of Travelersand Angel of Joy, the journey is not without hazard, not without bitter trials and tears. His beautifulrole consists in directing Tobias to use wisely the dangers which he encounters. Evils yieldblessings for himself and those whom he loves. By his journey the young man did all that he hadintended, and much more than he could have planned. A series of glorious events owe their rise tosuccessive angelic inspirations, faithfully obeyed.St. Raphael's first salutation upon entering the house of Tobias is "joy." Referring to the elder Tobias who lived forty-two years after his cure, Holy Scripture says, "The rest of his life was in joy, and with great increase of the fear of God he departed in peace." When St. Raphael's work isfinished with marvelous completeness, and time brings back every joy which it took away and athousand more, we read at the end of the Book these words about Tobias, his son: "With joy theyburied him." St. Raphael's promise is indeed fulfilled! Return of joy redoubled is the theme of theBook of Tobias. From the moment that St. Raphael, Angel of Joy, makes his entrance into thedrama of Tobias, deliverance is near and a triumphant ending is assured. God uses an Angel tomanifest His power and glory. This "figure of His Providence" leads to health and happiness forthose who trust him. Tobias is safely led back home, money is returned, sight is restored, and life isreturned to Tobias when death threatened. At the end, when St. Raphael has led his charges to joy,he appears in order to give the only genuine glory there is — glory to God. The glory of God madeevident in the Book of Tobias consists in God's yielding to the prayers of His children. His gloryand our joy become one. In all of Raphael's dealings with you, you will learn to view life from God's point of view. Godto him is the only Reality. As he journeys disguised by your side, he points everywhere to God, heteaches you to appreciate His greatness everywhere, to see Him first and last. God sends Hismessenger to instruct and to comfort you if you yield to his holy influence as Tobias did. Thus St.Raphael brings you joy because he brings you to God. You are not spared your natural fears

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anddoubts. But when confided to him, they soon vanish. Only as you journey on with him do yourealize the preparations which were made. One lesson is evident — you need faith! Sanctity is theperfection of this virtue which St. Raphael would have you practice at every step of your way. Hispromise is joy at the end. He will keep his promise for he is the Angel of Joy. Angel of Healing

Raphael is called "the Remedy of God." The names of the Archangels signify a singleoutstanding operation which each performs in fulfilling the designs of Providence. Thus St.Michael is commissioned to exercise the Power of God — to ratify special decrees, to executeparticular judgments, to prevent Satan and his hordes from transgressing too far. St. Gabriel iscommissioned to announce the more important supernatural truths, to manifest mysteries, tostrengthen faith and hope. Pope St. Gregory calls St. Raphael "the Remedy of God." His office is to heal. He is then by excellence the Angel of the Sick.Humanly speaking, we owe our rather complete revelation of St. Raphael's sojourn on earth tothe piety of two persons: one, the elder Tobias; the other, his future daughter-in-law, Sara. Tobias and been stricken with blindness, and Sara had been persecuted by a devil. At the same time,though many miles apart from each other, they asked God to pity and help them. And the Scripturetells us (Tobias 11:24) "the prayers of them both were heard and the holy Angel of the Lord, St.Raphael, was sent to heal them both, whose prayers at one time were rehearsed in the sight of theLord."St. Raphael's own account of himself and his mission to the Tobias family will bearrepetition. "When you; Tobias, were praying, and with tears I, all the while, was offering that prayer of yours to the Lord. Then, because you had His favor, it was necessary that trials should come and test your worth. And now, for your healing, for the deliverance of your son's wife Sara, from the attack of the evil spirit, He has chosen me for His messenger. Who am I? I am the Angel Raphael, and my place is among those Seven who stand in the presence of the Lord." From thebeginning of history St. Raphael has been God's chief agent in administering to the sick. Perhapsthe Archangel's most constant occupation among mortals was to guard the sick from the attacks of the evil spirits. On countless occasions he was sent to carry out Divine decrees of miraculous cures.In addition, he was, of course, regularly engaged in offering the prayers of those who were in goodfaith.In Her liturgy concerning the sick and the dying, the Church is most alert to danger fromdiabolical attack, and most insistent on the need we have of the help of the Angels. By Her adviceand example she earnestly desires us to invoke their aid. We need them in our normal life, but weneed them particularly when we are sick, for then we are definitely in danger. The Church's prayers for the sick and the dying contain so many petitions to keep demons away and send good Angels to protect the patient. The Angels know medicine as no physician can hope to know it, and in generaltheir interest is to cure sickness and restore the patient to a complete use of all his faculties. Weshould enlist to our advantage this angelic activity, especially in the case of St. Raphael who has been chosen by God as the Healer of the Sick. When St. Raphael appears, all evils which he touches are healed by one means or another. Themonstrous fish attacks Tobias on the first night that he travels with St. Raphael. But the enemyproves to be his salvation, when he follows the counsels of his guide who tells him to grasp it 23

bythe gill and draw it toward him. The Angel instructs Tobias to take out the entrails of the fish andlay up the heart and gall and liver. "For these," he said, "are necessary for useful medicines."Tobias does not foresee any use for the heart and liver of the fish. But when he is told to marry Sara, "remembering the Angel's word, he took out of his bag part of the liver, and laid it upon the burning coal." Later it is used as a cure for the blindness of his father. The fish is the symbol of Christ to whom Raphael leads us at once as the Medicine of all our ills of soul and body.Moreover, Raphael acts with singular simplicity though the affairs in question are inthemselves very complicated. "I am," says the Angel, "Azarias, son of Ananias; I am the help of the Lord, coming out of the Cloud." He conceals himself under the form of a man's name; likewise heconceals his angelic action under the form of man's human adventures. He gives fortune, health, awife, light, vision, joy. He shows that God is there, present and willing to help. He gives theseblessings as coming from God. Things which are impossible to men are possible to God. When Omnipotence speaks, there is no room except for simplicity. The Book of Tobias suggests that it is God's will to cure the maladies of mankind through the Angel Whom He wished to call Raphael, which in Hebrew means, "God has healed." But manyidentify St. Raphael with the "Angel of the Lord" mentioned in the fifth chapter of Saint John's gospel, because of the meaning of his name and because of his healing role in the Book of Tobias.The Gospel of the Mass is taken from Saint John's Gospel referring to the pool called Probatica,where the multitude of the infirm lay awaiting the moving of the water, for "An angel of the Lordused to come down at certain times in the pool, and the water was moved. And the first to go downinto the pool after the moving of the water was cured of whatever infirmity he bad."The hymns used in the Office of St. Raphael's feast recall the healing power of the Archangeland his victory over the demon. In fact, the two proper hymns dwell on this mission alone, for example, the hymn for Vespers contains the following prayer: "May the Angel Raphael, physicianin care of our health, come down from Heaven to cure all who are sick and to solve the difficultproblems of life." And the hymn at Lauds makes this direct appeal: "Be with us, O Archangel, called the Medicine of God; drive away diseases of the body and bring good health to our minds."As these prayers indicate, the Remedy of God is for both the soul and body. A troubled mind,especially a conscience burdened with sin, is the first concern of the Angelic Healer. We are "sick" not only when we labor under some bodily affliction, but also when we suffer from pride, sensuality, spiritual discouragement, indifference to actual grace, lack of charity, of courage, of fervor in prayer. Even when we are bewildered by the problems of life, even when domestic caresseem too much for us, even then we need the care of St. Raphael. Indeed, he never considers us"cured" until he has brought us "the peace of God which surpasses understanding." If to that end amiracle is required, we may rely on him to procure it.Over a long period of nineteen centuries the cult of St. Raphael among Christian peoples was restricted and informal. In fact, it was Pope Benedict XV who established universally theArchangel's feast with a proper Mass and Office. God has selected these times of ours to institute auniversal and concentrated movement to foster the great Archangel's love for us and secure hispowerful intercession. There was never a time when healing the sick was not dear to the Heart of God, so it is significant that the twentieth century should have been chosen as the dawn of an era of more intense, more extensive devotion to St. Raphael. If the faithful follow the inspired lead of the Church in furthering this devotion, the coming years will see miracles of healing multiplied everywhere. Heavenly Physician, Angelic Healer, the Remedy of God these certainly are titlesto challenge our faith in the ways of Providence. They are not man-given titles; they are simply equivalents of the name God Himself revealed. St. Raphael is God's Own prescription for our ills,for the complete cure of a world that is sick.Entrust your pains and illnesses to St. Raphael. He will teach you why you suffer. To know this"why" will make your pain more endurable. Although 24

you do not naturally like suffering, you canreconcile yourself to it if you are convinced that it leads to joy, and that the light and strength of God are with you at the moment of need if you ask for these gifts. Pain is power if you bear it forthe love of God. Pain with love is a beautiful sacrifice to God, a fruitful means of sanctification foryour soul and of merit for eternity. St. Raphael will give you peace of mind. The fruits of the spirit are charity, joy, peace andpatience. Patience will bring you peace, and peace with its resultant joy will conduct you to love,your aim and goal. Your trouble may continue, but a work of surpassing beauty will meanwhile beaccomplished within your soul. Quietly the Angel of Peace will prepare the way for God to comemore intimately into your life, and to your utter surprise you will discover suddenly that you areabove the pain. You can at last look upon the cause of the affliction and rest calmly undisturbed, forthe strength of peace has come.As you deal with the Angel Raphael, you always see afterwards that the time at which heworked was beautifully right. Tobias finds Raphael outside his very door and ready for a journey.No time is consumed searching for him. You would suppose that Raphael, with special power overthe evil spirit, Asmodeus, would cast him out immediately, or that this Heavenly Physician wouldcure instantaneously the blind eyes of the old Tobias. Both of these actions require time: the first,three days and nights: the second, half an hour. You can say that events do not happen "on time"according to our earthly views, but just at the favorable moment ordained by God.Never can you guess when St. Raphael will work. It is best then to leave the time and manner of action to his wisdom; yet on your own part do all that you feel inspired to do to obtain help, andbear all delays bravely. God's thoughts are not your thoughts, nor His ways your ways, therefore,you need to readjust your plans constantly as you travel with St. Raphael, the figure of God's Providence. Because of the cure of blindness mentioned in the Book of Tobias, St. Raphael is invoked asPatron of physicians and of those who are afflicted with illness, especially with any eye disease.Invoke him in any illness or affliction of the mind or body. God has ordained that St. Raphaelshould ever remain "the Remedy of God" for suffering mankind. This kind Angel can performcures for you, too, if you confide in his intercession as Tobias did.Angels, like all intelligent creatures, possess individual traits. It may be that from the beginningSt. Raphael was endowed with a special sympathy for human suffering and was thus providentially equipped for his office of "physician in care of our health." At any rate, his constant attendance atthe bedside of the sick, and his frequent response to the prayers of those who were troubled in mindand spirit, must have fostered in his heart an increasing kindness and tenderness toward mankind."A brother helped by a brother is like a strong city." St. Raphael proves himself to be truly abrother sometimes by his own direct inspirations, sometimes by arranging that others aid you and invariably you find him "a tower of strength and a kindly light," especially in illness. You see saint Raphael, Friend of the young, be thou my Friend, for I shall always be thine. I desire everto invoke thee in all my needs. To thy special care I entrust the decision I am to make as to myfuture husband (wife). Direct me to the person with whom I can best cooperate in doing God's Holy Will, with whom I can live in peace, love, and harmony in this life, and attain to eternal joy in thenext. Amen. Arc hangel Raphael Tessa B. Dick Raphael is known as “the healing angel”. All of the angels are known as “ministering spirits” (Hebrews 1:14). The city of San Rafael, California, north-northwest of San Francisco, is named after 25

Raphael. In the biblical tradition, illness is ascribed to demons, so diseases can be cured by defeating the evil spirits. One of the Old Testament names of God is “Yahweh-Rapha”, which means “The Lord That Heals You” (Exodus 15:26, “For I am the Lord that healeth thee.”), and this is no doubt a reference to Raphael’s name as a healing angel of God (“Rapha” means “healing”, and “el” means “of God”). Raphael appears as a healing angel in the story of Tobit, which is an Old Testament book from the Greek Septuagint. Some versions of the Bible follow the Septuagint, while others do not. The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Old Testament made in the third century BCE It was once believed that seventy scholars made this translation, and septuagint means seventy. The story of Tobit takes place in the ancient Assyrian capital of Nineveh, after the defeat of the kingdom of Israel by Assyria in 722 BC, but before the destruction of Nineveh in 612 BC. Modern scholars generally believe that Tobit is not genuine history, but a type of wisdom literature. The book was probably written as late as the 2nd or 1st century BC in Palestine by an unknown author. The Book of Tobit is not in the Hebrew Bible, and Protestant Bibles place it with the Apocrypha. It is part of the Old Testament in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox versions of the Bible. The Apocrypha are the 14 books of the Septuagint that were included in the (Latin) Vulgate but considered uncanonical by Protestants because they are not part of the Hebrew Scriptures. The Roman Catholic canon accepts 11 of these books and includes them in the Douay Bible. Apocrypha comes from the Greek word for secret or hidden. The term was coined by the 5th-century biblical scholar Saint Jerome for the biblical books received by the church of his time as part of the Greek version of the Old Testament but not included in the Hebrew Bible. Tobit is a pious Israelite who became blind while living in captivity in Nineveh. At the same time, Sarah, a young relative of his living in Media, suffered the death of seven husbands in a row at the hands the demon Asmodeus. The archangel Raphael is sent to help Tobit and Sarah (3:7-17). Before Raphael’s appearance, Tobit and Sarah are both praying to God to let them die because their lives are so miserable: “At that very moment the prayers of both were heard in the glorious presence of God, and Raphael was sent to cure the two of them: Tobit by removing the white patches from his eyes so that he might see God’s light again, and Sarah daughter of Raguel by giving her in marriage to Tobias son of Tobit and by setting her free from the evil demon Asmodaeus, for it was the destiny of Tobias and of no other suitor to posses her. At the moment when Tobit went back into his house from the courtyard, Sarah came down from her father’s roof-chamber.” (Tobias 3:-16-17) Raphael appears in disguise to Tobit's son Tobias, who was sent to Media to recover ten talents of silver that Tobias had on deposit with Gabael son of Gabri. Raphael persuades Tobias to marry Sarah, providing him with the means of defeating Asmodeus, and helping him to restore Tobit's sight. Tobit does not know the way to Media, and he is looking for someone to show him the way, when Raphael appears to him on the road: “Tobias went out to look for someone who knew the way and would accompany him to Media, and found himself face to face with the angel Raphael. Not knowing he was an angel of God, he questioned him: ‘Where do you come from young man?’ ‘I am an Israelite,’ he replied, ‘one of your fellow-countrymen, and I have come here to find work.’ Tobias asked, ‘Do you know the road to Media?’ ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘I have been there many times; I am familiar with all the routes, I know them well. I have frequently travelled into Media and used to stay with Gabriel our fellow-countryman who lives there in Rages. . . .” (Tobit 4:4-6) Here, Raphael is referring to the archangel Gabriel but Tobias does not know it. He hires Raphael to take him to Media, but first he must get his father’s approval. Tobit questions Raphael to find out whether he can be trusted to be his son’s companion on the journey:

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“When he entered, Tobit greeted him first. To Raphael’s reply, ‘May all be well with you!’ Tobit retorted: ‘How can anything be well with me any more? I am now blind; I cannot see the light of heaven, but lie in darkness like the dead who can no longer see the light Though still alive, I am as good as dead. I her voices, but I cannot see those speaking.’ Raphael answered: ‘Take heart; in God’s design your cure is at hand. Take heart!’” (Tobit 5:9) When Tobit demands to know the young mans name, Raphael says that he is Azarias, the son of Ananias, one of Tobit’s kinsmen (5:10). While they are on the road to Media, Tobias is stepping into the Tigris River to bathe, when a large fish jumps out of the water and tries to swallow his foot. Raphael tells Tobias to grab the fish, which he does. Tobias drags the fish up onto the bank, and Raphael tells him how to prepare it to eat. Raphael tells the young man to throw away the guts, but to keep the gall, the heart, and the liver because they have healing properties. Tobias asks about the healing properties, and Raphael replies: “You can use the heart and liver as a fumigation for any man or woman attacked by a demon or evil spirit; the attack will cease, and it will give no further trouble. The gall is for anointing a person’s eyes when white patches have spread over them; after one has blown on the patches, the eyes will recover.” (6:78) Tobias falls in love with Sarah and asks her father for permission to marry her, but then her father tells him about the curse which caused her seven husbands to die. The young man is disappointed, but then Raphael reminds him about the gall and heart of the fish. When Tobias returns home with his new wife, he uses the liver of the fish to cure his father’s blindness. Tobit tells his son Tobias to give Raphael half of everything that he gained on his journey, including the wedding gifts form Sarah’s father. Tobias goes out and tells Raphael that he shall receive half of everything, and the angel replies that he is an angel sent by God to answer the prayers of Tobit and Sarah: “I will tell you the whole truth, hiding nothing from you. I have already made it clear to you that while a king’s secret ought to be kept, the works of God should be glorified in public. Now Tobit, when you and Sarah prayed, it was I who brought your prayers to be remembered in the glorious presence of the Lord. So too when you buried the dead: that day when without hesitation you got up from your meal to go and bury the dead man, I was sent to test you. At the same time God sent me to cure both you and Sarah your daughter-in-law. I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand in attendance on the Lord and enter his glorious presence.” (11-15) According to tradition, Raphael is one of the four archangels of God (along with Michael, Gabriel, and Uriel) who led the angels of God in the war in Heaven against Lucifer, who was also an archangel. Lucifer rebelled when God told him to serve Man (Adam). Lucifer refused to bow his knee to a creature that was lower than himself, since Man was created a little bit lower than the angels (Psalm 8; Hebrews 2:7). Thus, Lucifer committed the sin of pride. Raphael is one of the seven archangels in Hebrew tradition. Michael is the leader of the angels (Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1) and guardian angel of Israel. He is considered the immediate lawgiver to the prophet Moses on Sinai (Acts 7:38). His also known as the patron of the sick and of grocers, sailors, and soldiers, and Michael is also the patron saint of Germany. Gabriel is an archangel acting as the messenger of God. He is portrayed blowing a horn, especially a ram’s horn. In the Old Testament, Gabriel explains the prediction for the length of the Jews' exile from Jerusalem (Daniel 9:21-27). In the New Testament, he announces to Mary that she is to be the mother of Jesus Christ (Luke 1:26-31). Uriel is one of the archangels named in the Apocrypha and in Hebrew tradition. Another archangel is Zadkiel. Archangels are the eighth highest of the nine orders of spiritual beings in medieval angelology (the study of angels). The word comes from Old French archangele, from Late Latin archangelus, from Late Greek arkhangelos : Greek arkh-, archi- (ancient) + Greek angelos, angel, messenger. Thus, it means literally “ancient messenger”. In Christian tradition, there are nine choirs of angels: 27

seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominations, virtues, powers, principalities, archangels, and angels. Seraphim are referred to in a vision by the Hebrew prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament (Isaiah 6:26), as the highest in the order of angels. Cherubim (Cherubs) have wings. God placed cherubim outside of Eden to prevent human beings from going back to the garden. Cherubim also support or function as God's throne or chariot. Here’s some additional info from two web sites: A science / health web site: http://www.pyracantha.com/raphael.html ARCHANGEL RAPHAEL, PATRON OF BIOTECHNOLOGY Archangel Raphael is traditionally known as the patron of Healing, and thus he/she is also the patron of the modern science of Biotechnology. The Archangel holds the double helix strand of DNA in his/her hands, and the ornaments on his/her coat are diagrams of organic molecules, cells, and genes. The border features stylized representations of cells, proteins, micro-organisms, and a dividing cell with genetic material. The blue discs on the sides are the Western esoteric symbols for Air, the element of Raphael. Air is also signified by Raphael's feathery wings and the background of clear sky with floating fair-weather clouds. The color scheme of yellow and gold signifies the solar, "sunny" aspects of the healing Angel. The human images on FuturIkons are multi-racial and multi-cultural. In this FuturIkon, Raphael is cast in the image of a fair-skinned, blonde, blue-eyed Northern European. He/she is dressed in eighteenth-century European garb; it was in Europe, and in that century, the 1700s, when many of the first modern biotechnologists did their work. A Catholic web site: http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintr02.htm RAPHAEL the Archangel Also known as Azariah; Angel of Love; Angel of Joy Memorial -- 29 September Profile: One of the 3 angels known by name, and one of the 7 that stand before God's throne. Lead character in the deutero-canonical book of Tobit in which he travelled with (and guarded) Tobiah, and cured a man's blindness; hence his connection with travellers, young people, blindness, healing and healers. The force behind the healing power of the sheep pool mentioned in John 5:1-4. Born -- wasn't [was created] Died -- hasn't Name Meaning -- God has healed or Healer of God Patronage -- apothecaries, blind people, doctors, druggists, eye disease, eye problems, guardian angels, happy meetings, love, lovers, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, travellers, young people Representation -- archangel; young man carrying a staff; young man carrying a fish; angel walking with Tobias; angel holding a bottle or flask 28

Prayer Links [go to the web site for these lines] Prayer I to... Prayer II to... Litany to... Prayer for the Protection of... Additional Information Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society, Catholic Online, Catholic Encyclopedia text @ EWTN Catholic Encyclopedia html Tom Kreitzberg's site Images 47kb jpg mural @ InternetArt 65kb jpg painted cross @ InternetArt Storefront Commercial Links related to Raphael Reading You should be aware that the word "angel" denotes a function rather than a nature. Those holy spirits of heaven have indeed always been spirits. They can only be called angels when they deliver some message. Moreover, those who deliver messages of lesser importance are called angels; and those who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called archangels. Raphael means...God's remedy, for when he touched Tobit's eyes in order to cure him, he banished the darkness of his blindness. Thus, since he is to heal, he is rightly caused God's remedy. -- from a homily on the gospel of Pope Saint Gregory the Great Works Cited The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition. Copyright 1996 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from INSO Corporation. Encarta 98 Desk Encyclopedia. Copyright 1996-97 Microsoft Corporation. The Holy Bible: King James Version. The Book of Tobit (Apocrypha, The Revised English Bible.) A science / health web site: http://www.pyracantha.com/raphael.html A Catholic web site: 29

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintr02.htm Saint Raphael Messages for the new era Foreword Imagine, you go to bed one night and an angel comes and asks you to go with him. Wim Holtschlag, a simple carpenter and father of two, by now grown up children, had this happen to him five times in his home at Haaksbergen (The Netherlands). 28 spoken messages have come since. The messenger calls himself Raphael, angel, third in rank. His name means medicine of God and he wounds hearts with his arrows of love. He stands in the choir of archangels. He is one of the seven who stand before the Throne of God. His name is known in the bible where he, in the book of Tobit, is the traveling companion of the young man Tobias. The Church calls on him as the angel of love, patron of medical doctors and of travelers. In this booklet you will find a description of the events from 1984 until May 2000 and which events the angel asked to be written down. The seer, his wife Diny, and the many who have learned of these messages, received a deepening of their faith and a clearer insight into how to live in the still remaining time. Fr. L. Buyens. REMARKABLE EVENTS First Apparition of the Holy Archangel Raphael It was on an evening in mid August 1984 that I, Wim Holtschlag, had trouble falling asleep, but finally I succeeded. Suddenly I awakened because someone called me twice by my first name. I was frightened. My first thought was that there was something wrong with the children, although they never called me by my first name, but dad. When I looked up, I saw at the foot of the bed a “hazy figure.” His eyes (dark brown) and his halflength hair (golden blond) were quite plain to see. This “figure” asked me to get up and go with him because he wanted to show me something. I got up and took his hand. I was not anxious or afraid because peace went out from him. The thought came to me that I was going to die and this “figure” had come to get me, but I had no fear. From out of the bedroom we were suddenly outside and moved in a westerly direction. Outside it was radiantly beautiful weather. While we were on the way, I made the following remark: “What an incredibly beautiful weather!” I got as an answer: “Jesus is happy because it is the day of the Blessed Sacrament.” He goes on: “It is also the day of the Blessed Virgin.” In the meantime we arrived at the place where we have to be. We were on the edge of a gradient. Left of us stood three high trees and a little farther two more. About 200 meters further I saw a farm. Meanwhile, “the figure” that from the beginning had held my left hand, had let go of it. He went down the gradient and went to an iron door. Next, he opened the door and beckoned me to come to him. I went down the gradient and saw it was covered with grass. Upon reaching the door he asked me to go inside. Because it was not very high I had to duck. We entered into sort of a hall. We went through an opening of which I did not know if it was a door and entered into a space of about 80 square meters. Suddenly I became aware that this space would be useful as a chapel or church. At home I was busy making church pews and these would fit in this room. There would be two times five rows of pews with each bench having four seats, a centre aisle and on the outsides space for two

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aisles. At the moment I realised this, I saw standing there, the altar that I made and which at the moment is used every Sunday. I clearly saw the letters PX. “The figure” came and stood beside me and I asked: “Why 40 seats?” I received as answer: “Because this space is meant for perpetual Adoration.” My next question was: “What is the meaning of all this and why do you bring me here?” As answer I received: “Because in the near future we need this space for more people.” Then he showed me two more spaces, of which at that moment I thought: “These are meant to be sleeping and eating facilities.” Next I was asked to go outside with him. There I stood beside him and saw a long line of people coming. Some of them nodded to me in a friendly way while others patted me on the shoulders. All went inside. When the last one was in, I was also asked to go in while “the figure” remained outside. He closed the door. I don’t know how long I remained inside. When the door opened again I first saw “the figure.” He was encircled by light and I saw that the sun was still shining. He asked me to come outside. When I did this I saw that everything was black (comparable with ploughed land). As far as I could see there was no grass, there were no trees and everything was black. Then “the figure” said to me: “This is the new beginning. All this concerns the near future.” He pointed to the space behind the door and said; “This shall be the first shelter for the people.” Again I was asked to hold onto his hand and while we were underway he said: “Write everything down I have shown and told you. My answer was: “I cannot write very well”, to which he answered that I should not worry about it, that everything would see to itself. I heard that I must pray much and that I must train myself in prayer. I heard that I must focus myself more on God and set earthly thing away from me. I didn’t have to be afraid, just trust Jesus. In the meantime we were back home and in the bedroom. “The figure” said that he would be back. I went to bed and he went away while I laid myself down and went to sleep. The next morning I found that I did not have a good sleep and that I had a strange dream. I was very tired when I got up. Further, I paid no more attention to this and did not talk about it with anyone; not even my wife. A few weeks later I was with my wife visiting acquaintances that belong to the Catholic Community in Haaksbergen. The man told me a story about three dark days and that he had an eye on a certain space in connection with this. This place was bomb and gas free. Suddenly the dream or vision with all the details of that particular night came back to me. I told the man: “I was there already.” Surprised he asked me to tell him everything, and my story was identical to everything he knew about this place. Second apparition of the Holy Archangel Raphael In the night of the 13 to 14 of June 1985, a tap on my left shoulder awakened me. When I looked up to the back of the bed I saw again “the same figure” as in August 1984. This time I saw it much clearer. His face was clear to see; it was the face of a young man. His age was about 25-28 years. He was tall and strong. At the same time I saw his robe, which was cream-colored (lustrous fabric) and a smile was on his face. When I wanted to ask him “Why are you so happy?” he said: “You must know that today is the day of the Blessed Sacrament and the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” He bows deeply and respectfully. Then he said that Jesus is very happy when He is visited frequently in the Holy Eucharist. I then promised to attend the Holy Mass every Friday. He answered: “That will bring much joy to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” With the annunciation of the name “Jesus” he always bows very deeply and respectfully with folded hands. Afterwards I asked him: “Is it good what we do in our faith community?” He reacted: “Very soon you shall, in your community, which is under the guidance of good priests, live to see a joyful day. After that, it will be clear to you that it is good, through the actions of a representative of Him, whom He sends.” Then he said: “You shall place yourself under the guidance of a good priest.” 31

Therefore I asked: “You mean Father (N.1) or…?” Before I got to speak the name of father (N.2) he said: “The priest who is in your thought now is good. This priest is informed of the happenings and stands close to your community.” Next I wanted to enquire after the situation of a seriously ill young man. Without stating the question I got the following answer: “Only through the laying on of hands and calling on the name of Jesus Christ will this young man be healed. Add to that your prayer and that of your community and it will enhance his healing. It would be good if through prayer you gave yourself totally to your Creator and that you write all of this down. Soon I shall return”. Slowly “the figure” became dissolved and was gone. Third apparition of the Holy Archangel Raphael In the night of 22-23 June 1985 I was awakened for the third time and again saw “the figure” at the foot-end of the bed. This time all was even clearer than the previous times. His clothing was a sort of “snow-white alb.” The sleeves were very wide. He held his hands crossed on his chest. Whenever he spoke of godly things he folded his hands, palms together. Again came questions (of two women with whom I had spoken) in my thoughts. However, before I could ask them I received the answers. He spoke clearly: “ Call me Raphael.” Next he went to the holy-water font, dipped his hand in it and went back to the place were he stood before. He made the sign of the cross and said: “In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” Doing this he bends very deep and respectfully. Then he said: “This is proof for you that it is good.” “Your close relatives and your spouse serve The Lord day and night. Except the relative from your spouse who is in your thoughts…Jesus is merciful. Through much prayer and the Holy Eucharist shall he also serve the Lord our God. Your spouse can contribute to this through prayer and penance. Let her turn herself to the Blessed Virgin and triple her prayer to Her. She shall often call on her guardian angel, who will be of help and support to her. After that St. Raphael spoke about Mrs.… “The lady, who is closely associated with your community, whose spouse does not participate, shall out of necessity increase her prayer for him nine fold. She must let go of everything earthly, and turn herself completely over to Christ in order to save herself and her family. Also, she must again start the prayer which she has stopped saying.” Meanwhile I remembered the announcement regarding our faith community and the promised joyful day. To that he replied: “Remember last Sunday, when you, during the Holy Eucharist, saw an angel receive Jesus in his heart.” On June 16 we had a Polish boy receive his first Holy Communion, which gave everyone much joy. After that Raphael uttered the desire that he also wished to be closely connected with our community. I said that the chapel was already consecrated to “Mary, Queen of Peace.” He reacted thereto with: “Yes, that gives the Blessed Virgin much joy. For me also, will it bring much joy to have a place in this chapel.” Also he said again that I must talk about everything with a “good priest.” He pointed out again to put everything down in writing. Thereupon he said that he would be back. Then appeared before Raphael a chapel with a round dome, which he protected with his wings. After that, everything blurred and he was gone too. On Thursday 27 June 1985 I had a talk with father (N 2). It seemed that, without my knowledge, this priest was much aware about the angel-workings. There even lay a litany at his desk of the Holy Angels. Of this we were allowed to take a sample, make copies of it, and spread them around. This priest thought that my story would have a follow-up. He thought that my experience related to the difficult times awaiting us. The priest advised me, to ask at the next visit of St. Raphael, if he would give his messages clearer, because we are such simple people. Further, the priest found that it is known, when people come in contact with the Holy Angels, they often get an answer before the 32

question is expressed in words. He also told me that by a similar appearance, vision or dream “the figure” is often unclear or hazy and that this appearance slowly becomes fuller and clearer. I had a fine talk with the priest and understood that afternoon that we must pray much more often to the angels, that we must call on them to help us and that we must be grateful for this help. I cannot think that I can span the difficult time awaiting us, without the help of the angels. Fourth appearance of the Holy Archangel Raphael In the night of 15-16 August 1985 I was awakened at 2 o’clock and saw St. Raphael standing at the foot-end of my bed. He was dressed, the same as last time, in a snow-white garment. Everything was even clearer than before. A shaft of light surrounded him. He motioned to me that I should come to him. I got up. “Pray with me!” he said, kneeling down before a small mission cross on the wall. I followed his example. He said: “In honour of the five Holy Wounds of my master we pray his prayer.” He started with: “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” He bowed deeply praying this. Obviously I went along with him. Together we prayed slowly and solemnly five times the Our Father and five times Glory be. Again he crossed himself, bowed deeply and stood up. Next he said: “See me as the angel of God, my Creator and Master, third in rank. Call me Raphael.” Again he spoke saying: “Bringing peace to this home and household.” Thereby I thought of the children and he gestured to me to follow him. We were at once in the bedroom of my daughter. The angel Raphael pointed with his right hand to the bed and said: “See, an angel of God protects her.” Thereby I saw an angel completely clothed in white, stand by her bed, his hands crossed over his chest and the eyes cast downward. The angel stood in a protective posture. Next we went to the bedroom of my son. The same scene repeated itself. Here Raphael said: “So you can see that the children are under the protection of God’s angels. They don’t have to be afraid for the future when they walk in God’s ways. Teach them to lay their lives in the hands of my Master.” The following refers to the questions of a priest of whom a letter, in closed envelope, lay in a drawer of my nightstand. St. Raphael said: “The anointed of God, who has questions regarding his life, must call on St. Bernard, a servant of my Lord and Master, and contemplate his life. Doing that, he will receive answers to his questions.” Thereupon he said: “Dress yourself in the next few minutes.” I dressed myself and realized that he was no longer present. Still, a hazy light stayed behind. About five minutes later, just when I was done dressing, the angel Raphael stood, dressed in purple, at the foot-end of our bed and said: “This is my penitential garment. Now you shall see the atrocities of the world.” He then put out his hand, which I grasped and so we left the house. Some people ask me if I really went with the angel. About the happenings of that night I can give the following report. In the evening when I went to bed, all the buttons were on my shirt. I tore a button of my left sleeve during my hasty dressing, which I put in the breast pocket and went away with St Raphael. I came back, undressed and went back to bed. While dressing the next morning I told my wife: “A button became undone last night but I saved it.” I removed the button from my breast pocket. My wife was flabbergasted when I soberly stated: “I have been away with St. Raphael!” There was light outside and we went in an easterly direction. Below me I saw different countries, races and peoples. I saw the abominations of the world and the people who, through their actions, are the reason for the suffering of Christ. This suffering is caused by: abortions, fornications, homosexuality, sacrilege, war, murder, violence, swearing, slander, child molestation, etc. I saw thereby the image of Jesus with a Heart radiating love, which was not accepted by the people. Christ cried; heavy tears fell down His cheeks.

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From the earth arose a terrible stench. This was similar to sulphur and manure, an indescribable stench. Thereby I saw a beastlike figure with a head as from a goat, with horns. His hands were claws with which he held a sack with gold pieces. St. Raphael pointed to this figure and said: “This is the angel of perdition.” The people received their gold pieces as reward for their wicked works. I saw innocent children beaten and being sexually misused by grownups. In the Netherlands I saw five children who were being murdered through abortion. In Japan was this tenfold and in America still more. Over the whole world I saw man as well as woman, who slept with people of the same gender, getting pleasure from each other’s bodies. I also saw God’s anointed men and woman, in priestly clothing or habit, who were unfaithful to their promise or vow and who during the day fulfilled their priestly or religious assignments but gave themselves over at night to sex-lives. Again I saw the weeping Christ as previously described. Again, through all these actions, unworthy of man came the same stench up. The angel of perdition stood laughing on the side let go of a howl like a crying wolf. Then the angel of perdition changed and also became a priest. He appeared completely normal. While he went amongst the unsuspecting people he encouraged them to do evil under the guise that it was good. I heard people swear and slander God. Also I saw people with a head cover like a sort of turban, trample on the Cross of Christ, breaking it. I saw woman in man’s clothing (long pants). I also saw a woman in a coverall at a construction site. Hereof said the angel full of abhorrence: “The place of a woman in God’s creation, as He meant it, is to be mother in the household and to look after her children, full of humility and cooperating in God’s creation.” Hereby I saw a mother with her children. She told them of the love of Jesus Christ. Suddenly I could no longer look at the suffering done onto Christ. The angel then held his hand before my eyes and comforted me saying: “You will also see the good that still lives in this world.” Upon this I received a picture of a group of people (mostly women) dressed in half-length skirts and their head covered with a cloth. They were busy praying the rosary. A light shaft went from this to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and he laughed. Then St. Raphael said: “Let this be an example for your community, encourage many people to prayer. Prayer and sacrifice can be the deliverance for this condemned world. Go often on a pilgrimage.” Again I saw people, and among them priests pointed out by St. Raphael, who where of good will and who had consecrated their lives to God. Further, I saw people totally naked, who truly owned nothing and who suffered terribly from hunger. This was compared with my own “riches” like my home, my furniture, the rich food and drink, money, clothing etc. Hereupon the angel said: “Do like my Master did and share with your brothers, like the one who stands naked beside you: clothe him.” Then I saw a man who was terribly hungry. “Feed him. This is the wish of my Master and the creator of heaven and earth; Share your earthly belongings with your brothers, the creatures of God’s hand.” Next I saw Jesus Christ sitting on a throne with His hands stretched out to a procession of uncountable children clothed in white. Directly upon their arriving they rallied around His throne like little angels. I remembered their faces. They were the aborted children. After this we returned the same way we came, to my bedroom. Raphael then said: “Put down in writing everything you have seen and heard. You can expect me four times yet and the last time shall be when the end-time is there.” He spoke further: “Before the end-time a decree shall be given by the holder of St. Peter’s Chair, JohnPaul the second. A writing made by you, and the anointed who leads you in the language of the Holy Church, what for you is a dead language. (Personally I thought hereby about Latin). It will be a writing concerning the seal of the living God. Look for it in the Holy Bible, under the name of St. John. This contains that the holder of St. Peter’s Chair shall call for a forty day fast, after the 34

example of my Master. After that, all who remain faithful, shall receive the sacrament of repentance, shall renew their baptismal promise and thereby receive the laying on of hands by a priest. The first one to do this must be the occupier of St. Peter’s Chair, John-Paul the second. By this action shall the one named here, receive the seal from the Holy Spirit. He passes this on in the same way to the cardinals, bishops and priests. Then also shall the faithful receive the seal of the living God. You shall be further and extensively informed about what must happen.” At the end of the appearance St. Raphael took in his hands the procession cross, that is meant for the pilgrimage to Heede (a small village in northern Germany). This cross stands in the corner of my bedroom. He said: “The work that you do is good and brings happiness to my Master. Keep praying and lay your life in His hands.” Suddenly I thought about the pain in my leg and he said: “Offer it up for the suffering that my Master carried.” After that he put the procession cross back in its place. Then I thanked St. Raphael for everything I had heard and seen and he laughed happily, bent very deep to the mission cross on the wall and said: “Angelorum Domine.” Hereafter he blurred and was gone. I looked at the alarm clock. It was exactly five o’clock. I undressed and went to bed. Fifth apparition of the Holy Archangel Raphael In the night of 25-26 September 1985 I awoke at about 2 am. Again I saw St. Raphael at the foot-end of my bed. He was dressed in green (grass green) and was surrounded by a shaft of light. His face shone from happiness when he said: “This night is a time of happiness in heaven. Stand up, dress yourself and come with me.” Hurriedly I dressed and together we went underway. From out of the bedroom we went up, higher and higher, through the clouds, to the place where we had to be. There I looked into a depth, a valley or a large pit, with upstanding edge. The diameter was about 100 meters. In the pit burned a fire, in which were hundreds of beings. They looked like people. All had mournful faces. They were not consumed by the fire and were arranged at different heights, placed on different levels. All were dressed in grey. The lower the level they were on, the darker their clothing. St. Raphael said: “See (and he pointed up) the prayer from your spouse is granted.” Then I saw two angels dressed in white come down. One of the beings was taken by the arms and pulled up from the pit. When this being was above the fire it’s clothing turned suddenly as white as snow. Subsequently this being looked back and I recognised him as a close relative of mine. He laughed to me. They went higher to a place where more angels were and sang: GLORIA IN EXCELCIS DEO. I was filled with a great inner happiness. The angel Raphael said: “The holy name that was added to his calling name has contributed to his going up to his Lord and Master. Now he shall serve his Lord and Master who is the Merciful One, for eternity.” Next we went back to the bedroom and Raphael said: “Pray with me the following prayer.” He kneeled, bowed deeply to the mission cross and made a sign of the cross. “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lord Jesus Christ, I adore your five Holy Wounds and put my life in your service. I want to pray and meditate on these five Our Fathers. Grant me, therefore, the strength to fulfill this promise in order to mitigate the Passion you suffered for the forgiveness of our sins.” Further St. Raphael said: “Concerning the man who had questions about his living and who asked how he can serve my Master: “This man must openly admit all his shortcomings to all whom he has slighted, also to his spouse. He shall honestly divide all the earthly goods, which he has collected, among his fellow citizen who have nothing. After he has done all this he must renew his spiritual life, and support the people who want to stay true to my Master, with all his inner strength. Then peace shall rule in his heart and in his family. His spouse, children and grandchildren shall look at him with pride, because he has returned to the house of his Father, to serve Him and only Him. He shall go on a pilgrimage to soften his punishment. God’s angels watch over him.” 35

Further St. Raphael said: “Mention to the woman who stands close to your community and who wants further clarifications: with “nine fold” is meant nine rosaries to the honour of the mother of my master, the Blessed Virgin Mary. To point out the seriousness of your condition: your pride should change into modesty and humility, your lying into honesty, your slander into devotion and love for your neighbours. Use all your power for the community to which you have been chosen. Then peace shall reign in your heart and your family. Pray, work and entrust your life to the Most Sacred Heart of my Master and to the Immaculate Heart of the Holy Virgin Mary. And when sometimes you give something to benefit your neighbour, let not your right hand know what your left hand is doing, so that a flood of grace will descend on you to benefit the health of your soul.” Continuing, St. Raphael said: “Concerning the woman who had questions about her spirituality: tell her to be an example to her neighbours in humility, honesty and love and through practising works of charity. Do not put yourself above your neighbours and live your faith with full expression. Meditate on the five Holy Wounds of My Master in your prayer. Call on the Holy Angel who stands above me, because he shall crush the head of the serpent and remove all demonic forces, so that by the following feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary, your heart shall be filled with joy. Then yet a warning: not all messages are from heaven. The angel of destruction likes nothing more than to spread confusion among God’s people, so that even the righteous become confused. The blessing of my Master rests on you and all the good you still shall do.” Then St. Raphael announced what the assignment is for the holder of St. Peter’s Chair, already referred to in the message of 15 August 1985. St. Raphael also asked all who are faithful to the Church of Jesus Christ, who is Master, to pray much for the holder of St, Peter’s Chair. He shall have to suffer much to fulfill his mission. We should also know that we stand on the edge of the valley of tears. Much trust, faith and prayer will be asked from us. We shall fasten our attention upon Jesus Christ and not go into discussions, and watch out for presentations from outside. Every person will get a warning concerning his inner relationship with God. Pray much in the family circle. Then I was asked anew by the angel Raphael to go with him. The next moment we were in the garden behind the house. He pointed to a place beneath the birch tree and said: “Here you shall place the cross of my Master. He died for all people on the cross” Some questions came up in me. There was no need to voice them. The questions were the following: “ A cross? Must that be immediately?” “No” said Raphael. “The time shall come that you need this cross and you will know its time through an inner inspiration. Do not worry about this, all will come well. All who visit this place and sincerely adore the five Holy Wounds of my Master shall, when they are physically or spiritually sick, find healing in the Name of Jesus Christ or receive inner strength to carry their burden. Also, there is an indulgence of 100 days connected to this. The measurements of the cross must be for the crossbeam 1,5 meter and this will decide the height. Under the cross must be an image of the disciple John and the Blessed Virgin to make clear to people how much his mother suffered.” In conjunction with this St. Raphael said: “Woman, behold your son, and, son, behold your Mother. This place must be protected from the weather (presumably roofed in).” Again we went back to the bedroom. There he said: “Put everything in writing and consult with the anointed who leads you, how to make this writing readable by the people. The messages for the holder of St. Peter’s Chair are only for you and yours and for the anointed who leads you.” Next St. Raphael asked expressively to pray much because the era is coming to an end. The anointed, who stands close to your community has heard an inner voice, indicating to him that the image which stands in a good place in your community, shall be blessed because it has been in the marketplace.” St. Raphael said further: “That all who are of the female gender shall dress as woman and behave as 36

such. The pilgrimage is good but you shall not force people to go along. Even though the number is small, the goal is reached. The blessing rests on this house and this household. Next Sunday, September 29, will be a joyful feast for the angels in heaven (feast of the Holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael). The time span whereupon you can expect me again, shall be after the time that the righteous ones have been counted.” I stayed behind alone, sitting on the edge of my bed. For about 15 minutes I remained thinking, to ensure I would not forget anything. At about 5:30 I went back to bed. The seer visits Medjugorje. In April 1986 I, Wim Holtschlag, was in Medjugorje, in what was previously Yugoslavia. On 9 April I attended there a Holy Mass, which was celebrated by Father Iviza. From the consecration to the distribution of communion I saw the angel Raphael stand on the right side of the priest at the altar. Raphael asked me to give the following message to the children-seers: “This place is good and what happens here is also good.” Consecration of the cross of grace and the chapel. It was the big day, Friday 15 August 1986, the feast day of the Ascension of Mary. At 3 PM the festive looking chapel was consecrated. All friends and acquaintances of the family of the seer were invited. 200 people and a number of priests from The Netherlands and Germany were present. The sermon, given during the ceremonies is here included. After the blessing of the cross, in the garden of the seer, all went to a monastery to participate in the Holy Mass. With the pleasure of a cup of coffee were the festivities ended. Sermon during the blessing of the cross grouping by Father Spauwen S.J. on 15 August 1986. We are here together by the blessing of this cross. This did not happen in a normal way, but in an abnormal way. It happened at the request of an angel, we do not know why. Heaven has its secrets, but these secrets must be revealed sooner or later. Why this has happened, we shall await. In any case there was a request to set up a cross: of that, more things later. We can also say: it is a special cross, because it turned out much nicer than I could have ever thought. Maybe you think so too. It is beautifully protected. Let us hope that this cross, which is now officially being blessed, is also a real cross for us, because Christ has raised it to let His redeeming grace flood the world. Let us hope that streams of redemptive grace shall come down and flow upon us all. Amongst all the images of the saints, the Holy Cross takes the most important place, because it is the symbol of our redemption, of our salvation, of our sanctification. For Christians there is no dearer representation of the suffering of Christ. His dying on the cross became the victory over death and at the same time overcame the result of sin, which is the cause of suffering and death. The Holy Cross is also, like the Holy Father and the church teach us, a sign of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, after dying on the cross has risen from the death and who will make us arise, and who shall return in glory. The image of the cross is not only venerated on Good Friday, but is presented to the faithful throughout the whole year. We could say, throughout the whole of life. By our baptism we are marked with the cross and by dying, the leaving of this life and going to the next life, we are again marked by the Holy Cross, the trophy of our Lord Jesus Christ. The cross is also placed in the homes of all those who belong to Christ and not only in the homes, but often and rightly so, in all the rooms of a Christian home. Christians rightfully place this cross with attention to circumstances of time and location. Let us place it in our own homes, but also in public locations. Wherever it is possible, make it visible for all people, where it is not; make it visible for groups of people, so that it may be revered like this cross. 37

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hung on the cross for us, be with you all. The Cross is the sign of our Christian life. You came with many cars and all those cars carry a sign, countries also have a sign and that is usually their flag. Earlier there were certain ideals and standards and the cross is our standard. Originally it was seen as a mark of shame. It was a pillory of shame, but through our Lord Jesus Christ this became a sign of victory. The cross was a sign of suffering without equal: but through Jesus Christ it too became a sign of victory without equal. Just as the crown of thorns became a king’s crown to the victor: our Lord Jesus Christ. The cross holds a point of crossing from top to bottom and from left to right. It is the cut-off point between heaven and hell and must encompass all peoples. The cross is thus, for them who venerate Christ the crucified, acknowledge Him and call on Him, a sign of victory. They shall rise with Christ to heaven, to the Father in heaven. But therefore, the cross is also the sign of victory for the angels. Because when God revealed to them that the second person of the Holy Trinity would take on the nature of man, many of the angels refused to worship God, who humbled himself through uniting himself with mankind. The other angels have said: “All what you do is good and we acknowledge all what you did and will do in the future.” Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross. That is why the straight beam points up and shows everyone who recognizes Christ, is taken with Him on high. But in the depth of the cross it also goes to the hard bottom. Everyone who will not recognize Christ does not go to heaven but is lost, because of the cross. Brothers and sisters in Christ; because of all this the cross became a great mystery for us. It is precisely the angels who have a tremendous respect for Christ because he died on the cross for us people. Through that, the angels have learned what mercy is. What is more, the cross is something else for us. Each person is marked with some cross, smaller or larger. But the one who accepts the cross together with Christ shall also receive and partake in the glory of Christ. It is the strongest weapon against evil, against the devil and his cohorts. The cross is a strong magnet for all good people, who dedicate themselves to Christ. We shall now bless this cross and beg for the grace of Christ for us all. Brothers and sisters, we bring faith and honour to the eternal ordinance of God, now that we are solemnly going to bless this cross. As we look up to the cross we shall think, that on the cross the sign of love was completed, the love whereby Christ loved his Church. By the greeting of the cross we shall remember, that Christ brings the different peoples of God, through the cross, to oneness, by removing all division from them. By the veneration of the cross we shall remember that we are disciples of Jesus and dare to show this openly. Let us therefore selflessly follow Him by daily picking up and accepting our little cross. Let us strive to thoughtfully participate in this ceremony, so that the secret of the cross becomes clearer to us, and so literally experience its power. Let us pray: God, your Son reconciled the human race with you, when hanging on the wood of the cross, He left this world and returned to you. We pray to you, see your servants who erected this sign of redemption. Give that they, through the power thereof, are strengthened to daily pick up their cross, go the way of the gospel and through that reach their heavenly goal. And brothers and sisters let us listen to the words of St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians. “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in 38

appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. We pray with trust to our saviour Jesus Christ, who set us free through the cross, and say: “Lord save us through your cross.” Christ, You have stripped yourself of your power and taken human form, the form of a slave. Give that all members of your church humbly follow you. Let us pray: “Lord save us through your cross.” You humbled yourself by being obedient unto death, the death on a cross. Grant your servants the virtue of obedience and patience: “Lord save us through your cross.” Christ, You were lifted high by God and have been given the Name above all other names. Let your faithful always recognize you and your Name and persevere in your service. Let us pray: “Lord save us through your cross.” Christ, in your name every knee shall bow in heaven, on earth and under the earth. Pull all to your heart so that they will venerate you and faithfully adore you. Let us pray: “Lord save us through your cross.” Christ, while we confess you as Lord to the glory of God the Father: Take our brothers and sisters who have died, up into your kingdom of eternal glory. Let us pray: “Lord save us through your cross.” Lord, beneath the cross you gave your mother Mary, to us as Mother. Let us ever be thankful for this unsurpassed treasure of grace. Let us pray: “Lord save us through your cross.” United with the prayer, which St. Raphael uttered here in Haaksbergen we pray: “Lord Jesus Christ, I adore your five Holy Wounds and put my life in your service. I want to pray and meditate on these five Our Fathers. Grant me, therefore, the strength to fulfill this promise in order to mitigate the suffering you bore to wipe away our sins”. 5x Our Father and 5x Glory be to the Father… In closing was prayed: God, to free humanity it was your will that your only begotten Son should undergo the torture of the cross. We pray to you, let us, who here on earth have learned of this mystery and deliverance, once enjoy the benefits in heaven. Through Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives with you, in union with the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen. May almighty God bless you, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Publicizing of an important message. The Holy Father Pope John Paul II did proclaim a Marian year at the high feast of Holy Mary, Mother of God on 1 January 1987. To begin with Pentecost, June 7 1987 till 15 August 1988, Feast of the Ascension of Mary. The Holy Archangel Raphael gave the following message in the night of 25-26 September 1985 intended for the Holy Father. “The holder of St. Peter’s Chair, John Paul II, shall proclaim a year, beginning with the liturgical year, dedicated to the Mother of my Master, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars, better known as Woman of all people.” This message was handed personally to the Holy Father by a Dutch bishop. On 18 January 1987 the seer got permission from his spiritual director to make public to the world, the message intended for the Holy Father, because the Holy Father followed through on the instruction of St. Raphael and proclaimed the Marian year. First spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael

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On Sunday 1 June 1986 (Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ), during the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and praying of the rosary, I heard the voice of St. Archangel Raphael coming from the direction of his statue. Raphael said: “The cross shall be placed before the grain is harvested.” Second spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the Twentse (regional) pilgrimage to Medjugorje from 17 May to and including 23 October 1987, I was present locally in the St. Jacobs church on the evening of 21 October during the three hour long prayers. By the meditation: “Jesus is crowned with thorns” I saw three light flashes. For many this is the sign that Mary arrives. Suddenly I had the strong urge to look up and back, to which I paid heed. I saw that from the choir loft a person, standing on a cloud, floated over all people to the front of the church. Above the sanctuary this person, totally dressed in white, turned around and I saw a young woman with dark, half long hair and a white see-through shawl, comparable with tulle. This figure, which I presumed to be the Blessed Virgin, opened both hands out of which came rays of all colours. These rays descended upon the priests, about eighty, gathered in the sanctuary, and after that over all those present in the church. At that moment I saw to the right behind Mary, St. Raphael, who was also dressed in white. Both looked very happy and smiled. Slowly the apparition diminished and when I came to myself the people were already singing the litany of Mary, which that evening was sung after the second rosary. The following night I had trouble falling asleep. The happenings in the church did not let go of me. At about two o’clock I went outside. Coming in the back garden I noticed the presence of St. Raphael. For me, a sign that he is near is a sultry warm wind. However I did not see him. At the end of the garden, which was about ten meters long, I clearly heard the voice of St. Raphael. He greeted me by saying: “In the Name of my Master I bring blessings and peace to you and yours, and the following message. Twelve men shall be sent to you with a special mandate. Together, these form the twelve brothers of the cross. You shall recognise these men by their utterance concerning my Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ or his dearly beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. At the same time an associated priest shall be added to these twelve. The priest added to the cross brothers shall receive a heavenly message himself, in which to him personally his instructions will be revealed. Thereupon I asked him, how it would go further with the priest already leading me. St. Raphael answered to this that he will answer this question at the end of this message. Then he went on: “The one of the twelve of whom you are not sure, you shall encourage to hold a nine day novena. Then you shall be certain that this person is chosen. All these twelve shall happily and of their own free will accept their mandate, which they will humbly fulfill. These twelve shall shine in prayer and example. In everyday life, they shall daily put their own prayer life first. All twelve shall form a prayer group, which shall consist of a minimum of twenty people. All twelve shall make a vow consisting of faithfulness to the cross and bringing honour to the five Holy Wounds of my Lord and Master. They shall accept the sacrament of penance and often participate in the Holy Eucharist wherein they receive Jesus Christ in their heart. All twelve shall wear the sign of the cross, whose design can be of your own choice. It is expected of the twelve that they pray the rosary daily, whereby they shall call on the help of the Blessed Virgin, the mother of my Lord and Master. On the first Sunday of every month, all twelve shall be brought together under the cross because this Sunday is consecrated to the sacred heart of my Master. To end, each of the twelve shall make the vow of faithfulness to the cross, personally, in front of the priest added to the group.” Then the Holy Angel Raphael added: “Coming back to your earlier question concerning the priest who is at the moment your advisor: do not give him these messages because he did not answer to the 40

request which was given from heaven.” Thereupon I asked the angel Raphael: “What shall happen with this priest?” Raphael answered: “Have no worries; Jesus is merciful.” He went on: “The priest who shall be added to the group of twelve, shall devote himself with love to the cross and to the messages which have been given there. By his love you will recognise this priest. Through this priest all your worries will disappear.” St. Raphael went on: “A sign shall precede the warning in an earlier given message. All twelve brothers of the cross shall hear a voice familiar to them, which tells them: “Come immediately to the cross!” Following that, the powers of the earth shall be shaken three times. When it is no longer possible to come to the cross, they can go to the nearest church; they will be safe by the tabernacle. After a lapse of three days after these signs, the warning will be there.” Then he said: “Go ahead with your assignment; namely to bring people to the cross and to bring them back to the loving heart of Jesus. You shall not worry yourself; all will be well.” Third spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the Holy Mass on Sunday evening 16 October 1988, offered by the Reverent Father Drs. L. M. van der Bol, I heard after the consecration, the voice of the Holy Angel Raphael, coming from the direction of his image, which stands at the right side of the altar. The Angel Raphael said: “Uphold the message last given.” Fourth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael In the night of 13 to 14 May 1989 I received the following message from the Holy Angel Raphael. He said: “Coming in the Name of Jesus Christ and bringing blessings to this house and to the priest who stays here, I bring the following message. It is the urgent wish of heaven that the mother of Jesus Christ and the mother of the Church is also called upon under the following titles: Queen of the universe and Queen, Our Lady of all peoples. These two titles shall be added to her litany. This wish you will make known in written word to the Apostle of the church John Paul II. FIRST VISION On 25 June 1989 during my prayer in the early morning I felt a warm wind. This is for me a sign that the Holy Angel Raphael is present. When I looked up, I saw that he was indeed present at the location where his image stands. He laughed at me, but at the same time he turned his face to the cross. All was brightly lit around the cross. Left of the cross I saw a woman’s hand and right of the cross I saw a man’s hand. In both hands were a red meaty hearts present. Both hands joined together before the cross. Then the hands moved away and the hearts moved partly together. The heart out of the woman’s hand moves slightly behind the heart out of the man’s hand. After that a halo of rays of golden colour, goes out from the hearts and it seems that both hearts are thereby supported. Then I look to the left and see everything even brighter and clearer. Through the heart I see a large hall. In this hall I see the Holy Father encircled by five bishops (anyway, they were dressed in black and their clothes were edged with purple). Two bishops stand to his right side and three to his left. The Holy Father laughs friendly and nods to me. I considered this as a greeting and greeted him back in the same manner. Thereupon the Holy Father turns himself partly and goes into conversation with the centre bishop (one of the three). This one bends himself slightly forward to better hear the words of the Holy Father. During this conversation the bishop nods in agreement with the Holy Father. After that the bishop turns himself completely so that I only see his back. Next the bishop starts a conversation with one or more persons but I cannot fully observe this. A picture of about thirty by forty centimetres appears by this bishop. In the frame I see a rose-red shine. Relating to this picture coming closer I see therein the upper body and head of a priest. Only the surroundings of his face, black hair, black clothing and priestly collar can be seen. There is no face present. The picture keeps 41

coming closer to the place were the two hearts are. Slowly the hearts disappear and the priest steps completely out of the picture. He walks toward me, holds out his right hand to me, which I take with my left hand. Next he takes me precisely to the cross. Then everything disappears and I am alone again. Astonished I sit down for a few minutes to think about all this. I continue my prayer and pray hard for clarification. The next morning, 26 June 1989, I see the picture again during the same prayer (namely, the seven Our Fathers of St. Brigitte). This time there is only a frame and inside a white space. Fifth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on 12 of April 1991 I heard again the voice of the Holy Angel Raphael. He spoke to me as follows: “Coming in the Name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Master, blessing you and this place and bringing the following message. Owing to the fact that mankind removes itself still further from God and even turns away from God altogether, it condemns itself and calls upon itself the horror of destruction. Before long this time will come to an end. But you do not have to worry yourself over these things. You and yours, and all who stay true to my Lord and Master, shall be protected and guided in a special way. Urge the people therefore to more prayer. Pray especially for the keeper of St. Peter’s Chair because he has to suffer much. Angelorum Dominus.” Sixth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael Shortly after the dying of an acquaintance on 20 March 1991, I asked the Holy Angel Raphael during the morning prayers, where his soul remained and if I could do something for him. The answer from the Holy Angel Raphael was as follows: “The spirit of the departed, who is presently on your mind, walks in darkness and this darkness will be forever, because his dying was not according to Gods holy will.” Seventh spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on 21 July 1991 (the feast of the Good Shepherd) I felt the familiar warm wind around me and heard the voice of the Holy Angel Raphael. He said: “Coming in the Name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Master, blessing this place and bringing the following message. My Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, wishes to speak with you in the near future. The two shepherds in your close vicinity must be removed from your thoughts and all contact with them must be broken. The first because he just acts as of, and the second, because he does not do what he is called for. The shepherd, who shall be present this day can be totally confided in. In humility I ask the Holy Angel Raphael for a clear sign before the Master comes. He answers hereto: “You shall spiritually prepare yourself for this meeting. Angelorum Dominus.” Eighth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael On 10 November 1991, during the morning prayers I felt again the familiar warm wind around me. The statue of the Holy Angel Raphael was alight and I heard his voice that said to me: “Coming in the Name of Jesus Christ and bringing you the following message. Shortly you shall observe my Master because you are properly prepared.” SECOND VISION The day after, 11 November 1991, I felt the same warm wind around me. Then appeared from the direction of his statue the Holy Angel Raphael. His eyes are focused on the cross. By the head of the body appears a sort of mist (to describe as a cloud), wherein I see Christ on the cross who comes to 42

life and comes down from the cross. All became lighter and clearer. Christ is dressed in a garb white as snow that looks like an alb. He laughs friendly to me but does not speak. In his right hand he holds a roll of paper, half unrolled. (Because of the yellow colour I think of parchment). On this paper are strange signs, in two rows beside each other. I can neither read nor recognise it. The left row is shorter than the right row. Christ holds the roll before me and because I think that he gives it to me, I try to receive it, after which the apparition becomes blurred and disappears. Ninth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on Sunday 1 March 1992, the Holy Angel Raphael speaks again to me. He calls in the Name of his Master on all peoples of all nations to clear the way and remove all obstacles, to remove all hills and fill all valleys, and so prepare for the coming of his Master. Further he says: “Place yourself and yours and all those you know under the protection of the mother of the Lord, the Holy Virgin Mary, because this is the last urgent call of Heaven. Pray the rosary, do penance and fast, to that way clear the road for yourself and others. Very soon you will receive another message.” Tenth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on Tuesday 3 March 1992, I felt a warm wind around me and out of the statue of the Holy Angel Raphael shone a light. I heard the voice of the Holy Angel Raphael who said to me: “Coming in the Name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Master, to give you the following message. To the twelve men, chosen by my Master and Lord Jesus Christ: you all have accepted the assignment given to you by my Master. My master urgently wishes that all fulfill this task. Those who paid heed to the wish of my Master may make their vow of faithfulness and from that day carry with them the sign of their faith. This sign shall give them special protection against all dangers. The day chosen by my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, at which these faithful may pledge their vow, is the day of the institution of the Holy Eucharist (Holy Thursday). If so wanted, they can together with you and the priest who is added to the twelve, prepare themselves through penance, fasting and prayer for this special day. Together with the supporting priest, let a strong call go out to those who have not fulfilled their assignment, and who distanced themselves from you. Let the following message go out to them: In the Name of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, fulfill the heavenly task given to you, and doing so, participate in the fulfillment of God’s plan here on earth. Come to the cross and no longer let yourselves be influenced through worldly or satanic suggestions. The foe of my Master likes nothing better than to sow confusion and so drive the faithful apart. However, if you decide not to listen to this plea, the all the graces connected to this assignment shall be removed from you and another shall take your place. You get nine days grace period. You shall receive a message yet at a later time for the associated priest. Further, all the messages which you received, may be put in writing and may be published, except those which are intended for the holder of St. Peter’s Chair. Tell yours not to fear. They stand under the special direction of God, especially your life companion, who in the future is freed from all satanic attacks. Angelorum Dominus.” A WORD BECOMES REALITY On Holy Thursday, 16 April 1992, six brothers of the cross, proclaimed the following vow. Six others had removed themselves. I … PROMISE ON THE DAY OF THE INSTITUTION OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST TO PLACE MY LIFE IN THE SERVICE OF JESUS CHRIST, MY LORD AND MASTER, IN HONOUR OF THE FIVE HOLY WOUNDS, AND TO LEAD PEOPLE BACK TO THE CROSS. 43

ALSO, I PROMISE TO RECEIVE THE HOLY SACRAMENTS OFTEN AND TO PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY DAILY TO CALL ON THE HELP OF THE MOTHER OF GOD. AND CLOSING, I PROMISE TO STAY FAITHFUL TO ALL THE MESSAGES GIVEN BY THE HOLY ARCHANGEL RAPHAEL. Than follows the question: “DID YOU COME HERE OF YOUR OWN FREE WILL TO MAKE THIS VOW?” After a confirming answer the cross was handed over with the words: “ACCEPT AND WEAR THIS CROSS AS A TOKEN OF YOUR BEING CHOSEN.” Eleventh spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on Tuesday 26 May 1992 the Holy Raphael spoke me as follows: Coming in the Name of my Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, bringing you the following message. A new sign shall appear on the heavens; a Woman, clothed with the son, and the moon under Her feet and a crown of twelve stars on Her head. She shall crush the head of Satan and drive him back to the place were he belongs, the eternal fire, where darkness reigns. Therefore, urge yours, and all who are true to My Lord and Master to place themselves under the protection of the Holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of my Lord and Master. Soon the holder of St Peters Chair, John Paul II shall announce the task given tot him concerning the forty day fast, so that all who are true to my Master and steadfast in their faith can receive the seal of the living God. You do not have to send this message to Rome, because the angels of God shall inform the Head of the Church of Jesus Christ personally when these things shall begin. All these things shall take place in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Till soon, when you will receive a message for all the God anointed. Angelorum Dominus” Twelfth spoken word (A) from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on Sunday 12 July 1992, I again received a message from the Holy Angel Raphael. He spoke to me as follows: "Coming in the Name of Jesus Christ my Lord and Master, bringing you the following message. This message is intended for all whom my Master has called to lead and guide his church, to bring his children into the true fold, his beloved Holy Church, over which he appointed a supreme shepherd. His beloved son John Paul II shall pass on the following message to all shepherds and god-anointed of God’s Holy Church on earth: they shall reflect upon the assignment and the calling given them by my Master and to urge the veneration of the mother of the Master, called: Queen of the Universe” and “Queen, Our Lady of All Peoples”, because so is she appointed by my Master under the cross. This assignment you shall personally give to the supreme shepherd of the Church of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Angelorum Dominus. Until tomorrow, when you will receive a new message.” Twelfth spoken word (B) from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on 13 July 1992 the Holy Angel Raphael again spoke to me. He gave me the following message: "Coming in the Name of Jesus Christ my Lord and Master to bring you the following message. To all who are called to administer the sacraments, given by my Master, and to all who committed themselves through vows to the Holiest Heart of my Master and to the Holy Immaculate Heart of the mother of my Master, the Blessed Virgin Mary, for the God-anointed who faithfully fulfill the

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assignment given by my Master: great shall be your reward in heaven. My Master, the Lord Jesus Christ blesses you all. Then, they who have turned away from the Holy Church of my Master, and who consort themselves with pleasures such as drink, possessions, harlotry and proclamation of false teachings, turn yourselves around and come back to the one true sheepfold of the Holy Church, because you are responsible for all the children of my Master, entrusted to you. Therefore, turn around; let your pride change into submission and humility. Share your gathered earthly possessions. “Give to the poorest of the poor, and you have given this onto me,” so says my Master. Bring all the sheep entrusted to you; back to the way of my Master by proclaiming to them the true teachings of my Master and no longer leading them to perdition. Satan desires nothing more than to bring harm to the Holy Church and her flock. You, who are anxious or afraid, realise that my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, can remove all storms from your life, so also your fear. Trust in Him. Then, the following message for those who have bound themselves through a vow to my Master or his Mother. All those who place these vows aside, my Master calls upon to convert, to return to the rules of their respective founders. Rules of poverty, purity, love for neighbour, obedience, prayer, works of charity and humility. Do not place yourself above the other, but be the lowest, then you shall become the greater. Hurry to bring these things in order, because soon this time will come to an end. Make this message known to all. Angelorum Dominus” Thirteenth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael On 3 August 1992 during the morning prayers I received the following message from the Holy Angel Raphael. The Holy Raphael spoke: "Coming in the Name of my Lord and Master Jesus Christ, to bring you the following message destined for all the youth of the earth. I bring a special blessing from my Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. His love goes out to them and all who are true to Him. He calls all youth to unite into a large army at the helm my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ and his beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, who together will lead them to victory. Therefore, everyone who joins this army shall carry with them a medallion, with on one side hereof the image of my Lord and Master, dressed as King, with in his left hand the sceptre and in the other hand the staff with the cross. Thereby the following writing: “Christus Vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.” On the other side thereof must be the image of the mother of my Master, with on her arm my Master, depicted as a child. In the hand of my Master is the globe with above that the cross and the hand of the Blessed Virgin. Hereby the three titles that belong to her: “Queen of Peace, Queen of the Universe and Queen, Our Lady of All Peoples.” This is your assignment: let these shields or medallions be made according to the description given above. After that these shields or medals must be blessed by a God-anointed. Spread them over all the earth. Of everyone who joins this army, the following is expected: with conviction of faith, pray the rosary every day and carry this rosary always with you. Attached to this rosary shall be the above described shield or medallion, so that everyone knows that my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ and his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary stand behind them and protect them. All who wish, can join this army under the same conditions, so that they can form a mighty army together with the youth, and so call a halt to the needless slaughter of the unborn children in the mother’s womb. They shall avoid the places where sin is openly committed against purity, and also occasions were Satanic music plays to please their ears, because in this way is the message spread

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of hatred and loveless behaviour. They shall divert their eyes from all immoral depictions of the human body. All of you, join, and so stop the evil in this world. Place this message for affirmation before the supreme shepherd of the Church of my Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, so that he can give his blessing to this task. Urge also your near relatives to give their full support in fulfilling this task. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.” Forteenth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on 2 February 1993 I felt a warm wind around me and heard the H Raphael say: “Coming in the Name of My Lord and Master Jesus Christ, bringing you the following message. A special greeting and blessing goes out to you and yours and all that gather around this cross and in this place. Also especially to the youth who give their full ability to fulfill the assignment of my Master, and so assist in the completion of God’s Kingdom on earth. That is why they, who have not yet made the vow of faithfulness, may do this on the day of the institution of the Blessed Sacrament; the Holy Eucharist. Let them prepare themselves for this day together with you and the appointed God-anointed. The first may also renew their vow, and their close family my be present during this occasion.” The Holy Raphael said further: “Because today is the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the very beloved mother of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ and it is her specific wish to, as speedily as possible, distribute the medals, respectively shields, as given in the previous message; make haste with the execution of this assignment so a halt be called on the works of the adversary of my Master, who wants to prevent this task from being fulfilled. When these medals are ready, they must first be brought back here to this place to be blessed by a God-anointed. After that they may be distributed. If a blessing of the supreme shepherd of the Holy Church of Jesus Christ will belatedly arrive, then add this to the mission. Urge everyone to prepare themselves for the things that are yet to happen. Let them join themselves in full conviction to the as yet to be formed army, with my Master and his very beloved mother at the head. Let yourself not be disturbed by those who speak badly of you, or who slander you and yours. They condemn themselves. They who think themselves to be greater than others; they have already received their reward. Share of your riches with the poor and your reward shall be great. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.” Fifteenth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on 29 July 1993 I felt a warm wind around me and heard the voice of the Holy Angel Raphael. He said: “Coming in the Name of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, bringing you the following message. The close relative, out of whom you came forth, still has a heavy journey before him. Therefore, pray intensely for him and let many Holy Masses be offered up for the peace of his soul, until you get a sign that he has entered into the eternal light of my Master and Creator off all things. The Holy Raphael says further: “The day chosen by you to complete the assignment given to you, concerning the cross brothers (15 August during the celebration of the seventh anniversary of the cross), is in full agreement with the wishes of my Lord and Master Jesus Christ and his much beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. On that day is she, with body and soul, taken up into the eternal light and shines there now as a brilliant star, as Queen of the Universe and Our Lady of All Peoples, Nations and Languages. Therefore, the place and time, chosen by you is good. A great sign shall accompany this day to convince everyone present that the blessing of my Master rests on this work.

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The name of the medal shall be: MEDAL OF THE LEGION OF JESUS AND MARY. This, because my Lord and Master Jesus Christ and his much beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, stand at the head of this legion.” Here the Holy Raphael stops and says that he shall speak further tomorrow. Friday 30 July 1993 “Urge everyone to give to the fullest through praying the rosary and thereby contemplating and meditating on the suffering of my Master, receiving the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist often, to thus bring honour to the most Holy Heart of my Master. A special blessing of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, comes over you and yours and those who stand close to you through all they already did and still shall do. Say to the anointed of my Master whom you see these days: God’s angels shall accompany and protect him on his further path of life. Say to the cross brothers that they perform the received assignment. The blessing of my Master rests on them. Say to the, for this moment, associated anointed not to have fear. All comes well. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum”. CONCERNING THE MEDALS On 19 April 1993, Father Drs. L.M. van der Bol s.d.b. requested in writing to the nunciature to have an appointment with the nuncio. He wanted, together with Father P. Lie o.f.m. the spiritual director of the messenger, give clarification about what was said by the Holy Angel Raphael regarding the medals, and that way, via the nuncio receive permission to the distribution thereof. On 16 July, Mgr. Dr. H. Lemaire got in contact with Father van der Bol via telephone. He excused himself that he still had not answered the letters and stated that the Holy See is always slow with recognizing apparitions, and that they await the findings of the local bishop. Father van der Bol proposed to go ahead, make the medals, bless them and distribute them, with which the nuncio agreed. They also agreed that, when through these medals, healings or other miracles occurred, the nuncio would be informed hereof in writing. On the medals came the following text in Latin: CHRISTUS VINCIT CHRIST IS VICTOR CHRISTUS REGNAT CHRIST IS KING CHRISTUS IMPERAT CHRIST REIGNS REGINA PACIS QUEEN OF PEACE REGINA UNIVERSORUM QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE REGINA MULIER OMNIUM QUEEN, OUR LADY OF ALL PEOPLES GENTIUM Sixteenth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on 9 January 1994 the Holy Raphael said: “Coming in the Name of Jesus Christ, My Lord and Master bringing you the following message. Concerning the anointed who has gone, he now resides in the eternal light.” About the condition of the soul of my father the H Raphael said: “The relative who is in your thoughts and of whom you came forth, he also shall soon enter the light of my Master. However, keep on praying.” Seventeenth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on 25 March 1994 I felt a warm wind around me and heard the voice of the Holy Angel Raphael, he said: “Coming in the Name of My Lord and Master Jesus Christ, bringing you the following message. 47

On the day of the great feast of the Immaculate Conception of the mother of my master, the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the relative from whom you came forth, taken up into the everlasting light and remains now in the vicinity of my Master. For the twelve chosen the following message: reflect upon the vow made under the cross to my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Complete your assignment. For those who have not yet done this: make haste, because the time comes to an end. For them who deal in pride and earthly possessions, your time is also but short. For them who have sinned: return to the road of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, because he forgives all sins, and start anew. To all who are faithful: start a novena of the merciful love of my master, and this on his day of death. Join you all, because great things stand to happen. Do not be anxious or afraid, knowing that my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ and his dearly beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, protect you and yours so that nothing shall happen to them. Therefore, call on all again to share in the earthly possessions. Give to the poorest of the poor. Your reward shall be great. The blessings of the Most High come over you and yours. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.” Eighteenth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on 18 April 1994 I felt a warm wind around me and heard the voice of the Holy Angel Raphael saying: “Coming in the Name of My Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, bringing you the following message. Call all cross brothers who have made a vow to my Master, on the first Sunday of the month, which is dedicated to the mother of my master, the Blessed Virgin Mary, together renew their vow in the presence of the God-anointed who this day stays with you. Urge all to prepare themselves in prayer for this day. It would be good that all who make this vow, when it is necessary, receive the sacrament of penance. Let the choice be totally free. For them who give no heed to this call, let my Master judge over them and they shall be replaced. Lay this message for acceptance before the spiritually advising anointed. The blessings of my lord and Master, the lord Jesus Christ, come over you and yours. Domini sit semper vobiscum.” Nineteenth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on 1 July 1994 I felt a warm wind around me and heard the voice of the Holy Angel Raphael, he said: “Coming in the Name of My Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, bringing you the following message. To all inhabitants of the earth my Master says: When the time is gone and the measure is full, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall no longer give her light, the stars shall fall from the heavens and the powers of the earth shall be shaken. Then shall the mowers reap my wheat and the leftovers and chaff shall be burned. Therefore again an urgent call to all, do penance and repent, return into the Father’s house, because there you are safe, under the protection of my Master and his dearly beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Then a word for the chosen men: their number shall be twelve. The last shall also join. Thereupon, the attending anointed shall also be added to the twelve. To them who already made their vow: that they shall keep their vow and not let themselves be affected by earthly care. Think first about God’s Kingdom and the rest comes by itself. Walk the road of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ and of his dearly beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. The one who has just been taken from your midst, pray for him, he has not yet reached his goal. The day you chose is very good and brings joy in heaven. *

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Keep doing the good work you and yours are doing. The blessing of my Master rests upon these works. Say to the shepherd you met: God’s blessing rests upon him. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.” * August 14th shall be the eight anniversary of the blessing of the cross, remembered in a Holy Eucharistic feast. Twentieth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on 1 November 1994 I felt a warm wind around me and heard the voice of the Holy Angel Raphael saying: “Coming in the Name of My Lord and Master Jesus Christ, bringing you the following message. Call all to be true to the cross of my Lord and Master by preparing themselves spiritually for the great things that are to happen in the near future. A great catastrophe shall befall mankind like there has never been as long as the world exists. That is why it is good that everyone receives the sacrament of penance about his or her whole life. That everyone places themselves under the protection of the loving heart of my Lord and Master, Jesus Christ and his dearly beloved mother the Immaculate Virgin Mary. Urge all to a reversal through penance, fasting, prayer and frequent partaking in the Holy Eucharist. All shall receive my Master with a pure heart because He is present with His Body and with His Blood. Respect for this sacrament is of the utmost importance. Great signs shall be given to mankind on the sun, moon and stars. Thus speaks my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. The enemy of my master shall try everything to seed unrest and confusion. But all of you, persevere in your faith in my Master and his dearly beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, because like the light goes from East to West, so shall the coming of my Master be, with great power and majesty, to complete his creation. Therefore, do not be anxious or afraid; know that the creator of heaven and earth shall make everything good for all who stayed true to him. Know that all things described here must happen first; to that way clear the road for the new future.” The Holy Archangel Raphael says further that he will be back the next day with more messages. Twenty first spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael On 2 November 1994 during the morning prayers continued the Holy Archangel with the message as follows: The day of today, that you commemorate*, there is joy in heaven over the many who enter into the light of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, like the God-anointed, the man from your community, the woman far from you, the mother, the mother who worried about her son, all loved ones of them who are called** and many, many others. These are, or will be taken up today into the light of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, keep prodding the people to pray for those who were taken from them. Where it concerns the supporting God-anointed; he is being heavily tested, but tell him: my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, has great plans for him. That he stays courageous and not quit the work started. You can place this message before him and he must decide out of his own free will. Where it concerns the second God-anointed, tell him to continue the good works regarding the mother of my Master, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Also, the nearness of the cross of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, is greeted with joy in heaven and through that are all punishments for the sins of his whole life removed. The blessing of my Master rest upon him in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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The twelve chosen men, their number shall in the end be twelve, shall take on this task out of their own free will. In the end, the accompanying God-anointed shall then, as promised in previous messages, be added. The blessing of my Master the Lord Jesus Christ, be with you and yours. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.” * Feast day of All Souls ** the twelve cross brothers Twenty second spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on 7 April1995 I felt a warm wind around me and heard the voice of the Holy Angel Raphael saying: “Coming in the Name of My Lord and Master the Lord Jesus Christ, bringing you the following message. The twelve chosen may make their vow at the feast of the appearance of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, urge them to prepare themselves for this day, with full agreement of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ and his dearly beloved mother the Most Holy Virgin Mary. Also the accompanying God-anointed shall be added in the right time. They may, under the same conditions, join the brotherhood and all twelve may add the name of a saint to their own name. The joining to the brotherhood must be voluntary. It would also be good to re-read the given mandate to the twelve men. The pilgrimage, which you made and which is still in your thoughts, gives much joy in heaven and especially to the mother of my Master, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Do not let yourself be influenced by so called messages from heaven. The enemy of my Master only wants to sow confusion that way. Listen only to the messages of my Master, which come through me. It would be good to go nearer to the two anointed, with whom you recently talked. You can take them into your confidence. Urge all to, with utmost reverence, handle the Body and Blood of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Again: call everyone to a turnaround and reflection. Before the great warning arrives, all shall receive the seal of the living God. These are those, who are willing to give their life for my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ and his dearly beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. That these share of their riches and regard all people as their brothers and sisters. Those shall lay their difficulties at the feet of my Master. He shall dissolve these in his love for them. Continue the good work that you and yours do, knowing that the blessing of the Most High rests on it. The place of the cross of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, is holy and with the intercession of the mother of my Master all will be heard. Call upon all for prayer for the holder of St. Peter’s Chair, Pope John Paul II, because the cross he has to carry is heavy. Pray also for the God-anointed who have drifted off the true road; that they may return to the true road and to the love of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. The blessing of the Most high, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit be with you all. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum. Twenty third spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on 18 April 1996 I felt a warm wind around me and heard the voice of the Holy Archangel Raphael saying: “Coming in the Name of My Lord and Master the Lord Jesus Christ, bringing you the following message. This is a time of heavy trials and also of many disasters, wars and rumours of wars, of murder and robberies. This is also a time of falling away from faith and purity wherein also the church of my Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ is attacked through which the holder of St. Peter’s Chair has to suffer much. 50

Therefore again, a very urgent call to all that are true to the Church of my Master and to his cross: do penance and pray the rosary, go often to the Holy Mass. That they receive the Body and Blood of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, often and with great reverence and of course with a pure heart, knowing that my Master is there in His full godliness. Let those, who have gathered earthly riches, distribute the abundance to the poorest of the poor. That shall be a good deed in the eyes of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Tell those who have asked you about their loved ones who have gone forth, to pray much for them and also that Holy Masses to their intention will help them to soon enter into eternal light. The ones who have made a vow may renew it, at the feast of the appearance of the Holy Spirit, provided they fulfill the following condition: hold a nine day novena in honour of the five Holy Wounds of my Master; spend at least one hour in prayer by the cross of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ and also during these nine days receive the sacrament of penance. All these things shall be done of free will and the formula of the vow may remain the same as in previous years. Both my Master and his dearly beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, are greeting the pilgrimages, which are in your thoughts, with joy. Urge all to be more disposed to offerings through prayer and sacrifice. Sufferings that affect them can also compensate for all the evil that is done onto my Master and his dearly beloved Mother. The blessing of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit be with you and yours. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.” Twenty fourth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on 14 June 1996 I felt a warm wind around me and heard the voice of the Holy Archangel Raphael saying: “Coming in the Name of My Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, bringing you the following message. On the day of the feast of the Sacred Heart of my Lord and Master Jesus Christ, is it the urgent wish that this day is ecclesiastically celebrated and is elevated to Sunday. It would also be good to venerate the Immaculate Heart of the mother of my Master, the Blessed Virgin Mary on the same day because the two Holy Hearts are joined into one. Therefore, urge all people to spread this devotion worldwide. It will also be good to inform the holder of St. Peter’s Chair of this urgent wish. It certainly will be good that those who are called dedicate themselves to these two Holy Hearts. When you place yourself in contact with the representative of my Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, Pope John Paul II, remind him then that the time has come to announce a forty day fast, and so give anyone who believes, the opportunity to receive the Seal of the Living God. Let all who are true to the cross of my Master through fasting and abstinence prepare themselves for this fast which certainly will come. Call on all of the anointed of God to assist in this task. Pray and do penance. Pray the rosary; visit my Lord and Master in his Blessed Sacrament. The blessings of the Most High come over you and yours. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.” Twenty fifth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on Friday 7 March 1997 I felt a warm wind around me and heard the voice of the Holy Archangel Raphael saying: “Coming in the Name of My Lord and Master the Lord Jesus Christ, bringing you the following message. A call to all the faithful to my Master: do not be anxious or fearful by all that happens to you and yours; remain confident in my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ and his dearly beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, because the battle is started and in the end they shall conquer. Pray to your angels and patron saints. With all the saints they speak on your behalf to God and are tied in one Divine Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 51

It is good to know that the enemy of my Master shall try everything to break down all that you and yours have built and to lead you and yours off the good road. The horror and destruction have already started, that is why extra penitence, sacrifice and prayer is asked of you and yours. Proceed with good works like visiting the sick and lonely. It is a great joy for my master, The Lord Jesus Christ. Pray for the anointed that no longer believe in the presence of the Body and Blood of my Master Jesus Christ, in the sacrament of the Eucharist, because my Master himself instituted this sacrament. Keep urging people to fasting and abstinence, penance and prayer like praying the rosary, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and attending the Holy Eucharist. Before the end comes you shall receive a call yet to complete the task that you started. Further, you shall receive instruction how to act in the time you and yours are taken away from the place you now stay. Worry not about the twelve that are chosen. When the time comes all shall be there with the added anointed. This last one you shall know by the love that goes out from him. Wherever you go, God’s angels shall accompany you. My Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ and His dearly beloved mother also stand close to you. You can also count on my presence. They who already made a vow may do that again at the feast of the Appearance of the Holy Spirit. This counts only for those who sincerely want to participate in the plans of my Master. They who have joined may also participate in this voluntary vow. Heaven rejoices over the plan to consecrate oneself as slave of the mother of my master, the Most Holy Virgin Mary. The blessings of the Most High come over you and yours in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.” Twenty sixth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on Friday 5 December 1997 I felt a warm wind around me and heard the voice of the Holy Archangel Raphael saying: “Coming in the Name of My Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, bringing you the following message. The scapular made by this bride of my Master has, to be well recommended. A great thank you to this sister. To beget the most grace from this scapular, it would be good to have these blessed by the cross of my Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, by a god-anointed and to give them only to those persons who are faithful to the cross of my Master. They shall regularly receive, in a state of grace, the Body and Blood of my Master. They who already have made vows can do this again on the day of the institution of the Holy Eucharist. They who feel called may participate in this, but for those who have objections, it is better that they do not make a vow, because it is the wish of my Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, that they involve themselves completely in the work that goes out from the cross. The mother of my Master, the Blessed Virgin Mary, is much honoured with the good deeds you and yours are performing. Go ahead with these good deeds, because my Master says: “What you do to the least of mine you have done unto me.” Those who have asked about the place of their loved ones; tell them that through prayer and sacrifice the souls shall soon enter into the eternal light or are already there. Tell those who have to suffer: offer yourself up to my Master; your reward shall be great. Everywhere you are asked and speak in the Name of my Lord and master, the Holy Spirit shall watch over you. Also, God’s angels shall watch over you and lead you. Keep urging people to convert through sacrifice and prayer, through works of mercy and through surrendering the redundancy of their gathered riches. Forgive those who slander or defame you because they do not know what they do. Call on all God-anointed to give themselves completely to the serving work to which they have been called and that they fully support the holder of St. Peter’s Chair, Pope John Paul II. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.” 52

Twenty seventh spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on Saturday 5 March 1999 I felt a warm wind around me and heard the voice of the Holy Archangel Raphael saying: “Coming in the Name of My Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, bringing you the following message. Call upon all who are true to my Master, the god-anointed as well as the ordinary faithful, to prepare themselves and to free themselves of all earthly things, because they stand on the eve of a great happening. Many thousands of angels shall descend upon earth. Therefore, call on all who are faithful, to place the sign that you now see (the cross), above all entrances and exits of the places they presently occupy, so that God’s angels recognise these places and all faithful can be brought into safety before the great catastrophe shall reach the earth. A catastrophe like never has been and not ever shall come again. They who want to make a vow on the day of the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the plans that you made for this, are pleasing to my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ and his much beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary because you and yours also want to pledge your faithfulness to her. The preparation days of intense prayer and gathering of the cross brothers may be a condition to the pledging of the vow. The activities that you and your wife perform are very much appreciated in heaven. My Master shall repay you. So too, the sacrifices that you made concerning the bride that you have given to my master and who came forth out of you both*. Have no anxiety over her; she is carried on hands by God’s angels. Bring all in readiness and complete the work that you once started. Urge all to do the same through sacrifice, fasting, and prayer and by participating in the Holy Eucharist. But, before they sit at the table of my master and consume his Body and his Blood, they are to be aware to cleanse themselves totally and consciously through the sacrament of penance (reconciliation). When they have done all this, let them know to receive my Master only kneeling and on the tongue. Hereby they demonstrate to my Master the Lord Jesus Christ the honour that rightly belongs to Him. Those who are sick, pray for them, knowing that my Master is very charitable and merciful in respect with all his faithful. The God-anointed that now leads you, tell him to have no fear, knowing that my Master has called him and always will support him. Continue to encourage people to redeem themselves. Urge youth to direct themselves to the love that my Master is. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.” * Profession of our daughter, 3 January 1999. Twenty eighth spoken word from the Holy Archangel Raphael During the morning prayers on Tuesday 2 May 2000 I felt a warm wind around me and heard the voice of the Holy Archangel Raphael saying: “Coming in the Name of My Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, bringing you the following message. Call urgently on all God-anointed, where they are the only ones, chosen by my Master, to handle His Body and Blood and no one else is allowed to this task. If this is not to be, then, they will be held accountable for what is done by those not anointed or blessed, and through that call upon themselves and mankind the vengeance of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that this may not happen. Call also on the help of the mother of my Master, the Blessed Virgin Mary. To this end she was appointed as co-redeemer and Queen, Our Lady of All Peoples. Therefore, pray the rosary, because the mother

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of my Master loves her dedicated children very much. Bring this urgent message also to the holder of St. Peter’s Chair, knowing how much he is concerned with the condition of his entrusted flock. Then once again a call to all the youth to position themselves toward the way of God and not the direction they now follow, which leads to eternal death. In the end they are the carriers of the new future. Call upon all twelve chosen men to be more available in the service of my Master and to lead the people to the cross. Then once more the warning that not all messages are “heavenly messages.” The enemy of my Master wants only to sow fear and confusion among mankind. Make haste with the task given to you, before the announced catastrophe reaches the earth. Urge still more people to place the sign above all entrances and exits, as has been pointed out in the previous message. The one of your close vicinity who has been taken from you: pray for her and let Holy Masses be celebrated for her, because she has not yet reached her goal. Go to all places where my Lord Jesus Christ calls you, to announce his Joyful Message. Continue the good works you and your spouse perform. This is a joy in heaven. Now the time has come that you shall no longer hear me, until the day that you shall see me again and the righteous are counted. Though you must know that we have been instructed to lead you and yours on the way to my Master and a new future. God’s blessing rests on you all. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum. *** Vol. 15 2011 79 The Cult and Representation of the Archangel Raphael in Sixteenth-Century Venice Joseph Hammond For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways Psalm 91:11 Today the concept of the guardian angel tends to be thought of as an ‘old’ idea, but there is little indication that the belief achieved any widespread liturgical or artistic attention before around 1600. However, the largely forgotten cult of the Archangel Raphael, to which the concept of the guardian angel is closely linked, predates it by some length. his article considers how popular devotion to one speciic angel developed into a more general belief in angelic intervention, through an examination of the iconography associated with the Archangel Raphael in sixteenth-century Venice. he understanding and representation of the role of guardian angels is examined, and I show how the imagery developed from the iconography of Raphael and his relationship with his attribute Tobias. In addition, I examine how the efect of Protestant criticism of the cult of saints — of angels in particular — and the eicacy of prayer afected the cult of Raphael and the saint’s representation in Venice. he Archangel Raphael is mentioned by name only in the deutrocanonical book of Tobit.1 here he is described as being disguised as a human and accompanies the young Tobias and his dog on a journey to reclaim some borrowed money for Tobit, Tobias’ father, who is old, blind and poor. Along the way they catch a monstrousish and then use its heart and liver to banish a demon from Sarah, who is then given in matrimony to Tobias. Upon their return home, Raphael uses the ish’s gall to cure Tobit of blindness, before disappearing. In the early twentieth century a number of articles addressed the lateiteenth- century tradition of images featuring Raphael and Tobias in Florence. Gombrich reevaluated images such as Tobias and the Angel (c. 1470-75) by Andrea Verrocchio’s workshop. his painting, and others like it produced around 54

the same time, had previously been understood as a votive picture intended to ensure the safe return of merchants’ sons who were venturing out on their maiden voyages. He narrative incongruities of these images meant that they came under criticism because they seemed ill designed as illustrations of the story of Tobias and the Angel. He monstrous ish is frequently represented as a perfectly normal size and still intact, despite the box carried by Raphael which contains its entrails: meanwhile, the angel supposedly disguised as a human is always shown displaying his wings and is in one example even accompanied by the other archangels. Gombrich demonstrated that St Andrews Journal o 80 f Art History and Museum Studies Joseph Hammond critics were misreading these images, and suggested that they were never intended as straight illustrations of the biblical story. Rather, the incongruities present in the images emphasised their symbolic purpose, which allowed the viewer to recognize the people portrayed. Gombrich asserted that the images were not about Tobias at all, arguing instead that he was included as an attribute of Raphael rather than as the subject of the painting.2 Cima da Conegliano’s Tobias and the Angel with St James and Nicholas (1513-1515) [Fig. 1] can be read in this way.3 In this painting, Tobias is included to allow us to identify Raphael in much the same way that St Nicholas’ golden orbs and St James’ staf allow us to identify them, and it would not be a fair reading to argue that the image made less sense because of the inclusion of these anachronistic saints. Nevertheless, Tobias is not just an attribute, but has another role to play that is vital in the development of the representation of Raphael and guardian angels in Renaissance Venice. Gombrich’s innovation was to suggest that the Archangel Raphael was venerated in much the same way as any other cult igure, and for the same reasons — in the hope of heavenly intervention in this world and the next. he Archangel’s celestial nature made no real diference to how his cult was treated by the church and the laity when compared to other canonised and more terrestrial saints. In fact, ‘San Rafaele’ appeared regularly in calendars of saints; and confraternities, churches and altars were dedicated to him. he feast of Raphael was late, infrequent and oten inconsistent in date. It is found from the tenth century onwards, but only in the Fig. 1. Cima da Conegliano, Raphael and Tobias between Saints James and Nicholas, 1513-15. Oil on panel transferred to canvas. Courtesy of Soprintendenza ai Beni Artistici e Storici di Venezia. This image has been removed from the online version of this article for copyright reasons. Vol. 15 2011 81 he Cult and Representation of the Archangel Raphael iteenth century does it proliferate in the diocesan rights. Since 1921 it has been ixed on 24 October, but difering dioceses oten had diferent dates — its appearance in 1445 in Hereford, England, for example, set the feast on 5 October. he feast of the guardian angels on 2 October was added to the General Calendar only in 1608.4 Confraternities dedicated to the Archangel were also not uncommon: there was a famous youth confraternity at Florence, three societies in Venice by 1700, and at least one in Rome.5 he irst confraternity dedicated to Raphael in Venice was founded in 1280 at the parish church of San Rafaele, the second was established at San Apostoli in 1658 and, as we will see, was dedicated to guardian angels more generally. Nevertheless his cult remained a small one — especially in comparison to his brother Archangel Michael, who was the dedicatee of three churches in Venice alone.6 In Venice, Raphael was included in calendars from the thirteenth century and across the city there were at least nine altars dedicated to him by 1581.7 Perhaps most signiicantly, the church of San Rafaele had existed at the very least since 1131, although legends suggest it may have been established as early as the seventh century.8 he Archangel could make some bold claims as a miracle worker on behalf of the faithful. Although Raphael is mentioned only in the Book of Tobit, a rich tradition associates him with anonymous angels across the Old and New Testaments. He was thought to have been the unnamed angel who regularly stirred the waters of the Probatica pool (John 5:1-5) which healed those who touched it. As well as curing the blindness of Tobit and banishing a demon from Sarah before binding it under the 55

desert, he was also thought to have banished nine-tenths of the unclean spirits of Noah’s day, to have “charge of all human disease,” to have healed Abraham’s painful circumcision and rescued Lot from Sodom.9 Raphael’s powers of intercession on behalf of the faithful are asserted by his own words in the Book of Tobit. At 12:15 he explicitly states that he presents the prayers of the faithful to God; he thus came to be associated with the Angel in Revelation 8:3-4 who stands with a censer praying to God for the people of earth.10 Principally he was seen as a healer, whose Hebrew name even means ‘God has healed’ — this is a role he clearly plays in the Book of Tobit.11 Amongst the earliest recorded images of the Archangel, discovered in 1516 but now lost, was an ancient fresco in Palermo in which he was designated as ‘medicus’.12 In Venice, the Archangel Raphael’s powers as a thaumaturge were further demonstrated by a legend describing that his special job was to restrain the harmful inluence of the evil spirits which caused storms and other dangers to travellers. Here is an inscription under a stone relief of Raphael on the Ducal Palace that asks: “Oh, Venerable Raphael, make thou the gulf calm, we beseech thee.”13 Given his protection of Tobias on his journey, it is no surprise that Raphael assumed responsibility for the protection of the ferrymen in the lagoon.14 Cima’s altarpiece in the Venice Accademia also associates the angel with two other saints whose job it was to protect travelers — St James the Greater and St Nicholas. he Archangel thus had a formidable record as a miracle worker and intercessor on behalf of his human wards, and it is St Andrews Journal o 82 f Art History and Museum Studies no surprise that he was the subject of veneration.15 Cima also painted an altarpiece for the church of Santa Maria dei Carmini dedicated to the Archangel in around 1511.16 his altarpiece depicts the Adoration of the Shepherds with other saints [Fig. 2] and is still in its original location on the south wall of the Venetian church. A standard ‘liturgical interpretation’ of many nativity scenes for altarpieces would describe the importance of the incarnation and of Christ’s sacriice. his is usually associated with the Virgin Mary who carried within her the child and is thus seen as a prototype of the church itself, which also houses the Eucharist and the promise of salvation. She and the Child wait passively for the adoring shepherd whose act of supplication echoes that of the laity who could look at the closely linked pair of mother and Child when the host is raised and consecrated during the mass. Although the depiction of the infant child whose sacriice is foretold by St Helena’s cross is pertinent to the masses that were regularly performed for the souls of the patrons Giovanni and Caterina Calvo, the contents of the text of the feast of St Raphael may also have inluenced the imagery in this work. Unsurprisingly, the text of the liturgy for the Feast of St Raphael quotes the Book of Tobit, but signiicantly the Epistle of the mass is taken from chapter 12, in which Raphael explains that he is one of seven angels who stand in the presence of God and that he prays for his young ward.17 he second and third nocturns use a sermon by St Augustine on Tobias and John 5 respectively. he latter thus tacitly ratiies the link between the angel of the Probatica pool and St Raphael and stresses the healing role of the angel.18 St Augustine’s text links the powers of healing with the instructional role of Raphael and the blindness of Tobit. Raphael is explicitly invoked as a physician (“nostrae salutis medicus”) who can lead us from blindness into light.19 he suggestion is not only that Raphael can and will take care of one’s physical body during one’s life, but he will also lead one to the light ater death. Combined with his unique proximity to God, Raphael is an extremely powerful intercessor on behalf of the deceased concerned for the progress of their soul through purgatory. We could almost see Raphael as a Christian Virgil from Dante’s Divine Comedy, who leads Calvo through purgatory to the walled Jerusalem in Cima’s landscape, or draw parallels to Plato’s ‘allegory of the cave’ in Book Seven of he Republic. It is in his role as both instructor and healer that we see Raphael displayed in Cima’s Adoration of the Shepherds in the Carmini. He angel unambiguously leads Tobias by the hand out of the cave behind them, while instructing him about the Christological schema that is working 56

itself out in front of them. It is thus no surprise that Raphael leads Tobias into the Adoration of the shepherds, a scene redolent with themes of the realisation of salvation for the humble herdsmen — a realisation in which Giovanni and Caterina Calvo hope to partake. It is diicult to know, given that the liturgy and the preachings of St Augustine were in Latin, how familiar either the donors or Cima would have been with this particular interpretation. Nevertheless, the combined roles of protective traveller and intercessor inherent in the story could hardly fail to impress themselves on the general laity in Renaissance Venice. St Raphael can also be seen in the role of saintly intercessor in other altarpieces painted over the following years, such as Titian’s Tobias and the Angel (1520s) for Santa Caterina [Fig. 3]. Titian’s painting also clearly places the compositional emphasis on the igure of Raphael rather than the boy.20 Titian and his studio painted a more celebrated altarpiece for San Marziale [Fig. 4], which is very closely related to the San Caterina work.21 Compositionally similar, the angel dominates the pictureield, directing the attention of Tobias with an outstretched arm. In his hand he holds the pot of ish entrails with which he will perform the feats of healing. In these examples the relationship between the angel and his charge is clear. he Archangel turns to the boy and appears to be instructing him. Although the emphasis is on the abilities of the angel as an intercessor on behalf of the laity, the he Cult and Representation of the Archangel Raphael This image has been removed from the online version of this article for copyright reasons. St Andrews Journal o 84 f Art History and Museum Studies role of Tobias is not simply that of a dumb ‘badge’ used to unambiguously identify the angel from his peers. In every case, the angel engages with his ward and appears to be telling him something, indicating that the instructional role of Raphael and his relationship with Tobias was important. Raphael was the foremost example of a ‘guardian angel’ and was used as an argument to support the belief in the doctrine of guardian angels. he concept, based primarily on Psalm 91:11, Matthew 18:10 and the story of Tobias, had a long pedigree, but only in the sixteenth century, in response to the Protestant condemnation of the cult of saints and the belief in the intercession of angels and saints, did it develop and spread.22 he feast had been promoted by Spanish dioceses and the Jesuits following its condemnation by the Protestants. he Jesuits had popularised a thrice daily prayer to the guardian angels: “Angel of God, to whom I am conided for celestial happiness, illuminate me today, guard me, direct me, govern me.”23 he text is clearly focused on celestial reward and guidance, rather than the healing emphasised in the earlier cult of Raphael. he story of Tobit made Raphael an excellent candidate for recognition as a ‘guardian angel’ and thus he came to be the prototype and chief representative of that type. he cult of guardian angels was assisted in the development of its post- Reformation form by its addition, on 27 September 1608, to the general calendar by Pope Paul V.24 At the heart of the debate was the concept of free will in determining one’s state of grace and thus access to heaven — both Luther and Calvin denied that this was possible, while the Catholics continued to believe that it was. he angel, by being a guide towards salvation but not ultimately able to force a person to take the correct path, is an excellent metaphor for the Catholic belief in self determined election; in other words, the role of free will and good works in attaining salvation through the guidance of the church and the grace of God. In Venice, the development of the cult of Raphael along these lines was irst given visual expression when the Patriarch Giovanni Tiepolo constructed an altar dedicated to the guardian angels in the Crociferi (now Gesuiti) in 1619, decorated with an altarpiece by Palma Giovane [Fig. 5]. In 1657 a confraternity was established in San Apostolo, with a meeting house on the Strada Nova. his second confraternity was explicitly dedicated to the guardian angels (note the plural) rather than 57

to St Raphael the Archangel speciically, as the earlier confraternity at San Rafaele had been.25 he meeting house on the Strada Nova is decorated with a statue of Raphael and Tobias, and Sebastiano Ricci completed an altarpiece featuring the pair for the upper Hall. he confraternity also maintain an altar in San Apostoli which was decorated by Francesco Mafei in 1657.26 he 1619 altarpiece in the Gesuiti by Palma Giovane makes an extremely interesting contrast with the early altarpieces by Titian and Cima. here are a multitude of angels counselling various young people and drawing a number of them up into the heavenly realms above. A hundred years before this a depiction of an angel with a child would certainly have been identiied as Raphael and Tobias — even without the further attributes of the ish, dog and the pot of entrails. In Palma’s altarpiece, however, one pair of igures on the far let are clearly accompanied by a dog and ish, while the others are not. he couple on the let are Raphael and Tobias while the other igures are various anonymous souls who are being guided by their angels to take the right path to their heavenly rewards. he dedication of the altar to guardian angels is relected by the compositional importance of an anonymous angel and an anonymous soul — rather than the sidelined Raphael and Tobias. One could he Cult and Representation of the Archangel Raphael This image has been removed from the online version of this article for copyright reasons. St Andrews Journal o 86 f Art History and Museum Studies argue that the igures of Raphael and Tobias have been included of to one side to eliminate the possibility in the viewer’s mind that the foremost couple are intended to represent this more famous pair. Importantly, the boy at the front points down of the canvas suggesting that his course of action is still bound in an earthly direction, while the angel points upward. he user of the altarpiece is surely being invited to pray for the souls of the undecided that they may yet choose the right path, with the help of their guardian angel. he altarpiece represents the tangible shit in the cult of Raphael. Although he remained a key igure and was the principal representative of the guardian angels as a type, it was Raphael’s role as a guardian through the choices taken in life and into the next life that emerged as the preeminent aspects of his cult in the Post-Reformation world. In response to the reformation’s condemnation of catholic theology, the cult of St Raphael adapted and expanded to represent the concerns of a new age. He emphasis has moved from intercession in this world to intercession for the next. He cult of St Raphael as a healer and intercessor has been efectively superseded by a new cult — that of guardian angels in general — of which Raphael is the most preeminent example. he plight of the young people in Palma’s altarpiece are a perfect synecdoche for all of us in our journey into the aterlife, and are simultaneously an excellent metaphor for, and a dramatic celebration of, free will in the operation of divine grace. he visual imagery of Cima’s Adoration of the Shepherds, Titian’s two altarpieces and Palma’s Guardian Angels relect changing devotional and theological beliefs: indeed, they propagate the belief in the roles and powers of saintly intercession and self determination. 1 he Book of Tobit and a number of other Old Testament books included in the Vulgate and the authoritative Douay Rheims translation are omitted from the vast majority of protestant Bibles — and are usually described as ‘Apocrypha’. In the Catholic tradition they are referred to as ‘deuterocanonical’ and were considered to have spiritual value but were not canonical. C. A. Moore, Tobit: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (New York: Doubleday, 1996) passim. 2 E. H. Gombrich, Symbolic Images: Studies in the Art of the Renaissance (London: Phaidon, 1972) 27. See also T. Hart, ‘Tobit in the Art of the Florentine Renaissance,’ in M. Bredin, ed., Studies in the Book of Tobit: A Multidisciplinary Approach (London and New York: T & T Clark, 2006). For an example of the earlier interpretation see G. M. Achenbach, ‘he Iconography of Tobias and the Angel in Florentine Painting of the Renaissance,’ Marsyas, Vol. 3 (1943-45). For a recent article on the imagery of St 58

Raphael in Verona see A. Seraini, ‘Giovan Francesco Caroto in Sant’Eufemia a Verona. Gli afreschi con le Storie di Tobia e la pala con i Tre arcangeli del Museo di Castelvecchio,’ Venezia Cinquecento: Studi di storia dell’arte e della cultura, Vol. 19 (2009). 3 S. M. Marconi, Gallerie dell’Accademia di Venezia: Opere d’Arte dei Secoli XIV e XV (Rome: Instituto Poligraico dello Stato, 1955) 116. P. Humfrey, Cima da Conegliano (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983) 150-1. G. C. F. Villa, ed., Cima da Conegliano: Poeta del paesaggio (Venice: Marsilio, 2010) 210, cat. no. 54. 4 Bibliotheca Sanctorum, X:1365-66. A. A. King, Liturgies of the Past (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1959) 360. 5 S. Gramigna and A. Perissa, Scuole di arti mestieri e devozione a venezia (Venice: Arsenale Cooperativa, 1981) 112. R. Cobianchi, ‘Raphael, Ceremonial Banners and Devotional Prints: New Light on Città di Castello’s Nicholas of Tolentino Altarpiece,’ in L. Bourdua and A. Dunlop, eds., Art and the Augustinian Order in Early Renaissance Italy (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2007). Hart, ‘Tobit’. Gombrich, Symbolic Images. G. Vio, Le scuole piccole nella Venezia dei dogi: note d’archivio per la storia delle confraternite veneziane (Vicenza: A. Colla, 2004) 173-74, 57778, 808-09. 6 D. H. Farmer, he Oxford Dictionary of Saints (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004) 368. A. Butler, H. hurston, and D. Attwater, Butler’s Lives of the Saints (New York: P. J. Kennedy & Sons, 1956) III:677. S. Tramontin, et al., Culto dei Santi a Venezia (Venice: Studium Cattolico Veneziano, 1965) 315. A. Zorzi, Venezia scomparsa (Milan: Electa, 1984) 206-08. 7 Tramontin et al., Culto dei Santi, 317. P. Humfrey, he Altarpiece in Renaissance Venice (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1993) 64. 8 Tramontin et al., Culto dei Santi, 161-62. G. Lorenzetti, Venice and its Lagoon: HistoricalArtistic Guide, J. Guthrie, trans., (Trieste: Lint, 1975) 557-59. Bibliotheca Sanctorum (Rome: Città Nuova Editrice, 1961-1987) X:1360. 9 Moore, Tobit, 160-61. 10 Tobit 12:15 and Revelation 8:3-4. Butler, hurston, and Attwater, Butler’s Lives, IV:187. 11 Gombrich, Symbolic Images, 27. Butler, hurston, and Attwater, Butler’s Lives, IV:187. L. Menzies, he Saints in Italy: A Book of Reference to the Saints in Italian Art and Dedication (London: Medici Society, 1924) 376. Farmer, Dictionary of Saints, (1997) 423. 12 Bibliotheca Sanctorum, X:1360. St Andrews Journal o 88 f Art History and Museum Studies Joseph Hammond 13 he original reads: “efice q/sofre/tür afa/el reve/rende quietü” or “Eice (quoeso?) Fretum, Raphael reverende, quietum.” J. Ruskin, he Stones of Venice (London: George Allen, 1905) II:311. Bibliotheca Sanctorum, X:1362. 14 Tramontin et al., Culto dei Santi, 162. 15 Menzies, he Saints in Italy, 376. 16 For the controversial dedication of this altarpiece see A. Gentili, ‘Painting in Venice: 1450-1515,’ in G. Romanelli, ed., Venice: Art and Architecture (Cologne: Könemann Verlagsgesellschat, 1997) I:299. C. C. Wilson, St Joseph in Italian Renaissance Society and Art: New Directions and Interpretations (Philadelphia: Saint Joseph’s University Press, 2001) 89-93. Humfrey, Cima da Conegliano, 161-62, cat. no. 58. Villa, ed. Cima da Conegliano, 204, cat. no. 51. 17 Bibliotheca Sanctorum, X:1365-66. King, Liturgies, 360. 18 Butler, hurston, and Attwater, Butler’s Lives, IV:187. See also J. Driscoll, ‘St Raphael’ in he Catholic Encyclopedia (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911) http://www. newadvent.org/cathen/12640b.html (accessed 30 March 2010). he Oicial Liturgy thus 59

conirms the conjecture of popular opinion. 19 Gombrich, Symbolic Images, 27. 20 he attribution is oten disputed. H. E. Wethey, he Paintings of Titian (London: Phaidon, 1969) I:179, cat. no. X-39. 21 his painting was dated by Vasari to 1507 but that chronology is highly problematic. A date of c. 1520 is more usual. Ibid., I:162, cat. no. 145. 22 Psalm 90 in the Vulgate. P. Marshall and A. Walsham, ‘Migrations of angels in the early modern world,’ in P. Marshall and A. Walsham, eds., Angels in the Early Modern World (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006) 13. 23 T. Johnson, ‘Guardian angels and the Society of Jesus,’ in P. Marshall and A. Walsham, eds., Angels in the Early Modern World (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006) 211. 24 T. Gilmartin, ‘Feast of Guardian Angels’ in he Catholic Encyclopedia (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910) http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07050a.html (accessed 23 April 2011). Johnson ‘Guardian angels,’ 192. 25 Gramigna and Perissa, Scuole, 112-13. Vio, Le scuole piccole nella Venezia, 577-78. 26 Gramigna and Perissa, Scuole, 112-13. J. Daniels, Sebastiano Ricci (Hove: Wayland Publishers, 1976) 133-34, cat. no. 460. How Do I Recognize Archangel Raphael? Archangel Raphael is known as the angel of healing. He works to heal people's minds, spirits, and bodies so they can enjoy peace and good health to the fullest extent of God's will for them. When Raphael is around, you may experience many different signs of his compassionate care for you. Here are some signs of Raphael's presence when he is nearby: Answer: New Information or Ideas That Promote Healing Rapahael often brings to mind fresh information or new ideas that you can use as valuable tools to pursue healing from whatever is ailing you, believers say. In their book The Complete Idiot's Guide to Connecting With Your Angels, Cecily Channer and Damon Brown write: "Except in situations where a person’s death or illness is part of their overall divine plan, Archangel Raphael will energetically promote healing. Look for him to inspire you with sudden insights giving you just the right information to help the healing." "Archangel Raphael frequently answers prayers by whispering suggestions that you hear as thoughts, feelings, dreams, and visions," writes Doreen Virtue in her book The Healing Miracles of Archangel Raphael. When you get a strong hunch to take positive action, know that this is an answered prayer. Follow your hunches and they’ll lead you to renewed peace." Mary LaSota and Harriet Sternberg write in their book Archangel Raphael: Loving Messages of Joy, Love, and Healing for Ourselves and Our Earth: "Raphael is known to grant petitions quite expeditiously and he will guide you through the healing process. If the healing is for you, watch for some sign: a thought, idea, or inner message. If there is an underlying reason for the illness, such as hatred for example, Raphael will in some way point this out to you. It may then be transmuted to love, thereby speeding up your recovery time." Not only will Raphael help you figure out how best to pursue healing for yourself, but he will also guide medical professionals to make the right decisions about your care or the care of a loved one you're supporting in prayer, write LaSota and Sternberg in Archangel Raphael: Loving Messages of Joy, Love, and Healing for Ourselves and Our Earth: "Raphael feels partial to those in all healing professions and will in some way guide those individuals who are unsure about what directions to 60

take for appropriate health care for their patients. He will offer ideas for speedy healing and assist in a medical crisis by getting together the perfect team of professionals to work together." Raphael has a sense of humor that people often notice when he communicates with them about healing insights, writes Virtue in The Healing Miracles of Archangel Raphael: "Raphael also shows a brilliant sense of humor in his displays of help. An example that always brings a smile to my face is his habit of pushing books of shelves. Many people report finding healing books in their homes that they never bought, or discovering ones in their shopping carts that they didn’t place there." A Fresh Appreciation of Nature Whenever you notice the beauty of God's natural creation around you and sense an urge to take good care of it, Raphael may be nearby, say believers. Raphael is passionate about convincing people to pursue healing not only for themselves, but also for the Earth's environment. Richard Webster writes in his book Raphael: Communicating With the Archangel For Healing and Creativity: "Whenever you see anything particularly beautiful or striking in nature, you can thank Raphael for looking after the planet. Tell him that you will do your part to make the world a better place for the present inhabitants, and also for future generations. You might choose to do this by picking up some of the rubbish left behind by previous visitors, or by tidying up an area that has been disturbed. You will feel Raphael’s presence around you as you do this, and you will also feel good about doing something positive for the environment. … Once you start doing this with love and intent, you will find that you are naturally communicating with Raphael, and will realize that he is close beside you all the time." Help Healing Broken Relationships Another sign of Raphael's presence with you is guidance that you receive about how heal and restore relationships you have with others that have become broken, believers say. "Raphael heals rifts in relationships and mental and emotional issues as well as physical ill health," writes Christine Astell in her book Gifts from Angels: An Uplifting Collection of Real-Life Angel Encounters. "More and more we are awakening to the understanding of how closely linked emotional issues are to disease in the body, and that working on the spiritual levels will almost definitely help with all types of illness." The way that Raphael often chooses to help heal your relationships is by encouraging you to communicate your feelings fully to other people, write Linda and Peter Miller-Russo in their book Dreaming With the Archangels: A Spiritual Guide to Dream Journeying:"Raphael will help you move from repression of your feelings to the full, honest, and complete expression of your reactions to life. Until you allow yourself to unwind your repressions, you will be unable to connect to your deeper feeling nature. Raphael will assist you with this by gently nudging you to express your true feelings to yourself and those around you. This will increase the level of communication within your relationships, bringing you closer to those you love, to God, and to yourself." Green Light You may see green light in the air around you when Raphael is visiting you, say believers, because his energy corresponds to the green electromagnetic frequency on the angel light rays. "He surrounds and nurtures people with the emerald green light of healing," write Cecily Channer and Damon Brown in The Complete Idiot's Guide to Connecting With Your Angels. In The Healing Miracles of Archangel Raphael, Virtue writes that Raphael is eager to show you signs of his presence, so you may see his aura's light quite clearly after calling on him: "Anytime you call upon Raphael, he’s there. The healing archangel isn’t shy or subtle in announcing his presence. He wants you to know that he’s with you, as a way of comforting you and alleviating stress along your

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way to a healthy recovery. ... He shines so brightly that people can see flashes or sparkles of his emerald green light with their physical eyes." PATRON OF OUR MINISTRY AND WEBSITE True friend, protector and powerful intercessor! We ask for his protection, guidance and heavenly intercession for all the sick. St. Raphael the Archangel whose name means “Medicine of God” in Hebrew; is one of the seven Archangels that stand before the throne of GOD chanting hymns of unending praise. When we pray for his help he intercedes directly to God the Father. He is one of the three angels mentioned by name in holy scripture. St. Raphael appears in the deutero-canonical Book of Tobit, a beautiful narrative in the Old Testament. He heals Tobit of blindness, he protects and guides Tobias on his travels and he delivers Sarah from an evil demon. Tobit, Tobias and Sarah were beset by trials and difficulties to purify them, but they remained steadfast in their faith during the period of testing, and eventually enjoyed God’s blessings and mercy. All prayed for deliverance and God sent St. Raphael. The longest recorded speech of an angel is Chapter 12 of the Book of Tobit. The Old Testament is not the only place that St. Raphael makes his appearance in the Bible. Many of the Church Fathers have speculated whether or not he was the angel mentioned in John 5:1-4, which speaks of the pool called Probatica, where the ill were brought for healing: “an angel of the Lord descended at certain times into the pond; and the water was moved. And he that went down first into the pond after the motion of the water was made whole of whatsoever infirmity he lay under.” This account was made the Gospel reading for the Mass of the feast of St. Raphael in the traditional calendar (October 24) — which continues to be observed not only in communities which follow the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, but also in those locales where St. Raphael is a patron. In the Ordinary Form, of course, he is grouped with St. Michael and the other angels on Spetember 29. Raphael is the Archangel of God’s mercy and light, who comes to bring healing to many. He is the medicine of God, who comes to relieve the ills of all burdens, sufferings and to restore God’s people to the truth of God’s love and mercy. He gives graces, given over to him by the Father and glorified by the Son’s love for mankind. He is the Archangel of God’s mercy, who sheds His grace through holy priests and is the one who brings us the good news of God’s mercy and grace.He is the healing and deliverance Archangel, and the patron of travelers, physicians, happy meetings and marriages. His feast day is September 29th. Holy Raphael says in the Book of Tobit, “Thank God! Give Him the praise and the glory. Before all the living, acknowledge the many good things He has done for you, by blessing and extolling His name in song. Before all men, honor and proclaim God’s deeds, and do not be slack in praising Him. A king’s secret is prudent to keep, but the works of God are to be made known with due honor. Do good, and evil will not find its way to you.” Tobit 12: 6-8 PRAYER TO ST. RAPHAEL THE ARCHANGEL Glorious Archangel St. Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, you are illustrious for your gifts of wisdom and grace. You are a guide of those who journey by land or sea or air, consoler of the afflicted, and refuge of sinners.I beg you, assist me in all my needs and in all the sufferings of this life, as once you helped the young Tobias on his travels. Because you are the “medicine of God” I humbly pray you to heal the many infirmities of my soul and the ills that afflict my body. I especially ask of you the favor (here mention your special intention), and the great grace of purity to prepare me to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Most Holy Mother, Queen of the Angels and Archangels, send me your Champion, the Archangel Saint Raphael, let him heal me of all my spiritual and physical ailments in JESUS’ HOLY NAME. May he protect me from satan and all the evil spirits. Saint Raphael be my guide and protector on my journey through life. O’ glorious Saint Raphael the Archangel, herald of blessings, pray for us! Amen. Consecration to St. Raphael Pope St. Gregory the Great calls Raphael “the Medicine of God.” His office is to heal, and he is thus especially the Angel of the Sick. Holy Archangel Raphael, standing so close to the throne of God and offering Him our prayers, I venerate you as God’s special Friend and Messenger. I choose you as my Patron and wish to love and obey you as young Tobias did. I consecrate to you my body and soul, all my work, and my whole life. I want you to be my Guide and Counselor in all the dangerous and difficult problems and decisions of my life. Remember, dearest Saint Raphael, that the grace of God preserved you with the good angels in heaven when the proud ones were cast into hell. I entreat you, therefore, to help me in my struggle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Defend me from all dangers and every occasion of sin. Direct me always in the way of peace safety, and salvation of my soul. Remember me and always entreat for me before the Face of the Son of God. Help me to love and serve my God faithfully, to die in His grace, and finally to merit joining you in seeing and praising God forever in heaven. Amen. The Archangel St. Raphael by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. We shall concentrate on this meditation on one book of the Old Testament, the book of Tobias, also called the Book of Tobit. Unfortunately as we know, this book is missing in both the Jewish and the Protestant Old Testaments. Jews, after Christianity was established, dropped this book because it was not originally written in Hebrew. And the Protestants dropped the same book saying, “Who better than the Jews know what belongs in the Old Testament.” It is however, one of the inspired writings of the Catholic Church.* We will take this meditation in steps, first to see and say something about the history of Tobit, who was identified as the father, and Tobias identified as the son. Then a reflection on one chapter of this inspired book in which the Archangel Raphael speaks at length. The longest recorded speech of an angel is in this chapter twelve in the book of Tobias. Then we will make some applications for our own spiritual life drawing on both the experience of Tobias and his family, and especially on what the archangel told Tobias and through him is telling all of us. First then the book of Tobias itself. This book first of all, describes the Jewish people who were taken over by the Ninivites. And among the Jewish people, enslaved by this pagan nation, was Tobias. A captive, we might call him, but a very generous man who practiced extraordinary charity. In his old age he became blind. He sent his son, Tobias, on a long journey to retrieve a long, unpaid debt. Then Tobias’ companion on this journey was what seemed to be, spoke like, and was thought to be a man. But who was the archangel Raphael in human form. He was the companion of Tobias. Raphael rescued the family, especially Sarah, from the powers of the devil. Raphael helped to recover the long, unpaid debt. Raphael prescribed just what should be done for Tobit’s blindness and he was healed. Before this book closes we have a wonderful and I repeat, unduplicated talk call it speech or 63

inspired declaration by the angel. All this while, Tobias, Tobit and the family, thought he was a man. They had planned to reward this very kind human being, by giving him one half of all their possessions. But this archangel, in disguise, said Thank You, and just before the end of the chapter, this generous companion and great helper of the family identified himself as an angel of the Lord. He gives one more short statement to the family and then leaves. I am calling it the speech of Raphael. It is the most extensive, most detailed, and for us the most practical declaration of an angel of God in the whole of the Bible. Father and son, Tobias, and Tobit, had just finished offering their generous companion one half of all their possession. Then the angel, appearing to them as a man says to them secretly. Remember Raphael has not identified himself as an angel. He tells Tobias, Tobit, and the family: Bless the God in Heaven. Give glory to Him in the sight of all the world because He has shown his mercy to you. For it is good to hide the secret of a king but it is honorable to reveal and proclaim the works of God. There is good in fasting, alms more than to lay up treasures of gold. For I delivered one from death and the same is that which absolves from sins. Alms provided for finding mercy and the life-everlasting. Those that commit sin and iniquity are enemies are of their own souls. I reveal the truth to you. I will not hide the secret from you. When you pray with tears, and you bury the dead, when you left your meal and without to pick up the dead and keep them in your house during the day and bury them at night, you offer your prayer to the Lord. Because you were acceptable to God it was is necessary that temptation should prove you. Now the Lord sent me to heal you. I delivered Sarah, your son’s wife from the devil. For I am the angel Raphael. One of the seven who stand before God. The moment Raphael identifies himself as the angel of God, Tobit and Tobias fell to the ground in dreadful fear, realizing the one speaking to them was an angel of the Lord. Raphael then went on: “Peace be to you. Do not fear for when I was with you I was there by the will of God. Bless Him and sing praises to Him. I seemed to eat and drink with you, but it was an invisible meat and drink. It is time that I return to Him who sent me. But bless God and published all His wondrous deeds.” Having said this Raphael disappeared. I repeat this is the longest prologue, detail of any angels found in Sacred Scripture. Needless to say it was given to Tobit and Tobias who are two men to us. What then are some of the implications of the message of Raphael in our own lives of meditation and devotion? First, Raphael tells us that God sends His angels to help us in our needs. This is the teaching of the Church and the deeper and more grave our needs, the more sure we can be that God is providing us with angelic assistance. In other words, the more serious the need the more sure we can be that an angel is there to help us. This is not angelic poetry, this is our faith. Raphael tells us Tobit and his son and is telling us “Bless God.” What does “Bless God” mean? To bless God means to speak to God, and as we have seen we begin to pray when we first think of God. We are told that we are to share God, show Him our appreciation of what He has done for us. Talk to God and tell Him how much you need Him and love Him. The more you pray to Him, the more you reap. That is why Raphael replies, “That is why God sends us trials.” We all have grace to remind us to pray to God and to speak to God. In another word to pray. What is he telling us? What Raphael told father and son and is telling us in this language. To publicize what God has done for us. As we have seen before the retreat is over, more than once, the angels will help those who they hear the lines to use. Make known what God has done for you. Proclaim God’s

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goodness to all. Do not keep God’s gifts to you in secret. Share, communicate what God has given to you. We continue. Raphael insists on prayer as an imperative “Pray, pray, pray.” Talk to God, talk with God. It is all part of our faith—God is always speaking to us. He wants us to engage Him in conversation in prayer. Raphael at length, praises the father for His great charity telling us therefore to practice charity. Practice charity, see the needs of others before they can tell you what they need. The deepest needs of people, they do not expect. Charity begins in the mind. When the mind sees someone in need the heart goes out to that one in need. Finding the need and filling it. Whatever verb we use, help others, assist others, give to others. The deepest need anyone has is our love for them. No matter what we can give them materially, what the human heart most wants is love. Raphael goes on, how this needs to be underlined and memorized. Says Raphael: “God tries those who love Him.” What a statement. This is God’s way of enabling us to grow in our love for Him. Love is in the will. The main reason we have a free will is to love God. But how this needs to be understood, the more demanding, the more difficult, the more reluctant we are to do something, and yet we do it, the more our will is used to do what our conscience tells us is the will of God. Thank God for the trials in your lives. Express your gratitude for the hardships and trials He gives us. Quoting the archangel Raphael, God sometimes enables us who love Him to love Him more through trials. How we need to hear this. God’s graces can be pleasant and enjoyable, but the graces can also be difficult and painful. Never deceive yourself that what is pleasing to us is displeasing to God. Raphael talked to Tobias’ son and is teaching us this. Finally, Raphael told father and son to be at peace. As we have seen on Christmas morning, again not just one angel, but a host of angels tell us “Peace on earth to men of Good will”. Whatever else we should learn but from not only Raphael, but from God speaking through His angels, is that we should not just be at peace but cultivate peace in our minds and in our hearts. What is peace of mind? Peace of mind is the experience of knowing the truth. Behind that statement stands years of experience. One allegedly developed country after another has tried everything that this world can offer, but are not at peace. Why not? Because we are only as much at peace in our minds as our minds possess the truth. That is why when God became man, He identified Himself as, “I am the truth.” What is the truth? Truth is our minds corresponding with reality. Yet, millions are living in a dream world of unreality. They do not posses the truth, and the truth, I repeat, is the agreement of the mind with reality. I keep telling one audience after another, statisticians tells us that ninety percent of reading American read is fiction. How we need to guard our minds from reading bewitched by the untruth. How do we acquire the truth? We acquire it, of course, from God’s revelation. But it is one thing to say posses the truth-such as there are three persons in one God, or I know that God became man in the person of Jesus Christ, and that Jesus Christ, the living God-man is present here on earth in the Holy Eucharist. But if we are to grow in this peace of mind, we are to grow in our understanding of the truth that God has revealed. That is the main purpose of meditation. By prayerfully reflecting on God’s revealed truth we grow in our grasp and understanding of what God has revealed. And our minds grow in this blessed gift of peace of mind. But, as Raphael told father and son and is telling us, we are to have also peace of heart. A synonym for peace of heart is peace of will. 65

What is peace of heart? Peace of heart is the experience of doing God’s will. And that is the only true source and foundation of joy in this valley of tears. We shall have peace of heart only in the measure that we are doing God’s will. Ah, what an examination of conscience we must all make. How faithful to God’s will am I? How ready am I to accept the cross He sends me? How willing am I to share with others what God has so generously given me? How much attention do I give to prayer in my life? So the litany goes on. Peace of heart is the experience of doing the will of God, and that experience is the happiness of spirit. Know God’s will with the mind and doing it with the will. As Christ later on will tell us, we are to be peace makers. We shall bring peace to others only if we are at peace ourselves. We will bring peace to others by sharing with them the truth which we believe. We shall bring peace to others only in the degree that we ourselves are generous, loyal and doing the will of God. All of this and far more is locked up in the most detailed and deepest revelation of an angel sent by God to teach us how we are to live our lives here on earth in anticipation of joining the choirs of angels in a heavenly eternity. Lord of the angels, we thank you for providing for our needs by sending your angels to help us. Your angel Raphael’s name means “God heals,” send us your angels to heal us from such bodily infirmity as you wish us to have removed. But, dear Lord, heal us especially in our spirit from the sickness of soul so that healthy in mind and body we may bless you, the Lord of the angels, and that we may grow in our love for you, healed by you through your angels here on earth and that we may reach you and join you for all eternity. Fr. Hardon Archives – The Archangel Raphael Father John A. Hardon was a tireless Catholic writer. Some of his best-known books are the Catholic Catechism, the Modern Catholic Dictionary, and the Treasury of Catholic Wisdom. But over and above these, he wrote literally thousands of articles of timeless value dealing with practically all aspects of the Catholic Faith. Many of these are contained in this archive. Upon reading them you will discover the mind and expressions of a saint who always wrote to help his readers more deeply know and love the Catholic Church and her faith. Few, either in the past or in the present, have written about these matters as well as Father Hardon. Fr. Burns K. Seeley, S.S.J.C., Ph.D *Why are Catholic and Protestant Bibles different? This question raises the issue of the biblical canon. Originally, a canon (from the Greek kanon) meant a rod or stick that one used to measure length, and hence a criterion or standard. Catholics and Protestants accept the same 27 inspired books as making up the New Testament. But when we turn to the Old Testament, some significant differences emerge. The decision finally determining the exact number of books accepted as inspired Scripture for Catholics was not made until the Council of Trent in 1546. The Council fathers accepted 46 Old Testament books, following what appeared to them as a firm tradition of the Church from ancient times. The leaders of the Protestant Reformation, on the other hand, rejected some books agreed upon at Trent. The seven disputed books are: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch and 1 and 2 Maccabees. There are also some sections of Esther and Daniel not considered inspired Scriptures by Protestants. Protestants call these seven books the apocryphal (uninspired)books. Catholics, however, call these same disputed books deuterocanonical. Fortunately, today, modern translations of the Bible are published in Catholic editions. These translations will include an imprimatur (assurance of a Catholic bishop that the text is in line with Catholic teaching) and the seven deuterocanonical books. 66

Hebrews 13:2 Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels. The entire Book of Tobit is about how God sends the Archangel Raphael to assist man. The Book of Tobit presents: *Trust in Almighty God *the sanctity of marriage, *intercession through Angels, *reward of good works, *parental respect, *importance of prayer and fasting in our daily lives, and *especially almsgiving in expiation of sin 8 Prayer and fasting are good, but better than either is almsgiving accompanied by righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than abundance with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold; 9 for almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life; 10 but those habitually guilty of sin are their own worst enemies. Holy Raphael in the Book of TOBIT 12: 8-10 “I, Tobit, have walked … on the paths of truth and righteousness.” (Tobit 1:3) So begins the story of a decent man who suffers for doing the right thing. In this reading, his situation will only get worse. This is a great narrative with its themes of almsgiving, personal prayer, faithfulness in suffering, and the hidden presence of God in everyday life. Tobit is actually two stories in one—a tale of two Jewish families in the eighth century b.c., both victims of ethnic cleansing by the Assyrian Empire. Tobit, his wife, Anna, and their son, Tobias, are among the Israelites deported to Nineveh. Tobit’s relative, Raguel, with his wife, Edna, and daughter, Sarah, have ended up three hundred miles away, in Ecbatana. Both families are faithful observers of the Mosaic Law, but, assailed by sufferings that make no sense to them, they wonder: Where are the rewards of their devotion? Tobit’s family is battered by job loss, persecution, and blindness. Raguel’s family suffers because of Sarah, who is an innocent lightning rod for calamity. Through it all, however, these ordinary people keep trusting, praying, and doing the right thing. And God breaks into their lives in an extraordinary way. How the two stories come together as God comes to the rescue—through a journey, a fish, and the longest angelic appearance in the Bible—is an uplifting read, with more than a few invitations to laughter. But in a simple way, it touches on a profound truth. Commenting on that truth, St. Edith Stein wrote: “I have an ever deeper and firmer belief that nothing is merely an accident when seen in the light of God—that my whole life, down to the smallest details, has been marked out for me in the plan of divine Providence and has a completely coherent meaning in God’s all-seeing eyes.” And Tobit and company say: “Amen!” “Father, I believe you are at work in many more ways than I can see right now. Help me to trust you in difficult situations. Thank you, Lord, for being so near. I praise you for your goodness!” Psalm 112:1-6; Mark 12:1-12 The Word Among Us

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Book of Tobit 5: 17-22 17 Tobit said, “God bless you, brother.” Then he called his son and said to him: “My son, prepare whatever you need for the journey, and set out with your kinsman. May God in heaven protect you on the way and bring you back to me safe and sound; and may his angel accompany you for safety, my son.” Before setting out on his journey, Tobiah kissed his father and mother. Tobit said to him, “Have a safe journey.” 18 But his mother began to weep. She said to Tobit: “Why have you decided to send my child away? Is he not the staff to which we cling, ever there with us in all that we do? 19 I hope more money is not your chief concern! Rather let it be a ransom for our son! 20 What the Lord has given us to live on is certainly enough for us.” 21 Tobit reassured her: “Have no such thought. Our son will leave in good health and come back to us in good health. Your own eyes will see the day when he returns to you safe and sound. 22 7 So, no such thought; do not worry about them, my love. For a good angel will go with him, his journey will be successful, and he will return unharmed.” St. Raphael The Archangel --- God's Physician For I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord. Tobit 12:15 Of the three Angels named in the Bible, St. Raphael gets, perhaps, the least attention today. This is a real pity, because, in a society that needs healing as never before in our time, and which is made up of so many strangers and migrants, the work of St. Raphael in the lives of the Church and her children is really essential. BILIVERT, Giovanni, The Archangel Raphael Refusing Tobias's Gift. 1612, Oil on canvas, 175 x 146 cm, Galleria Palatina (Palazzo Pitti), Florence Much of what the Church knows of St. Raphael comes from the book of Tobit, wherein the heavenly spirit disguises himself as a man and acts as both the companion and guide of Tobias. He prays for him, prescribes a cure for his father’s blindness, and saves his wife from the devil. The Angel then reveals himself to be, as the opening quote tell us, one of the seven archangels who stand ever before the face of God; the other two named in the Bible are of course Ss. Gabriel and Michael. But the Old Testament is not necessarily the only place that St. Raphael makes his appearance in the Bible. Many of the Church Fathers had speculated on whether or not he was the angel mentioned in John 5:1-4, which speaks of the pool called Probatica, where the ill were brought for healing: “an angel of the Lord descended at certain times into the pond; and the water was moved. And he that went down first into the pond after the motion of the water was made whole of whatsoever infirmity he lay under.” This account was made the Gospel reading for the Mass of the feast of St. Raphael in the traditional calendar (October 24) — which continues to be observed not only in communities which follow the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, but also in those locales where St. Raphael is a patron. In the Ordinary Form, of course, he is grouped with St. Michael and the other angels on Spetember 29. Due to his actions in the Book of Tobit and the Gospel of John, St. Raphael is accounted patron of travelers, the blind, happy meetings, nurses, physicians, Christian marriage, and Catholic studies. As a particular enemy of the devil, he was revered in Catholic Europe as a special protector of Catholic sailors: on a corner of Venice’s famous Doge’s Palace, there is a relief depicting Raphael with Tobias on his knees holding a scroll on which is written: Efficia fretum quietum (“Keep the Gulf quiet”). On 68

July 8, 1497, when Vasco Da Gama set forth from Lisbon with his four ship fleet to sail to India, the flagship was named — at the King of Portugal’s insistence — the St. Raphael. When the flotilla reached the Cape of Good Hope on October 22, the sailors disembarked and erected a column in the archangel’s honor. The little statue of St. Raphael that accompanied Da Gama on the voyage is now in the Naval Museum in Lisbon. In Tuscany, and many other places, every teenager who left home for the first time was placed under the Archangel’s care. St. Raphael was called there Adolescentium pudicitiae defensor — “defender of adolescent chastity.” In token of his defense of travelers, one of the largest Catholic Emigrants’ Aid groups, the St. Raphael’s Society, was founded in Hamburg in 1871 to help Catholics of all nationalities arriving in America. Various offshoots of the original group in a number of different countries continue the work today. Prior to the feast at Cordova, many dioceses had celebrated a feast in St. Raphael’s honor on different days; in the 15th century, the Archdiocese of Bordeaux had two — on July 8 and October 13. In 1921, Benedict XV extended his feast day — on October 24 — to the entire Church. But do not think that the merging of St. Raphael’s day with those of the other angels lessens his significance in the eyes of the Popes. On September 29, 2007, Benedict XVI delivered a homily on the occasion of the consecration of a number of bishops, in which he said: St Raphael is presented to us, above all in the Book of Tobit, as the Angel to whom is entrusted the task of healing. When Jesus sends his disciples out on a mission, the task of proclaiming the Gospel is always linked with that of healing. The Good Samaritan, in accepting and healing the injured person lying by the wayside, becomes without words a witness of God’s love. We are all this injured man, in need of being healed. Proclaiming the Gospel itself already means healing in itself, because man is in need of truth and love above all things. The Book of Tobit refers to two of the Archangel Raphael’s emblematic tasks of healing. He heals the disturbed communion between a man and a woman. He heals their love. He drives out the demons who over and over again exhaust and destroy their love. He purifies the atmosphere between the two and gives them the ability to accept each other for ever. In Tobit’s account, this healing is recounted with legendary images. In the New Testament, the order of marriage established in creation and threatened in many ways by sin, is healed through Christ’s acceptance of it in his redeeming love. He makes marriage a sacrament: his love, put on a cross for us, is the healing power which in all forms of chaos offers the capacity for reconciliation, purifies the atmosphere and mends the wounds. The priest is entrusted with the task of leading men and women ever anew to the reconciling power of Christ’s love. He must be the healing “angel” who helps them to anchor their love to the sacrament and to live it with an ever renewed commitment based upon it. Secondly, the Book of Tobit speaks of the healing of sightless eyes. We all know how threatened we are today by blindness to God. How great is the danger that with all we know of material things and can do with them, we become blind to God’s light. Healing this blindness through the message of faith and the witness of love is Raphael’s service, entrusted day after day to the priest and in a special way to the Bishop. There are very many cities dedicated to the healing Archangel; but perhaps none is so fervent as Cordova, Spain, due to a series of apparitions of the Archangel there during the 16th century; in response to the City’s appeal, Pope Innocent X allowed the local celebration of a feast in the Archangel’s honor on May 7, the date of the principal apparition. St. John of God, founder of the Hospital order that bears his name, also received visitations from St. Raphael, who, as with Tobias, encouraged and instructed him. In tribute to this, many of the Brothers Hospitallers of St. John of God’s facilities are called “Raphael Centers” to this day. The 18th century Neapolitan nun, St. Maria Fracesca of the Five Wounds similarly had visions of St. Raphael, who healed her of several maladies. 69

Here in California, our own Mission San Rafael (center of the later town of that name in Marin County) began as a hospital and recovery center for the Indians from fog-bound Mission San Francisco de Asis; so successful was it that it became an independent mission on its own. Even as the Pontiff observes, we have great need of St. Raphael’s powers of healing and clarity. Bolstered by the knowledge that he inevitably comes to the aid of those who pray for his guidance, we in Los Angeles should look to St. Raphael for help in: Healing the divisions in Church and State Aiding the ill and the homeless Assisting the traveler and the migrant — be their journeys physical or spiritual Seeing things as they are: from God’s perspective, rather than our own Given his record, the bright archangel will surely come to our aid if we ask him. Links The Archangel Raphael and Cordoba http://wikanda.cordobapedia.es/wiki/Arc%C3%A1ngel_San_Rafael St. John of God and the Angels http://www.pontifex.roma.it/index.php/opinioni/consacrati/1553-san-giovanni-di-dio-e-gli-angeli Feast and Shrine of St. Raphael, Ollur, India http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_Saint_Raphael,_Ollur Prayers to St. Raphael http://www.2heartsnetwork.org/Raphael.htm St. (Feast

Raphael Day

the October

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Archangel 24th)

II. From the second instruction which St. Raphael gave to the old as well as to the young Tobias, learn, first, that we must give thanks to God and praise Him for all benefits received; and learn, secondly, how agreeable to the Almighty and how useful to men are prayer, fasting and alms. Whoever practises these, is more happy than he who gathers the greatest treasures of gold and silver; for gold and silver can save no one from eternal death, cleanse him from sin, or open heaven to him; while, according to the angel's words, alms and other good works cleanse and save man. III. Consider what the holy Angel says of those who commit sin: "They are enemies to their own souls," which, after God, they should hold most clear. The sinner himself does more harm to his own soul, than-all men, all demons can do: and because he is an enemy to his own soul, he is also an enemy to his own body: for when the soul is lost, whither can the body go? Certainly, not to heaven, but to hell. IV. Learn that the good works done by men are offered by the holy Angels to the Almighty, and are not lost, though they are not immediately followed by a reward. Lastly, understand well why the pious Tobias was visited with blindness. "Because thou wast acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should prove thee," said St. Raphael. Hence, it is no sign that we are forsaken by God, or that we are not in favor with Him, when we have to suffer, although we lead a pious life. " The misfortunes which assail the pious, are a proof of virtue, and not a sign of divine anger," says St. Gregory.

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Novena in Honor of St. Raphael, the Archangel The Sovereign Pontiff, Pope Pius IX., by a rescript of the S. Congr. of Indulgences, Nov. 28, 1876, granted to all the faithful who, with contrite hearts, at any time during the year, devoutly make the novena in honor of S. Raphael the archangel, with any formula of prayer, provided it be approved by competent ecclesiastical authority, An Indulgence Of Three Hundred Days, once a day. Prayer to Saint Raphael the Archangel Glorious Archangel, St. Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, illustrious by thy gifts of wisdom and grace, guide of travelers by land and sea, consoler of the unfortunate and refuge of sinners, I entreat thee to help me in all my needs and in all the trials of this life, as thou didst once assist the young Tobias in his journeying. And since thou art the "physician of God," I humbly pray thee to heal my soul of its many infirmities and my body of the ills that afflict it, if this favor is for my greater good. I ask, especially, for angelic purity, that I may be made fit to be the living temple of the Holy Ghost. Amen. (Indulgence of 100 days.----Leo XIII., June 21, 1890)

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Hymn to St. Raphael And Raphael! of the Before the throne of Angel of health! the With balm from heaven Heal or console And guide our steps

glorious seven who Him Who lives Lord hath filled to soothe or cure the victim of when doubtful of

stand and thy our disease, our

reigns; hand pains, ways.

Ant. O holy angles, our guardians, defend us in the combat, that we perish not in the dreadful judgment. V. In the sight of Thy angels I will R. I will adore at Thy holy temple, and confess to Thy name.

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sing

to

thee,

my

God.

Hymn from the Liturgical Year, 1903: O Raphael, divinely sent guide, graciously receive the hymn we suppliants address to thee with joyful voice. Make straight for us the way of salvation, and forward our steps: lest at any time we wander astray, and turn from the path to heaven. Look down upon us from on high; reflect into our souls the splendour shining from above, from the holy Father of lights. Give perfect health to the sick, dispel the darkness of the blind: and while driving away diseases of the body, give spiritual strength to our souls. Thou who standest before the Sovereign Judge, plead for the pardon of our crimes: and as a trusty advocate appease the avenging wrath of the Most High. Renewer of the great battle, crush our proud enemy: against the rebel spirits give us strength, and increase our grace. To God the Father be glory, and to his only Son, together with the Paraclete Spirit, now and for evermore. Amen.

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Meditations St. Raphael, the third of the chieftains of the Heaven Host, receives from God a power to heal all sickness and infirmity, and repair the ravages that are wrought by sin. His very name indicates his office: The Healing of God. As God sometimes allows Satan to spread disease among men, as in the case of holy Job, so He employs St. Raphael to avert sickness and restore health. Hence he is our model in the privilege that God grants to all, of helping to alleviate misery, and bind up and cure the wounds of men. Do I heal the ills of those around me? Do I not too often aggravate them? It was St. Raphael who was sent to keep the young Tobias safe from dangers of body and soul during his journey to seek for a wife among his kindred, and to furnish him with means to bring to nought the attempt of the devil to destroy him; to cure his aged father of his blindness, and to leave peace and happiness behind him. God often sends an Angel to keep us safe, though we too often scarce recognize our need of it, and make little account of our heavenly protector.

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It is generally believed to have ben St. Raphael who was sent to impart to the Pool of Bethsaida this power to heal him, who first bathed in it after the Angel's visit (St. John V. 4.) We little know how often God employs angelic agency in our behalf. Men often attribute to natural causes what is done by angelic hands. Remember their agency, and thank God for their aid.

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Protection Against the Devils by Antoine Richard, 1877 Prelude: An immense plain stretches itself before us, and the entrances are guarded by ferocious enemies, but an angel marches at our side. Meditation: "Our whole life," says St. Bernard, "is but a temptation," and this great doctor had borrowed the thought and the doctrine from our holy books. Temptation from outside, from creatures, from within, from our equals, from ourselves. It is strange that we should be such dangerous enemies to ourselves, that we are obliged to be on our guard, and to be afraid of ourselves, since our loss, according to the prophet, comes from ourselves, who often work with all our might for our ruin; but we have other combats to wage against enemies powerful by their strength, cruel in their rage, terrible by their stratagems, innumerable in their multitude, and untiring in their pursuits. Add to this, that our enemies are purely spirits, who strike without being seen, who enter everywhere, who remain invisible, and watch everything that we do; who fight against weak souls, walking in the midst of dark night, advancing by slippery paths, where they can hardly stand, surrounded on all sides by fearful precipices, and threatened with evils which are endless, and terrible in their intensity. O, if men meditated well these great truths, if they would see the supernatural light, how they would change their lives! then, indeed, they would serve God in holy fear, and their hearts would be rent with terror at the frightful evils to which we are exposed, and alas! we think so little. This meditation must renew our gratitude and affection to the holy angels, for it is especially here that their power and protection shines in all its splendor. Resolution: Aspiration:

Have recourse "Then the angel (Tobias, viii. 3.)

to the Raphael took

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holy the

angels devil and

in temptations. bound him."

Additional Prayer to St. Raphael O heavenly physician and faithful companion . St. Raphael, who didst restore sight to the elder Tobias, and guide the younger in his long journey and preserve him in safety; be thou the physician of my soul and body, disperse the dark clouds of ignorance, defend me from the dangers of my earthly pilgrimage, and lead me to that heavenly country where, with thee, I may gaze for ever on the face of God. Amen.

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Hymn: Christ, Father Graciously Where Angel Raphael All In May Virgin And Guiding

Christe, of and grant Physician, send sickness the of may

the Savior us thou

Angels Thou, all

health from curing, doubt

O May the Father, Son, Spirit, All his creation Now and forever. Amen. Archangel Raphael

praise of to gain art

on the wisest

us

fair peace, the

sanctorum and every a

man skies

all counsel

and

adoration. nation, station, reigning. bestowing, glowing, showing danger.

Mother of Light be o'er us, with all the Angel Chorus, heavenly army go before us, and guarding. Godhead, grant joins

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endless to his

us

bliss this praise

possessing; blessing; confessing,

Archangel Raphael, the angelic doctor of the ill The Holy Archangel Raphael is an angel whose role is that of providing healing to the earth and to its inhabitants, hence his name whose etymology is Hebrew-Rafa’El, and meaning is "It is God who has healed ". He is celebrated, by the Church, primarily on November 8, the Synaxis of Michael and all the Bodiless Powers of Heaven. He cares for the convalescence of the ill, serves as the unseen guide for those who are travelling diligently with important chores and furthermore he is the protector of weddings and conjugal love. The Book of Tobit The Holy Scriptures make mention of the Holy Archangel Raphael in only one place, The Book of Tobit. The Book of Tobit relates the story of two Israelite families that had been constrained during the reign of Enemessar to settle in Assyria, away from their homeland of Israel. One of these families belonged to a righteous man, a descendant of Nephthali named Tobit who together with his wife, Anna, and son, Tobias, had been confined to the ancient Assyrian metropolis of Ninevah, whereas the other one belonged to a man named Raguel who had settled in Media, in the city of Ecbatana. Having been reported to the Assyrian usurpers that he had taken and buried without any official consent the bodies of his Israelite compatriots whom the foreign authorities had sentenced to undergo the capital punishment, Tobit had fled from Ninevah and returned only after the assassination of Sennacherib, the current emperor. Under the reign of Sarchedonus, the son and successor of Sennacherib, Tobit had been absolved of his ban from Ninevah and all his goods had been restored to him and his wife and son freed, owing this to the influence exerted by his brother, Achiacharus, whom the new emperor had appointed second-in-command and entrusted with supervising over the affairs and well organization of the empire. Tobit, however, outraged his Ninevite neighbours once again by burying without any official permission, as he did before, the body of an Israelite who one night had been murdered in the streets. That same night, after he had interred the body of his Israelite compatriot, Tobit had slept outdoors in the courtyard of his abode near a wall in which sparrows had made their nests.

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As he had been sleeping, the bird dung of the sparrows had fallen on his eyes causing him thus to lose his eye sight. Bereft of eye sight and weakened by old age, Tobit was now demoralized and felt that he would perish soon. The situation of the other family, that of Raguel, was no less disheartening since Sara, his daughter, was in serious torment as she was being haunted by a jealous demon called Asmodeus that had murdered all of her seven previous husbands while she had been with them the night following their wedding; no sooner had she become a wife than the demon murdered her new spouse. Because of their financial troubles, old Tobit decided to send his son, Tobias, to the Median city of Rages so that he might retrieve ten silver talents that had been entrusted to the keeping of a man named Gabael, the son of Gabrias. Before letting his son commence his journey, Tobit encouraged him to never lose confidence in God’s mercy and emphasized the usefulness of almsgiving. Tobit assured his son that helping the poor and providing them with comfort in their time of need is useful to the salvation of both the benefactors and the departed in whose name the alms are being given. Tobit also insisted that his son should embrace wisdom and moderation in word as well as in deed and avoid indulging pleasures that might cause him to fall victim to excesses such as lust and drunkenness. What’s more, he was exhorted not to marry any pagan woman lest he should dishonour his Israelite ancestry. Having concluded his lecture, Tobit recommended that his son should employ a trustworthy person as companion for the journey. Tobias followed his father’s recommendation and set off to find an honorable man and ultimatelly he found the Holy Archangel Raphael, whom God had sent to aid Tobit and his household, but because of the human appearance that was concealing the Archangel’s divine nature, Tobias could not see that the person whom he had chosen for a companion was in fact an angelic being. After he had been presented to Tobit, Raphael was asked for his name and if he was an Israelite, to which the Archangel replied that his name was Azarias and that he was the son of Ananias the great and consequently belonged to the people of Israel. Old Tobit rejoiced upon hearing this answer and took the opportunity to reminisce about the time when he had been to Jerusalem and remained impressed by Ananias’ willingness not to adopt any pagan conviction. Tobit praised Ananias’ orthodoxy that came in contrast to the numerous erroneous convictions and rituals that the other Israelites had adopted from the foreign invaders, after which he congratulated Raphael for his alleged ancestry and concluded that Tobias had made the right choice in employing Raphael as companion. While on their journey to Media, Tobit and Raphael stopped to spend the night near the river Tigris. When Tobit went to bathe in the river’s waters, a large fish leaped out from the waves and attacked him. On Raphael’s command, Tobit grabbed the fish and brought it to the hearth. Before they roasted the fish, Raphael had Tobit disect it and collect its heart, liver, and gall. The following day, after they had reached Media, Raphael decided that he and Tobias should go and lodge with Raguel. The Archangel encouraged Tobias not to be afraid to marry Sara, and assured him that the demon that had murdered the seven previous men whom Sara had married would be banished and not harm him in any way. Additionally, Raphael pointed out that Tobias would do honor to his Israelite lineage, as Tobit had requested of him, by marrying Sara since she too pertained to the people of Israel. On hearing this, Tobias fell in love with Sara and subjected himself to Raphael’s advice.

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Following Raphael’s instructions, Tobias took the liver and the heart of the fish that he had caught the other day and as soon as he and Sara, whom he had married that same day, had entered the wedding chamber, he laid the fish’s remains upon some perfumed powders and burned them. Not being able to resist the odor and smoke coming from the fish’s burnt viscera, the demon left Sara and fled to the distant lands of Egypt, where Raphael caught and bounded it lest it should return and foil Sara or anyone else ever again. The newly wed couple then made a prayer before God and thanked Him for granting Sara to be eliberated from the demon, after which Tobias and his new wife lay together in bed until the break of dawn. Raguel, being ignorant of what had happened in the wedding chamber, had started doubting that Tobias was alive, and he even had one of his servants dig a grave in which to bury his new son-in-law should the demon have murdered him as it had done with the previous men whom her daughter had married. These doubts, however. intesified Raguel’s mirth later on, for he rejoiced greatly upon seeing Tobias safe and sound and his daughter delivered from the demon’s torment, and commanded that the wedding feast should be prolonged to fourteen days. As he was obliged to remain in Raguel’s home during the entire duration of the wedding’s feast, Tobias asked Raphael to go without him to the city of Rages and recoup the ten silver talents that had been entrusted to Gabael. The Archangel successfully retrived the ten silver talents and brought them to Tobias, and the two commenced their journey back to Ninevah immediately after the wedding’s feast had ended. As soon as they had arrived back home, Tobit and his wife, Anna, were overwhelmed with joy to see them for they had assumed that something bad had happened to them on their journey due to their two-week-long absence. But their joy would not end there, for Tobias, following Raphael’s instructions, took the gall of the fish and rubbed Tobit’s eyes with it and as soon as he had finished doing so his father regained his eyesight and could see again. When old Tobit went to reward Raphael for his help and efforts, the latter revealed his true identity and said;” I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One.” (Tobit, 12;15) Upon seeing this, Tobit and his son became overwhelmed with fear and bowed down before the Archangel. However, Raphael calmed their fright by gently addressing to them the following words; ”Fear not, for it shall go well with you; praise God therefore. For not of any favour of mine, but by the will of our God I came; wherefore praise him forever. All these days I did appear unto you; but I did neither eat nor drink, but ye did see a vision. Now therefore give God thanks: for I go up to him that sent me; but write all things which are done in a book.” (Tobit, 12;17-20) Having finished saying this, the Holy Archangel Raphael disappeared, and Tobit and his son could see him no more. Other appearances Another possible appearance of the Holy Archangel Raphael can be seen in the Gospel written by John, where the Apostle makes mention of a pool called Bethesda in which an angel of the Lord descended and bathed regularly, conferring to it healing properties that restored the health of the first person to bathe in it after the angel had moved its water. Although the name of the angel is not mentioned, the fact that he is associated with healing makes it plausible that he may very well be the Holy Archangel Raphael mentioned in The Book of Tobit. [2] Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. [3] In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, 78

withered, waiting for the moving of the water. [4] For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. (John, 5;2-4) St. Raphael the Archangel October 24 Prof. Plinio Corr�a de Oliveira Regarding devotion to the Angels, something rarely spoken about today is that Heaven is a true court. When I was a boy and the egalitarian spirit was less pervasive in society, more was said about the Heavenly Court. Books of piety, religion teachers and people in general spoke much more about the Heavenly Court. The idea of a heavenly court is based on the idea that God stands before the Angels and Saints as a King before his court. Because of the similarity that exists between Heaven and creation, the earthly courts in many ways are images of the Heavenly Court. For example, following the monarchic protocol that existed to make the work of the King easier, there were eminent nobles who assisted the King when he received placets, that is, the requests of his people. First, each person would approach the King, be presented by a noble, and speak briefly with the King putting forth his request. Then, he would deliver a scroll with his formal request to the King, which would be passed to a high dignitary and placed on a table. In this way the King would hear many different persons in an audience. Their requests would be examined by a special council, which would give its opinion and ask the King for his final decision. You can see that requests to the King, as well as his decisions, were mediated by many nobles. One would reach the King through the same steps that served to distribute his decisions. In the court there is a hierarchy of functions, dignities and mediations that allow an individual to approach the King, as well as The Court of Heaven by Fra Angelico for the King to reach the individual. This is the mechanism of the court. In the Heavenly Court, much the same thing happens. In absolute terms, God Our Lord does not need anyone. However, since He created a multitude of diverse beings, it is natural that He would give these creatures tasks according to their positions, dignities and missions. It is also natural that these beings would exert a special efficiency, brilliance and splendor to serve their Creator. Heaven needs, therefore, a life with hierarchy, diversification of function, protocol, and dignity of court. One of the consequences of this is that, according to the order created by God, the Angels should be the intercessors and rulers of men. The feast day of St. Raphael reminds us that he is an eminent intercessor � a special patron of the sick and travelers � who brings our prayers to God. He is one of the highest angelic spirits that assist God and, therefore, has conditions to ask God for the graces we need. This general consideration inspired by St. Raphael�s mission shows us how similar earthly realities are to heavenly realities. Insofar as we love the earthly realities that are similar to those of Heaven, we 79

are preparing ourselves for Heaven. Love of hierarchy, nobility, distinction and elevation prepare us for Heaven. This preparation for Heaven is ever more necessary as we sink into a world of horror. Our exterior surroundings are increasingly monstrous, chaotic and disorganized. In order not to fall into despair, the human soul needs to see something that is magnificent and well-organized. It is harmful to a man�s soul to live in constant disarray, seeing things deteriorating and decaying. Since everything that is elevated and dignified is disappearing from the earth, our desire for Heaven should intensify in order not to lose the psychological conditions to survive in this world. Just to have an idea of the splendor of St. Raphael, we can consider that a saint, whom I think was Blessed Anna Maria Taigi but I am not sure, saw her Guardian Angel. When she saw him, she prostrated herself on the ground to adore him, thinking that he was God. The Angel then explained that he was just her Guardian Angel. From this we can have an idea of how the splendor of a simple Guardian Angel � who belongs to the lowest choir of Angels � is absolutely superior to our human nature. Further, if this is the case regarding a simple Guardian Angel, we see that it is almost unimaginable for the human mind to grasp the full splendor of St. Raphael. Is there a way for us to visualize the relation of St. Raphael with Our Lady? We know that it is difficult, but returning to the earthly realities Queen Blanche with her son St. Louis IX that are images of Heaven, we can picture how St. Louis of France, for example, would have dealt with his mother, Blanche of Castile. He was a tall man, handsome, magnificent, who both attracted and imposed respect. He was affable to his friends and terrible before his enemies. He was the most grandiose and decorous king of his time. He was also a saint, and the aura of sanctity reflected in him. This grand man was a devoted son as well. If we imagine him speaking with Blanche of Castile, we picture in the scene a great distinction, elevation and sublimity. This image provides us an analogy to understand the relation of St. Raphael with Our Lady. St. Louis was a kind of angel in earth; St. Raphael is a kind of St. Louis in Heaven. The transposition gives us an idea of the joy that we will have in Heaven contemplating St. Raphael. Let us ask him to help us to reach Heaven in order to contemplate him. We should also ask him to help us maintain a constant consideration of the celestial order to give us consolation and the hope of Heaven and the Reign of Mary in the increasingly sad days in which we live. St. Raphael: An Angel with Many Hats? September 25, 2012 By Kathy Schiffer On September 29, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the three Archangels who have been venerated throughout the history of the Church: Michael (from the Hebrew Who Is Like God?), who defends the friends of God against Satan and all his evil angels; Gabriel (the Power of God), chosen by the Creator to announce to Mary the mystery of the Incarnation; and Raphael (the Medicine of God or God Heals), the archangel who, in the book of Tobit, takes care of Tobias on his journey.

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These archangels, all of whom play cameo roles in the Scriptures, have been venerated since the early days of the Church–but it’s Raphael I want to talk about today. Raphael has been called the Patron of Healing. Raphael is also the patron of the blind, of happy meetings, of nurses, of physicians, and of travelers. ST. RAPHAEL IN THE SCRIPTURES The Old Testament book of Tobit tells the story of how Tobit, a devout Jew in exile in Assyria, and his son Tobias (sometimes called Tobiah) were rewarded for their piety and good deeds. Two fervent prayers for help Against the orders of the evil king Sennaherib, Tobit—who respected the Jewish burial customs— buried the bodies of Jews who had been executed by Sennaherib in Nineveh. Because of this, the king ordered Tobit to be captured and killed. Tobit fled and hid among his kinsmen. One day, Tobit was looking toward the sky when some bird droppings landed in his eyes and blinded him. No longer able to work because of his blindness, Tobit did not curse God, but instead prayed for God to end his life. As Tobit was praying for release from this life, a young widow named Sarah also prayed to God to end her misery. Sarah had had seven husbands, but each of them had been killed by a demon on their wedding night. Sarah feared that she was cursed and could never have a husband and family of her own. In answer to these prayers, God sent the Archangel Raphael to Earth to help them. Tobias embarks on his mission Tobit, unable to work because of his blindness, sent his son to the town of Media to request repayment on a loan. Tobit instructed Tobias to hire a guide to accompany him on the journey; so Tobias enlisted the assistance of Azariah, who was really the archangel Raphael in disguise. But why is he portrayed with a fish? When the two companions reached the Tigris River, Tobias stopped to wash. As he knelt on the bank, a great fish leapt out of the water and frightened him. Raphael instructed Tobias to seize the fish by the fins, kill it, and remove its heart, liver and gallbladder. He revealed to Tobias that burning the heart and liver would drive away evil spirits, and that the gallbladder could cure blindness. So Tobias salted the organs to preserve them, and wrapped them safely for their journey. Azariah (Raphael) and Tobias then traveled together toward Media. Along the way, Raphael told Tobias about Sarah and encouraged him to take her as his bride, since he was her only eligible kinsman. Tobias was afraid to marry her, fearing that he would die like Sarah’s seven other husbands; but Raphael assured him that the fish’s heart and liver would protect him. Tobias agreed, and he and Sarah were married. After the ceremony Sarah’s father—saddened because he believed Tobias would suffer the same fate as Sarah’s seven other husbands—dug a new grave beside their house, beside the seven other graves. But when Tobias and his new wife Sarah went to their bedroom that night, Tobias unwrapped the fish’s heart and liver and laid them upon the hot coals in the fireplace. The evil spirit appeared, as he had seven times before; but Tobias fanned the bitter smoke toward him and the spirit ran shrieking from the room. The next morning, the newly married couple emerged whole and smiling from their room. Sarah’s parents, filled with joy, celebrated with them for fourteen days. Sarah’s father gave the newlyweds half of his property, with a promise that they would inherit the other half upon his death. Then the couple started home toward Nineveh. A joyful homecoming As they approached Tobit’s house, Tobias saw his blind old father stumbling toward them in the road.

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Tobias ran forward and anointed his father’s eyes with the fish’s gall, and Tobit regained his sight. He embraced his son and his new bride and welcomed them joyously into his home. When Tobias told his father how Azariah (Raphael) had helped him on his journey and had cured Tobit’s blindness, Tobit sent for the guide to reward him. But when Raphael stood before Tobit, Raphael revealed to them who he really was and then suddenly vanished from sight. Prayer to St. Raphael, the Archangel Blessed Saint Raphael, Archangel, we beseech you to help us in all our needs and trials of this life, as you, through the power of God, restored Tobit’s sight and gave guidance to young Tobiah. We humbly seek your aid and intercession, that our souls may be healed, our bodies protected from all ills, and that through divine grace we may become fit to dwell in the eternal Glory of God in Heaven. Amen. St. Raphael the Archangel Tobit 3:17 So Raphael was sent to heal them both: to remove the cataracts from Tobit's eyes, so that he might again see God's sunlight; and to marry Raguel's daughter Sarah to Tobit's son Tobiah, and then drive the wicked demon Asmodeus from her. For Tobiah had the right to claim her before any other who might wish to marry her. In the very moment that Tobit returned from the courtyard to his house, Raguel's daughter Sarah came downstairs from her room. Tobit 5:4 Tobiah went to look for someone acquainted with the roads who would travel with him to Media. As soon as he went out, he found the angel Raphael standing before him, though he did not know that this was an angel of God. Tobit Raphael

replied,

"Very

well,

I

will

5:8 wait

for

you;

but

do

not

be

long."

Tobit 5:10 [9b] Tobiah went out to summon the man, saying, "Young man, my father would like to see you." [10] When Raphael entered the house, Tobit greeted him first. Raphael said, "Hearty greetings to you!" Tobit replied: "What joy is left for me any more? Here I am, a blind man who cannot see God's sunlight, but must remain in darkness, like the dead who no longer see the light! Though alive, I am among the dead. I can hear a man's voice, but I cannot see him." Raphael said, "Take courage! God has healing in store for you; so take courage!" Tobit then said: "My son Tobiah wants to go to Media. Can you go with him to show him the way? I will of course pay you, brother." Raphael answered: "Yes, I can go with him, for I know all the routes. I have often traveled to Media and crossed all its plains and mountains; so I know every road well."

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Tobit 5:12-13 Raphael said: "Why? Do you need a tribe and a family? Or are you looking for a hired man to travel with your son?" Tobit replied, "I wish to know truthfully whose son you are, brother, and what your name is." [13] Raphael answered, "I am Azariah, son of Hananiah the elder, one of your own kinsmen." Tobit 5:16 I will even add a bonus to your wages!" Raphael replied: "I will go with him; have no fear. In good health we shall leave you, and in good health we shall return to you, for the way is safe." Tobit 6:11 Raphael said to the boy, "Brother Tobiah!" He answered, "Yes, what is it?" Raphael continued: "Tonight we must stay with Raguel, who is a relative of yours. He has a daughter named Sarah, Tobit 6:16 Raphael said to him: "Do you not remember your father's orders? He commanded you to marry a woman from your own family. So now listen to me, brother; do not give another thought to this demon, but marry Sarah. I know that tonight you shall have her for your wife! Tobit 6:18 As soon as the demon smells the odor they give off, he will flee and never again show himself near her. Then when you are about to have intercourse with her, both of you first rise up to pray. Beg the Lord of heaven to show you mercy and grant you deliverance. But do not be afraid, for she was set apart for you before the world existed. You will save her, and she will go with you. And I suppose that you will have children by her, who will take the place of brothers for you. So do not worry." When Tobiah heard Raphael say that she was his kinswoman, of his own family's lineage, he fell deeply in love with her, and his heart became set on her. Tobit 7:9 Afterward, Raguel slaughtered a ram from the flock and gave them a cordial reception. When they had bathed and reclined to eat, Tobiah said to Raphael, "Brother Azariah, ask Raguel to let me marry my kinswoman Sarah." Tobit 8:3 The demon, repelled by the odor of the fish, fled into Upper Egypt; Raphael pursued him there and bound him hand and foot. Then Raphael returned immediately. Tobit Then

Tobiah

called

9:1 Raphael

and

said

to

him:

Tobit 9:5 So Raphael, together with the four servants and two camels, traveled to Rages in Media, where they stayed at Gabael's house. Raphael gave Gabael his bond and told him about Tobit's son Tobiah, and that he had married and was inviting him to the wedding celebration. Gabael promptly checked over the sealed moneybags, and they placed them on the camels. 83

Tobit 11:1 Then they left and began their return journey. When they were near Kaserin, just before Nineveh, [2a] Raphael said: Tobit 11:4 So they both went on ahead and Raphael said to Tobiah, "Have the gall in your hand!" And the dog ran along behind them. Tobit 11:7 Raphael said to Tobiah before he reached his father: "I am certain that his eyes will be opened. Tobit 12:5-6 So Tobiah called Raphael and said, "Take as your wages half of all that you have brought back, and go in peace." [6] Raphael called the two men aside privately and said to them: "Thank God! Give him the praise and the glory. Before all the living, acknowledge the many good things he has done for you, by blessing and extolling his name in song. Before all men, honor and proclaim God's deeds, and do not be slack in praising him. Tobit 12:15 I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who enter and serve before the Glory of the Lord." Tobit 12:17 But Raphael said to them: "No need to fear; you are safe. Thank God now and forever. Tobit 12:20 So now get up from the ground and praise God. Behold, I am about to ascend to him who sent me; write down all these things that have happened to you." [21a] When Raphael ascended Glorious Saint Raphael, Patron and lover of the young, I feel the need of calling to you and of pleading for your help. In all confidence I open my heart to you to beg your guidance and assistance in the important task of planning my future. Obtain for me through your intercession the light of God’s grace so that I may decide wisely concerning the person who is to be my partner through life. Angel of Happy Meetings, lead us by the hand to find each other. May all our movements be guided by your light and transfigured by your joy. As you led the young Tobias to Sara and opened up a new life of happiness with her to holy marriage, lead me to such a one whom in your angelic wisdom you judge best suited to be united with me in marriage. Saint Raphael, loving Patron of those seeking a marriage partner, help me in this supreme decision of my life. Find for me as a help-mate in life the person whose character may reflect some of the traits of Jesus and Mary. May he (she) be upright, loyal, pure, sincere and noble, so that with united efforts and with chaste and unselfish love we both may strive to perfect ourselves in soul and body, as well as the children it may please God to entrust to our care. Saint Raphael, Angel of chaste courtship, bless our friendship and our love that sin may have no part in it. May our mutual love bind us so closely that our future home may ever be most like the home of 84

the Holy Family of Nazareth. Offer your prayers to God for the both of us and obtain the blessing of God upon our marriage, as you were the herald of blessing for the marriage of Tobias and Sara. Saint Raphael, Friend of the young, be my Friend, for I shall always be yours. I desire ever to invoke you in my needs. To your special care I entrust the decision I am to make as to my future husband (wife). Direct me to the person with whom I can best cooperate in doing God’s Holy Will, with whom I can live in peace, love, and harmony in this life, and attain to eternal joy in the next. Amen. Saint Raphael the Archangel This holy Archangel identified himself to the exiled Jew Tobias as one of the Seven who stand before God (Tob. 12:15). His name means the healing of God, and he is thought to be the Angel who came down and agitated the water of the pool of Bethsaida in Jerusalem. The sick, who always lay around the pool, strove to be the first to enter the water afterwards, because that fortunate one was always cured. We read of this in the story of the paralytic cured by Jesus, who had waited patiently for thirtyeight years, unable to move when the occasion presented itself. (Cf. John 5:1-9) Saint Raphael is best known through the beautiful history of the two Tobias, father and son, exiled to Persia in the days of the Assyrian conquest in the eighth century before Christ. In their story, the Archangel plays the major role. The father Tobias was a faithful son of Jacob and was old and worn out by his manifold good works; for many years he had assisted his fellow exiles in every possible way, even burying the slain of Israel during a persecution by Sennacherib, and continuing this practice despite the wrath that king manifested towards him. Having been stripped of all his possessions, he desired to have his son recover a substantial sum of money he had once lent to a member of his family in a distant city. He needed a companion for the young Tobias. God provided that guide in the Archangel Raphael, whom the son met providentially one day, in the person of a stranger from the very area where he was to go, in the country of the Medes. Raphael to all appearances was a young man like himself, who said his name was Azarias (Assistance of God). Everything went well, as proposed; the young Tobias recovered the sum and then was married, during their stay in Media, to the virtuous daughter of another relative, whom Providence had reserved for him. All aspects of this journey had been thorny with difficulties, but the wise guide had found a way to overcome all of them. When a huge fish threatened to devour Tobias, camped on the shores of the Tigris, the guide told him how to remove it from the water, and the fish expired at his feet; then remedies and provisions were derived from this creature by the directives of Azarias. When the Angel led Tobias for lodging in the city of Rages, to the house of his kinsman Raguel, father of the beautiful Sara, the young man learned that seven proposed husbands had died on the very day of the planned marriage. How would Tobias fare? The Angel reassured him that this would not be his own fate, and told him to pray with his future spouse for three nights, that they might be blessed with a holy posterity. Sara was an only daughter, as Tobias was an only son, and she was endowed with a large heritage. During the absence of the young Tobias, his father had become blind when the droppings of a pigeon had fallen into his eyes. When the two travelers returned after an extended absence, which had cost his mother many tears, the young Tobias was deeply grieved to find his father unable to see him and his new daughter-in-law. But Raphael told the son how to cure his father's blindness by means of the gall of the fish; and after the remedy had proved efficacious, all of them rejoiced time in their blessings. When Tobias the son narrated his story and told his father that all their benefits had come to them through this stranger, both father and son wished to give Azarias half of the inheritance. Raphael 85

declined and revealed his identity, saying he was sent to assist the family of the man who had never failed to obey and honor the blessed God of Israel. Raphael, before he disappeared, said to the family: It is honorable to reveal and confess the works of God. Prayer is good, with fasting and alms, more than to lay up treasures, for alms deliver from death and purge away sins, and cause the giver to find mercy and life everlasting... When thou didst pray with tears and didst bury the dead, and didst leave thy dinner to hide the dead by day in thy house, and bury them by night, I offered thy prayer to the Lord. And because thou wast acceptable to God, it was necessary that trials prove thee... I am the Angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand before the Lord. Angels Among Us: Archangel Raphael “For he shall give his angels charge over thee. To guard thee in all thy ways.” — Psalms 91:11 Angels are available to assist us in all areas of our life. In order to work with the angels we must first give them permission to intercede on our behalf. There are a wide variety of angels to choose from to help with all manner of issues, angels who deal with things like manifestation, protection, the dispensation of knowledge and much, much more. Archangel Raphael Archangel (or Saint) Raphael is an archangel concerned mainly with healing of all kinds, from physical to spiritual to emotional. His name literally means “God cures” or “God heals”. He is the angel that comforted Abraham after his circumcision, who healed Jacob of his thigh injury and who gave Noah a “medical book” after the floods subsided. For this reason Raphael is the patron saint of all medical workers. He is also one of seven angels that stand before the Lord (Tobit 12:15) and who are given dominion over the earth. In the Deuterocanonical The Book of Tobit, Raphael escorts Tobit’s blind son, Tobias, from Nineveh to Media, protecting him along the way. He is therefore also associated with travel of all kinds and is said to protect all those on holy pilgrimages or who seek in this life to achieve spiritual transformation and enlightenment. In The Book of Tobit Raphael also assisted young Tobias in his marriage to the beautiful Sarah, making him the patron saint of singles and happy meetings. Raphael is identified in New Age circles with the fifth ray, which is the ray of truth, science, vision and prosperity, and is associated with the third eye chakra. The color of the fifth ray (and therefore Raphael) is emerald green and the energies of this ray are sent down to earth most strongly on Wednesdays. Raphael’s energies as well as the energies of his affiliate angels are said to be focused and located over Fatima, Portugal, the area of his “retreat”. Raphael, like Archangel Michael, carries a large sword, his cutting through all manner of illusion. Yet despite his powerful sword, Raphael’s energies, when encountered, are often described as calming, gentle, comforting and healing. Raphael is an angel of love and peace and he will help us find the most peaceable way through any and all of our individual journeys. When To Call Upon Archangel Raphael: Raphael and his affiliate angels can assist in the healing of any situation. Call upon Raphael when: a physical healing of any kind is needed seeking spiritual enlightenment, understanding or transformation you are seeking a mate or spouse you are seeking healing or peace within a love/romantic relationship you are a healer and desire divine inspiration, intervention and protection a troubled relationship (of any kind) needs healing undergoing a medical procedure recovering from a medical procedure 86

in need of an energetic clearing of people, spaces and situations peace is needed in order to settle problematic situations How To Call Upon Archangel Raphael A fiat is a call, decree or dictate. When dealing with angels a fiat is a type of invocation or summoning. It’s important to know that there is no particular order of words that you need to recite in order to call your angelic friends. Simply name who you are calling and ask them to come, and then, as stated above, give them permission to intercede and work on your behalf. However, the more you recite words from memory and infuse them with power and intention, the more potent they become. Therefore fiats can be helpful and powerful and are recommended when working with any angel. You can create your own fiat or use well known fiats — the choice is yours. Because Raphael is the patron over many matters, there are a variety of prayers to choose from when calling upon him. To start, however, know that you can utilize a simple prayer or fiat to call upon Raphael, such as: Archangel Raphael, please heal this situation now! In the above prayer you have both named the angel you wish to help you, as well as give him the permission to do so. Very simple! However, you can also craft your own fiats detailing your specific situation or need. The following are some examples of prayers to Saint Raphael (link) which you can utilize or modify for your own use: Prayer to Saint Raphael the Archangel Glorious Archangel Saint Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, you are illustrious for your gifts of wisdom and grace. You are a guide of those who journey by land or sea or air, consoler of the afflicted, and refuge of sinners. I beg you, assist me in all my needs and in all the sufferings of this life, as once you helped the young Tobias on his travels. Because you are the “medicine of God,” I humbly pray you to heal the many infirmities of my soul and the ills that afflict my body. I especially ask of you the favor {mention your petition} and the great grace of purity of prepare me to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. Amen. St. Raphael Prayer for Healing Glorious Archangel St. Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, you are illustrious for your gifts of wisdom and grace. You are a guide of those who journey by land or sea or air, consoler of the afflicted, and refuge of sinners. I beg you, assist me in all my needs and in all the sufferings of this life, as once you helped the young Tobias on his travels. Because you are the “medicine of God” I humbly pray you to heal the many infirmities of my soul and the ills that afflict my body. I especially ask of you the favor (here mention your special intention), and the great grace of purity to prepare me to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Prayer to Saint Raphael Before a Trip Dear St. Raphael, your lovely name means “God heals.” The Lord sent you to young Tobias to guide him throughout a long journey. Upon his return you taught him how to cure his father’s blindness. How natural, therefore, for Christians to pray for your powerful help for safe travel and a happy return. This is what we ask for ourselves as well as for all who are far from home. Amen. Prayer to Saint Raphael, Angel of Happy Meetings O Raphael, lead us towards those we are waiting for, those who are waiting for us! Raphael, Angel of Happy Meetings, lead us by the hand towards those we are looking for! May all our movements, all their movements, be guided by your Light and transfigured by your joy.

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Angel guide of Tobias, lay the request we now address to you at the feet of Him on whose unveiled Face you are privileged to gaze. Lonely and tired, crushed by the separations and sorrows of earth, we feel the need of calling to you and of pleading for the protection of your wings, so that we may not be as strangers in the Province of Joy, all ignorant of the concerns of our country. Remember the weak, you who are strong–you whose home lies beyond the region of thunder, in a land that is always peaceful, always serene, and bright with the resplendent glory of God. Amen. St Raphael Prayer: Patron of Travelers & Bearers Good News St. Raphael, archangel, you protected young Tobias as he journeyed to a distant land. Protect all travelers and most especially those who go about near and far preaching the Gospel. Guide and inspire modern apostles who use the communications media to bring the Good News of Christ to many souls. You also brought healing and joy to all you met. Help those who bring the Word of God to souls, that they may be as instruments in God’s Hands to draw many to lives of Christian holiness. We ask this through Christ, Our Lord. Amen. Prayer to St. Raphael: For the Choice of a Good Spouse St. Raphael, you were sent by God to guide young Tobiah in choosing a good and virtuous spouse. Please help me in this important choice which will affect my whole future. You not only directed Tobiah in finding a wife, but you also gave him guidelines which should be foremost in every Christian marriage: “Pray together before making important decisions.” If through prayer we keep God as the “third Partner” in our marriage, we will have the strength and grace we need to always accept and do His will. Amen. Last, if you are interested in invoking any of the angels effectively and immediately, please listen to my audio teaching on the subject. It contains a very powerful angel invocation that actually works. Saint Raphael the archangel is responsible for healing, safe travel and the facilitation of spiritual transformations as well as love relationships. Raphael wants to work with us in these and many other areas and will do so as soon as you call upon him. If you need him, do so today. He will come! Raphael ( ‫רפאל‬, Hebrew for "God has healed," "God Heals" ) is the name of an archangel in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, who is said to perform all types of healings. Linked to his name is the Hebrew word for a doctor of medicine: Rophe, which has the same root word as Raphael. Of the seven archangels in the angelology of post-Exilic Judaism, only Michael (Daniel 12:1) and Gabriel (Luke 1: 19-26) are mentioned by name in the scriptures that came to be accepted as canonical by all Christians. However, Raphael is mentioned by name in the Book of Tobit, which is accepted as canonical by Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians. Another four archangels are named in the second century B.C.E. Book of Enoch (chapter xxi): Uriel, Raguel, Sariel, and Jarahmeel. The belief in powerful and benevolent spiritual beings is an ancient and common feature of most world religions. In the Bible, angels appeared to Abraham, Jacob, Moses and the prophets, to Joseph and Mary and to some of Jesus' disciples. An angel wrestled with Jacob; another angel released Peter from prison. However, not all angelic beings are good. Many religions teach of rebellious and evil angels and see angels as catalysts in the fall of humanity, leading to the predicaments of evil and sin. Angels in the Bible 88

An angel (from Greek: ἄγγελος, ángelos, meaning "messenger") is a supernatural and ethereal being found in many religions, whose duty is to serve and assist God. Angels typically act as messengers but can perform other tasks such as keeping records of humans' actions, acting as guardians, announcing God's decrees, and waging battles against demons. In some religions, hierarchies of angels are said to exist to help God govern the cosmos and human affairs. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, angels are a spiritual aspect of God's creation; they exist to execute God's will. Angels reveal themselves to individuals and nations, in order to announce events to affect humans. Angels foretold to Abraham the birth of Isaac, to Manoah the birth of Samson, and to Abraham the destruction of Sodom. In the New Testament, the angel Gabriel announced to Mary the birth of Jesus. An angel appeared in front of the empty tomb, announcing Jesus' resurrection (Luke 24:4). Guardian angels were also mentioned: God sent an angel to protect the Hebrew people after their exodus from Egypt, to lead them to the promised land, and to destroy the hostile tribes in their way (Exod. 23:20; Num. 20:16). In Judges 2:1, an angel of the Lord addressed the whole people, swearing to bring them to the promised land, and as God watched over Jacob, so is every pious person protected by an angel, who cares for him in all his ways (Ps. 34:7, 78:25, 91:11). Raphael in Christianity The name of the archangel Raphael appears in the Deuterocanonical Book of Tobit. The Book of Tobit is considered canonical by Roman Catholic, Orthodox and some Protestant Christians. Raphael first appears disguised in human form as the traveling companion of the younger Tobias, calling himself "Azarias the son of the great Ananias." During the adventurous course of the journey the archangel's protective influence is shown in many ways including the binding of the demon in the desert of upper Egypt. After the return and the healing of the blindness of the elder Tobias, Azarias makes himself known as "the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord" (Tobit 12:15). Compare the unnamed angels in the Book of Revelation (8:2). Regarding the healing powers attributed to Raphael, we have little more than his declaration to Tobit (Tobit, 12) that he was sent by the Lord to heal him of his blindness and to deliver Sarah, his daughter-in-law, from the devil (Asmodeus) that was the serial killer of her husbands. Among Roman Catholics, he is considered the patron saint of medical workers and matchmakers, and may be petitioned by them or those needing their services. Among Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and some Protestant Christians Saint Raphael's feast day is kept on September 29, along with that of Saint Michael and Saint Gabriel. Raphael was included for the first time in the Roman Catholic calendar of saints in 1921, for celebration on October 24. This continued until 1969, when September 29 became the day for the joint celebration of the three archangels.[1] Raphael has made an impression on Catholic geography: Saint Raphaël, France and Saint Raphaël, Quebec, Canada; San Rafaels in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines and in Venezuela as San Rafael de Mohán and San Rafael de Orituco. In the United States, San Rafaels inherited from Mexico survive in California (where besides the city there are San Rafael Mountains), in New Mexico, and in Utah, where the San Rafael River flows seasonally in the San Rafael Desert. In the New Testament, only the archangels Gabriel and Michael are mentioned by name (Luke 1: 1926; Jude 1: 9). However, because of the healing role assigned to Raphael, the particular angel in John 5: 1-4 is generally associated with the archangel. These passages describe the pool at Bethesda, where the multitude of the infirm lay awaiting the moving of the water, for "an angel of the Lord

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descended at certain times into the pond; and the water was moved. And he that went down first into the pond after the motion of the water was made whole of whatsoever infirmity he lay under." Raphael is sometimes shown (usually on medallions) as standing atop a large fish or holding a caught fish at the end of a line. This is a reference to Book of Tobit (Tobias), where he told Tobias to catch a fish, and then uses the galbladder to heal Tobit's eyes, and to drive away Asmodeus by burning the heart and liver.[2] Raphael in Islam Seen in this sixteenth-century Islamic miniature is Raphael, along with Michael, and Gabriel, accompanying Muhammad to Mecca. According to the Hadith, Israfil (Raphael in Arabic) is the Angel responsible for signalling the coming of Judgment Day by blowing the horn (namely Sûr) and sending out a "Blast of Truth." Unlike Jibrail (Gabriel) and Mikail (Michael), this archangel was not mentioned by name in the Quran. It is said that the Sûr will be blown two times. The first blow of the Sûr signals the beginning of the Judgment Day and with the second blow, all the souls are gathered somewhere between heaven and hell, and interrogated for their good deeds and sins. Eude in angelology and the occult According to the occultist Johannes Trithemius (1462–1516), Raphael is one of the seven angels of the Apocalypse (this opinion is derived from Enoch 20) and numbered among the ten holy sefiroth. Furthermore, Raphael is also denoted as one of the seven Archangels who stand in the presence of God, as well as a ruler of the Cherubim and Archangel classes in the heavenly hierarchy. The Archangel, alongside Zarachiel, also holds dominion over Raquia, the Second Heaven. Modern occultists sometimes associate Raphael with the colors yellow or gold and emerald green, the direction East (or West), the element Air, the crystal emerald and the Suit of Swords of the Tarot in traditions loosely derived from reports of Kabbalism. According to Francis Barrett (The Magus, vol. II, 1801), Raphael has also been denoted as the angel of science and knowledge, as well as the preceptor angel of Isaac. Other titles attributed to Raphael include the angel of prayer, love, joy, light, as well as the guardian of both the Tree of Life and of humanity. Raphael in the Book of Enoch Raphael bound Azazel under a desert called Dudael according to the Book of Enoch 10:5-7: "And again the Lord said to Raphael: 'Bind Azazel hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dudael, and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may not see light. And on the day of the great judgement he shall be cast into the fire."[3] Notes ↑ Calendarium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), 143. ↑ Raphael the Archangel Retrieved July 17, 2008. ↑ Book of Enoch translated by R.H. Charles, 1917 Retrieved August 17, 2008. References Briggs, Constance Victoria. The Encyclopedia of Angels: An A-to-Z Guide with Nearly 4,000 Entries. Plume, 1997. ISBN 0452279216 Bunson, Matthew. Angels A to Z: A Who's Who of the Heavenly Host. Three Rivers, 1996. ISBN 0517885379 Cruz, Joan C. Angels and Devils. Tan Books & Publishers, 1999. ISBN 0895556383 Davidson, Gustav. A Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels. Free. ISBN 002907052X 90

Guiley, Rosemary. Encyclopedia of Angels. 1996. ISBN 0816029881 Kreeft, Peter J. Angels and Demons: What Do We Really Know About Them? Ignatius, 1995. ISBN 0898705509 Lewis, James R. Angels A to Z. Visible Ink, 1995. ISBN 0787606529 Melville, Francis. The Book of Angels: Turn to Your Angels for Guidance, Comfort, and Inspiration. Barron's Educational Series, 1st edition. 2001. ISBN 0764154036 Ronner, John. Know Your Angels: The Angel Almanac With Biographies of 100 Prominent Angels in Legend & Folklore-And Much More! Mamre, 1993. ISBN 0932945406 Credits Novena in Honor of St. Raphael, Archangel (Beginning October 15) [May be said in public or private. i. 300 Days, each day. ii. Plenary once during the Novena. I, II, IV See Instructions, p. 1, 1910 Raccolta ] �. O God, come to my assistance; �. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. O Christ, Splendor of the Father, Life and Strength of the heart, in the presence of the Angels we celebrate Thee by our prayers and hymns, uniting our voices with their melodious concerts. We praise with reverence all the celestial Princes, but especially the Archangel St. Raphael, the faithful Companion by whose power the Devil was enchained. O Christ, King full of goodness, by this guardian remove far from us all the wickedness of the enemy; purify our hearts and our bodies, and by Thy sole clemency, introduce us into Paradise. In harmonious concerts let us give thanks to the Father, glory to Jesus Christ and to the Comforter, God three in One, living before all ages. Amen. Ave. St. Raphael, pray for us. Christ, the glory of the Angel choirs! Of man the Maker and Redeemer blest! Grant us one day to reach those bright abodes, And in Thy glory rest. And Raphael, physician of the soul, Let him descend from his pure halls of light, To heal our sicknesses and guide for us Each dubious course aright. Thou, too, fair Virgin, Daughter of the skies! Mother of light and Queen of Peace! descend; Bringing with thee the radiant court of Heaven To aid us and defend. This grace on us bestow, O Father blest, And Thou, 0 Son by an eternal birth;

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With thee, from both proceeding, Holy Ghost, Whose glory fills the earth. Amen. �. Pray for us, St. Raphael. �. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray: O God, who to Tobias, Thy servant, when on his journey, didst give blessed Raphael the Archangel, for companion; grant that we who are also Thy servants, may likewise be safeguarded by his watchfulness, and be made strong by his help. May he who we faithfully believe ever to stand before Thy Majesty, offer up our prayers to be blessed by Thee; through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen. Prayer of the Church in Honor of St. Raphael Archangel Vouchsafe, O Lord God, to send unto our assistance Saint Raphael the Archangel: and may he, who, we believe, evermore standeth before the throne of Thy Majesty, offer unto Thee our humble petitions to be blessed by Thee; through Christ our Lord. Amen. Let us pray: O glorious Archangel, St. Raphael, great Prince of the heavenly Court, illustrious for thy gifts of wisdom and grace, guide of those who journey by land or sea, consoler of the afflicted and of sinners: I beg thee to assist me in all my needs and in suffering of this life, as once thou didst help the young Tobias in his travels. And because thou art the “Medicine of God,” I pray thee to heal the many infirmities of my soul, and the ills which afflict my body, if it be for my greater good. I especially ask of thee an angelic purity, which may fit me to be the temple of the Holy Ghost. Amen. {Indulgence of 100 Days, once a day—Leo XIII, June 21, 1890) O Christ, thy servants’ wanderings spare; For whom Thy Maiden-Mother’s prayer Beseeches at Thy throne of grace Mercy before the Father’s face. Be near us, Angel from on high, Whose name God’s might doth signify; Strengthen the weak with ceaseless ward, And to the sad thine help afford. Ye nine-fold ranks of Angel-choirs Whose order for our help conspires, All past and present ills dispel, From future danger guard us well. Drive far away in shamed disgrace From Christian lands the faithless race: That so the rule one Shepherd hold Over one Flock, one single fold. To God the Father praise be done, Who hath redeemed us through His Son; Anoints us by the Holy Ghost, And guards us by the Angel-host. Amen. Let us Pray: O God, Who in Thy ineffable goodness hast rendered blessed Raphael the conductor of thy faithful in their journeys, we humbly implore Thee, that we may be conducted by him in the way of salvation, and experience his help in the maladies of our souls; through Jesus Christ Thy Son, Our Lord, Who

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livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, One God, forever, unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy on us.  Christ have mercy on us. Lord have mercy on us, Christ hear us.  Christ graciously hear us. God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us. Holy Mary, Queen of Angels, pray for us. Saint Raphael, pray for us. St. Raphael, filled with the mercy of God, pray for us. St. Raphael, perfect adorer of the Divine Word, pray for us. St. Raphael, terror of demons, pray for us. St. Raphael, exterminator of vices, pray for us. St. Raphael, health of the sick, pray for us. St. Raphael, our refuge in all our trials, pray for us. St. Raphael, guide of travelers, pray for us. St. Raphael, consoler of prisoners, pray for us. St. Raphael, joy of the sorrowful, pray for us. St. Raphael, filled with zeal for the salvation of souls, pray for us. St. Raphael, whose name means: Medicine of God, pray for us. St. Raphael, lover of chastity, pray for us. St. Raphael, scourge of demons, pray for us. St. Raphael, in pest, famine and war, pray for us. St. Raphael, Angel of peace and prosperity, pray for us. St. Raphael, endowed with the grace of healing, pray for us. St. Raphael, sure guide in the paths of virtue and sanctification, pray for us. St. Raphael, help of all those who implore thy assistance, pray for us. St. Raphael, who wert the guide and consolation of Tobias on his journey, pray for us. St. Raphael, whom the Scriptures thus praise: “Raphael, the holy Angel of the Lord was sent to cure,” pray for us. St. Raphael, our advocate, pray for us. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord! Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord! Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Christ hear us, Christ graciously hear us. �. Pray for us, St. Raphael, to the Lord our God. �. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us Pray: Lord Jesus Christ, at the prayer of the Archangel St. Raphael, grant us the grace to avoid all sin and to persevere in every good work, until we reach our heavenly country, Thou Who livest and reignest forever, unto ages of ages. Amen. Let us Pray:

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O Raphael, lead us toward those we are waiting for, those who are waiting for us. Raphael, Angel of happy meetings, lead us by the hand toward those we are looking for. May all our movements, all their movements, be guided by your light and transfigured by your joy. Angel Guide of Tobias, lay the request we now address to you at the feet of Him on Whose unveiled Face you are privileged to gaze. Lonely and tired, crushed by the separations and sorrows of earth, we feel the need of calling to you, and pleading for the protection of your wings, so that we may not be as strangers in the Province of Joy, all ignorant of the concerns of our Country. Remember the weak, you who are strong—you whose home lies beyond the region of thunder in a land that is always peaceful, always serene and bright with the resplendent glory of God. O glorious Archangel Raphael, obtain assistance and perseverance for all the sick, aged, and infirm of our Community. Do thou always watch over and protect us from all danger and harm in all our travels. St. Raphael, powerful intercessor before the Throne of Divine Justice, obtain for us the true justice of Christ in all present attacks of our enemies, which threaten to destroy our souls. Amen. The Archangel Raphael; Healer, Protector and Guardian Angel Neal Litherland The rank of archangel is considered to be the highest position a divine being can hold, and it is just below that of God Himself. Perhaps the most famous being given this title is the archangel Michael, considered to be the greatest warrior of heaven who cast out the devil when he rebelled. Another famous archangel is the messenger Gabriel, who is said to whisper the destiny of every child to it in the womb, and who is slated to blow the horn at the last battle of Armageddon. Also, despite common knowledge, Satan was never in fact an archangel named Lucifer. There is actually an argument among biblical scholars as to just how many archangels there truly are. Some schools say there's only the one, and usually these camps name Michael as the leader of the hosts. Other scholars, whose sources aren't always canonical, argue that there are in fact seven archangels. Among these is the archangel Raphael, who is mentioned only in the book of Tobias. Don't bother looking for it in the accepted Hebrew books, because you won't find it there. According to the book of Tobias, Raphael took on a disguise (as angels were want to do, as their true forms could be shocking or disturbing) as a plain man by the name of Azarius. In this disguise Raphael accompanied Tobiah, and helped him overcome the many difficulties that he faced to become the husband of Sarah. Sarah had lost seven bridegrooms before due to the possession of a demon, which was driven away by Raphael who showed Tobiah how to safely enter wedlock with Sarah. This was an extension of Raphael's previously mentioned deeds in the Book of Enoch, where he helped heal the sins of the world of the Nephilim, the half breed children of the fallen angels. It wasn't until Raphael healed the blindness of Tobias that he revealed himself as an angel to those he'd been traveling with and helping. Though these are the only times he's mentioned, none of which are found in the standard Bible, Raphael (or Saint Raphael as he's often referred to) is viewed as a protector and a healer, and a banisher of demons and evil spirits which may often be responsible for causing pain and suffering. ARCHANGEL RAPHAEL-- FRIEND ON JOURNEY HOME ARCHANGEL RAPHAEL—FRIEND ON JOURNEY HOME! God’s goodness has not limits! Giving to us freely, supporting us, sustaining us in every moment, saving us from danger and peril--- this describes our Loving and Providential Father.

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All of us, from our conception, have been gifted by God with a Guardian Angel, whose purpose is to guide us on the pathway to heaven, to warn us of moral evils, the near occasion of sin, and to inspire and console us in moments of desolation. How unfortunate that we pay so very little attention to a dear friend of ours--- Our Guardian angel. Speaking about angels, the Bible gives us the names of three Archangels: Michael, which means “who is like unto God”; Gabriel, which means “power of God”; finally Raphael, “Medicine of God” or “God heals”. God desires that we recognize, appreciate, and even more important that we enter into friendship and dialogue with these Archangels. They are not simply plaster statues as exhibits in art-museums, rusting and collecting dust! They are angels--- and powerful angels called “Archangels”. Michael, who is the prince of the heavenly host, has been granted by God a special power over Satan. He is invoked in the formal Rite of Exorcism, with St. Joseph, St. Benedict, and Mary and of course the Holy Name of Jesus. Pope Leo XIII ordered that the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel be prayed at the conclusion of all Masses, because it seemed as if the bad odor of Satan had permeated the Church The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, is promoting more, the formation of formal exorcists so as to stem the tide of Satanism and demonic possessions. Therefore, we should cultivate a deep relationship to the angels, but especially St. Michael the Archangel. Why not form the habit of praying to him every day. Parishes should pray the Rosary, and pray for the intentions of the Holy Father and the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel… “St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil….” ARCHANGEL GABRIEL. This Archangel can be found in the Book of Daniel, in the Old Testament. However, in a more prominent location, he is found twice in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke. First, he announces to the elderly priest Zacharias, the future birth of St. John the Baptist. Then, Gabriel, ‘Power of God” was called by God to announce the greatest news in the history of the world. He was sent to the Virgin Mary at Nazareth with the Good News of the Incarnation of the Son of God. “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you…” Mary responded, “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word.” Given the sublime importance of the message and the messenger, the Archangel Gabriel was proclaimed by Pope Paul VI as the modern “Patron of communications”. May this Archangel Gabriel attain for us the grace, intelligence and fortitude to communicate clearly, cogently, and convincingly the Word of God in all times, in all places, in word and by example! 95

ST RAPHAEL. Finally, the 3rd Archangel whose name we have in the Bible is that of St. Raphael, which means “God heals” or “Medicine of God”. This Archangel can be encountered in the book of Tobit, with its 14 chapters, couched in between Nehemiah and Judith. Raphael can be considered the patron saint of many, due to his powerful presence in this short masterpiece. Raphael intervenes to resolve, through the power of God, serious problems. Tobit Sr. has lost his eyesight; Tobit Jr. is in search of a future spouse. Sarah, has lost several prospect spouses, having been slain the wedding night by the devil Asmodeus. Raphael in a very hidden and inconspicuous way, through the power of God, resolves all the problems. Raphael, patron on the journey, accompanies Tobit Jr. to the home of his future spouse Sarah. On the way, walking along the seashore, a fish is caught and Raphael orders Tobit to cut out the fish’s heart and liver and to bring it to the home of Sarah. This done, upon arriving , Tobit asks for the hand of Sarah in marriage, but before consummating the marriage, both pray for a happy and holy marriage and that their marriage be not based on lust but for the honest desire to form a family. The remains of the fish is burnt, thereby expelling the demon. Their marriage is sealed by prayer, blessings, good will and the desire to form a family based on Godly principles. Sarah, who even was contemplating suicide, is saved! Tobit Jr. finds his soul-mate. Meanwhile, back at home, Tobit Sr. is blind. Burying the dead, and falling asleep with his eyes opened, birds left droppings in his eyes thereby blinding him. Raphael to the rescue again! When Tobias Jr. arrives home, still holding on to the fish gall and liver, Raphael once again intervenes telling the son to apply the fish internals to the eyes of his ailing and blind father. Obedient to the Archangel Raphael, applying the fish gall, from the eyes of the father fall something like scales and his eyesight is totally restored! Another major victory, once again through the intercession of the Archangel Raphael, “Medicine of God”, “God heals!” He certainly did accomplish the miracle and in a hidden but powerful way. Therefore through the intercession of St Raphael terrible tragedies were resolved. A young man connected to the woman of his life. A woman, having lost several prospect spouses killed by the devil himself, was saved from despair and met her own soul-mate. Finally, a man of good will and charitable disposition, who lost his eyesight on the line of duty by burying the dead, recovered his eyesight! Praise be to God through the intercession of the Archangel St. Raphael. St Raphael can be considered the patron saint of many specific causes!

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Patron of travelers! He safely led Tobit Jr. to his destination.

2. Patron of spouses! He connected both Sarah and Tobit Jr. helping them to unite in the Sacrament of Matrimony. 3. Patron purity. By burning the gall and insides of the fish, the bad odor of impurity was expelled from the domicile of Sarah. 4. Patron of happy meetings. The encounter between Sarah and her family and Tobit was a most joyful experience. 5. Patron of eyesight! It was through Raphael’s insistence that the fish remains were applied to the eyes of Tobit, Sr. causing something like scales to fall from his eyes resulting in the perfect restoration of sight! 6.

Patron of Gratitude. The Archangel invites to give God thanks and glory!

In conclusion, we are never alone in life! God has sent us many friends. Our Guardian angel accompanies us. Still more, three other powerful friends are always at our side ready to help us, pray for us accompany us protect us, inspire us, and lead us safely to the Kingdom where forever with them we will praise the Blessed Trinity with Mary, the Queen of angels and Queen of Saints! Archangel Raphael and Mother Mary Archangel Raphael is the archangel of the fifth ray of truth, wholeness, healing, science, precipitation, the abundant life, music and mathematics. His divine complement is the Archeia Mary, who was embodied as Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Their ray corresponds to the third-eye chakra, and they can also assist us with spiritual vision and the gift of the discernment of spirits. The name “Raphael” means “God has healed,” or “the Medicine of God.” One Jewish text says he revealed to Noah the curative power of plants; another tells how he healed a blind man and bound a demon. Catholics revere him as the angel who healed the sick at the pool of Bethesda. The Book of Enoch tells us that his responsibilities include healing the diseases and wounds of men. Archangel Raphael’s keynote is Whispering Hope by Alice Hawthorne. The music of the Messiah was inspired upon Handel by Raphael. A Jewish tradition names him as one of the three archangels who appeared to Abraham on the plains of Mamre. In fact, it is believed that it was Raphael who endowed Sarah, Abraham’s wife, with the strength to conceive when she was past childbearing age. Archangel Raphael is also known as the patron of travelers. In the Book of Tobit, Raphael, disguised as a knowledgeable traveler, accompanies Tobit’s son as his guide on a long journey. At the end of the story, Raphael reveals his true identity and explains that God sent him to test the faith of Tobit and his son. They passed their tests and received great blessings of healing and abundance. Raphael’s retreat is in the etheric realm over Fátima, Portugal. The healing flame blazing on the altar of his retreat was anchored in the physical octave when Mother Mary appeared to the children at Fátima in 1917. To the present hour, there is a stream of light that flows like a mighty waterfall from the etheric temple to the physical focus, and pilgrims are healed by the “waters” of the healing flame.

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When Mary took incarnation on earth, having been chosen by God to give birth to Jesus Christ, the Avatar of the Piscean age, Archangel Raphael did not embody with her but overshadowed her throughout her mission and assisted her in bringing forth “the son of the Highest.” Saint Germain embodied as Joseph, having been chosen by God to be the husband of Mary. Similarly his twin flame, the ascended lady master Portia, also did not take embodiment but overshadowed him. The Healing Thoughtform of the Emerald Green Ray Mary and Raphael minister unto the hospitals of the world, and they train expectant mothers and fathers at inner levels in the precipitation of the Christ consciousness through the four lower bodies, which are the vehicles for each one’s Holy Christ Self. They inspire new cures and alternative healing methods upon scientists and those trained in the healing arts and the medical profession. The angels of Raphael’s bands are master surgeons. Raphael says they use a “laser technology” to “penetrate to the very core of a cell,…to expand the violet flame from within” and to “seal that cell in the healing thoughtform.”1 Archangel Raphael has released a healing thoughtform that is scientifically formulated to restore the inner blueprint and divine wholeness when visualized surrounding and penetrating the cells and atoms of the four lower bodies, or a specific organ. It is composed of concentric spheres of white, sapphire-blue and emerald-green sacred fire. The white sphere at the center works at inner levels to restore the injured part or the diseased organ to its original perfection. Next is the blue sphere, which establishes protection and an action of the will of God. The green outer sphere restores the flow of Spirit through Matter and brings wholeness. If you or a loved one suffers an injury, call for the healing thoughtform: “In the name Jesus Christ, beloved Archangel Raphael, the Blessed Mother, place your healing thoughtform over [insert the name of the person].” Then visualize spheres of sacred fire descending from the heart of God as the pulsating presence of the Holy Spirit. Visualize the white-fire core centered in the scintillating, sapphire-blue flame wrapped in the emerald-green fires. The first minutes and hours after an accident are critical. Whether you keep the vigil at the bedside of a loved one or at a distance, picture the injured parts becoming whole until they are in their original healthy state. Hold this picture steady in your mind’s eye. Still all anxiety and doubt and fear and do not let any of that press in upon you. Focus totally on holding the healing thoughtform in your mind to the exclusion of all else. Affirm that God in you is beholding all as perfect and once again restored to its true image. Prayer to Attend Archangel Raphael and Mother Mary’s Retreat Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. O my soul, let us arise from our abode. Mighty I AM Presence and Holy Christ Self, with Archangel Michael and a cordon of blue-lightening angels, transport my soul clothed in my finer bodies, fully equipped with the armor of God, to Archangel Raphael and Mother Mary’s healing retreat over Fátima, Portugal or to the designated place of my Holy Work this night. Escort me, instruct me, and guide and protect me and all coservers, I pray Thee, now and always as we serve to cut free all life on earth. St. Raphael is one of the seven archangels who stand before the throne of God. He is the patron of travelers. His feast day is September 29. Most of the story of St. Raphael is found in the Book of Tobit. God

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Tobit,

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Tobit was a wealthy and devout Israelite. He was living among the captives deported to Nineveh from Israel in 721 B.C. He had had many difficulties and was blind. He prayed to God to let him die. Tobiah was his son. Tobit sent him to the city of Media to recover a large sum of money. Nineveh was in Assyria (where Iraq is today) and Media was in the Median Empire (where Iran is today). Sarah was a young woman who lived in Media. She had had seven bridegrooms, all of whom died on their wedding nights. She also prayed for death. God heard the prayers of both Tobit and Sarah and sent the archangel Raphael to help them. Raphael, disguised as a man, served as a guide for Tobiah to Media. Tobiah was attacked by a great fish as he bathed. Raphael told Tobiah to seize it. He removed the gall, heart and lungs because they made useful medicines. Later, Tobiah married Sarah and used the fish's heart and liver to drive the evil spirit Asmodeus from the bridal chamber. Tobiah returned to Nineveh with his new bride and his father's money. He rubbed the fish's gall into his father's eyes and Tobit regained his sight. Raphael revealed himself and was credited with Tobit's seeing the light of heaven and all the other good things that had happened. Raphael's name means "God heals" in Hebrew. Biblical scholars believe one of the angels referred to in Revelation is Raphael. Raphael is considered the patron of the blind, of matchmakers and of physicians as well as travelers. Information from Catholic Online, New American Bible and newadvent.org was used in this report. Photo: The eighth grade class provided a flier at the Children's Mass with Prayers to St. Raphael. Click on the flier above to enlarge it. St. Raphael Novena (should be said for nine consecutive days) Glorious Archangel St. Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, you are illustrious for your gifts of wisdom and grace, You are a guide of those who journe by land or sea or air, consoler of the afflicted, and refuge of sinners. I beg of you, St. Raphael, assist me in all my needs and in all the sufferings of this life, as you once helped the young Tobias on his travels. Because you are the medicine of God, I humbly pray for you to heal the many infirmities of my soul and the ills that afflict my body. 99

I especially ask of you the favor (pause to make your request) AMEN Pre-Initiation Studies of Raphael the Archangel Thank you, my angels, for showing me the good that I have done in your name, in your power, in your wisdom and in your intelligence, that is GOD with us, Christ among us. I thank you for allowing me to facilitate your work in the Earth with my compatriots, I thank you for the privilege, and permission to serve on the spiritual levels. In the power of the Creator, the Created and the Purity of both, I thank you. Amen. Raphael Golden vial of balm. Prince of the Holy presence and regent of the sun. You are extremely healing to all living beings. Grant joy, wholeness, love, miracles and grace to us all now and continually inspire all of us to pray. Protect us in our travels, guard and guide us who take outward and inward journeys. Grant courage and encourage scientific breakthroughs and knowledge in general. "Raphael, Angel of the Sun", enter my solar center and give the fire of life to my whole body. We thank you, amen. Raphael, "God is wholeness", you are one of the chief angels, known as the Semitic God of Air and one of the four presences set over all, you cleanse the diseases and all our wounds. Raphael you are charged to heal the Earth and have a special ability of protecting the young, the innocent, and travelers. You are the regent of the sun, Patron of Travelers, Chief of the order of virtues and overseer of the evening winds. You are the angel of prayer, love, joy, providence, wholeness, light, science, and knowledge. You are our renewal like the Earth's Spring and you give us rebirth. Golden vial of balm, you aid in healing and you are a master of the healing of the Earth. Above all, you are the angel of wholeness. Provide them your powerful rest Perfect GOD and lift their spirits to Your Heavenly Palace, that they may abide in the fullness of your Glory now and forever. I love you and I give you thanks. Amen. Malachi 4:2 To any that respect my power shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall protected and preserved. Amen. I Corinthians 12:10 The working of miracles; prophecy; discerning of spirits; diverse kinds of tongues; the interpretation of tongues: 12:11 all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every mind severally, as equanimity chooses. 12:28 God has set some in the church, first leaders, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Acts 10:38 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: Jesus went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed; God with angels. Luke 9:6 They went through the towns, reaching prayer the good news, and healing every where. 9:11 The people followed angels: and Equanimity receives them, and speaks to them of the dominion of God, and heal all that have need. Matthew 4:23 Salvation teaches in their synagogues, and reaches prayer the good news of authority, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 9:35 Salvation enters all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and reaching prayer the good news of dominion, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Revelations 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, the tree of life, which bare twelve fruits, yields fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations. Litany of Saint Raphael 100

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us. God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us. Holy Mary, Queen of Angels, pray through us. Saint Raphael, pray through us. Archangel Raphael pray through us Raphael, filled with the mercy of God, reach our prayers Raphael, perfect adorer of the loving Word, reach our prayers Raphael, exterminator of vices, reach our prayers Raphael, our wholeness, reach our prayers Raphael, our refuge, reach our prayers Raphael, guide of travelers, reach our prayers Raphael, consoler of prisoners, reach our prayers Raphael, joy of the sorrowful, reach our prayers Raphael, filled with zeal for the salvation of souls, reach our prayers Raphael, whose power is God's wholeness, reach our prayers Raphael, lover of chastity, reach our prayers Raphael, angel of peace and prosperity, reach our prayers Raphael, endowed with gentle healing for us all, reach our prayers Raphael, sure guide in the paths of virtue and sanctification, reach our prayers Raphael, help of all those who implore your assistance, reach our prayers Raphael, guide and consolation of Tobias on his journey, reach our prayers Raphael, the Scriptures praise Raphael, the holy angel of the Lord, sent to cure, reach our prayers Raphael, our advocate, progressing us with wholeness, reach our prayers Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, Perfect Lord. Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, Perfect Lord. Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. Pray through us, Saint Raphael, to the Lord Our God, That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen. Lord Jesus Christ, by the prayer of the Archangel Raphael, grant us the grace to persevere in every good work and let us abide in heavenly gentleness in this world as it is in heaven, You live and reign world without end. Amen. Perfect Raphael, Perfect Archangel of GOD, lead us towards those we are waiting for, those who are waiting for us! Raphael, Angel of Happy Meetings, lead us by the hand towards those we are looking for! May all our movements, all their movements, be guided by your Light and transfigured by your Joy. Angel Guide of Tobias, lay the request we now address to you at the feet of Him on whose unveiled Face you are privileged to gaze. We feel the need of calling to you and of pleading for the protection of your power, so that we may not be as strangers in the Province of Joy, this is for all. Amen. Remember the weak, you who are strong, you whose home lies beyond the region of thunder, in a land that is always peaceful, always serene, and bright with the resplendent glory of God. Amen. Credits go to Prayers for some of this content. May all our actions be preceded by Your inspirations perfect God, and carried on by Your assistance, GOD in me, so that all our prayers and works, may succeed through You, GOD in each one. Amen.

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Revelations 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. 21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred forty four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. Saint Raphael the Archangel: Accompanying us on Our Way his is the first of three posts on the archangels in anticipation of their feast day on Saturday, September 29. Have you ever read the book of Tobit? It’s a gem of a folklore-like story that is hidden between the Old Testament books of Nehemiah and Judith. It’s always been my favorite book in the Bible to sit down and read in its entirety, in part because of the key role of the Archangel Raphael. Raphael is more than just some ethereal notion of an angel. He is: An answer to a prayer: When Tobit and Sarah, two people in very different circumstances in need of healing, prayed to the Lord, the following is written “At that very time, the prayer of these two supplicants was heard in the glorious presence of Almighty God. So Raphael was sent to heal them both.” (Tobit 3:16-17) A companion: Raphael did not just arrive and heal Tobit and Sarah instantaneously. He walked (literally) with Tobit’s son Tobiah and showed them all the healing mercy of God. This is such an important reminder that the Lord sends angels to accompany us throughout our trials. For this reason, the first prayer I learned, and the first one I pray with my infant son each night, is “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s Love commits me here, ever this day, be at my side, to light to guard, to rule to guide. Amen.” The Patron Saint of Travelers: Of course, in the book of Tobit, Raphael actually travels with Tobiah, helping him to find properties to cure his father Tobit along the way. However, angels also guide our footsteps in our larger journey throughout life. There is a saying that “life is not always a miracle, but a journey.” In other words, our life will not always be guided by miraculous signs and acts, but also by the grace that comes through trials, through mistakes and even through suffering. In honor of the feast of the Archangels on Saturday, perhaps you’ll join me in rereading the book of Tobit. It isn’t long, and the narrative so dramatically reminds us that the Lord answers our prayers and the angels are sent to help us along the way to heaven. The Archangel Raphael REPRESENTATIONS OF THREE, AND OF FOUR ARCHANGELS. THE Archangel Raphael is esteemed as the guardian angel of the human race. He especially protects the young and innocent, and guards pilgrims and travellers from harm. It was he who warned Adam of the danger of sin, and declared to him its dread consequences. Milton thus interprets the message: "Be strong, live happy, and love! but first of all Him, whom to love is to obey, and keep His great command; take heed lest passion sway Thy judgment to do aught, which else free-will Would not admit ; thine, and of all thy sons The weal or woe in thee is placed ; beware !" That Raphael's language was benevolent and sympathetic, as imagined by the poet, appears in Adam's farewell to the angel: " Since to part Go, heavenly guest, ethereal messenger, Sent from whose sovereign goodness I adore ! Gentle to me, and affable hath been 102

Thy condescension, and shall be honor'd ever With grateful memory. Thou to mankind Be good and friendly still, and oft return !" Representations of St. Raphael are far less numerous than are those of St. Michael and St. Gabriel. They are always pleasing, and present him as a benign, sympathetic, and companionable friend to those whom he serves. His symbol is habitually a pilgrim's staff ; as a guardian he wears a sword, and has a small casket or vase, containing the " fishy charm " against evil spirits. He wears a pilgrim's dress, has sandals on his feet, and a pilgrim bottle or wallet hangs from his belt. His flowing hair is bound by a diadem, and his beautiful face expresses the benevolence of his character and mission. Many chapels and some churches are dedicated to the Archangel Raphael, as the chief of celestial guardians, and in these are numerous pictures commemorating his benevolent deeds. The greater part of the representations of this arch-angel are so connected with the history of Tobias, that it is necessary to know his story, in order to enjoy or understand these pictures. I will give this beautiful Hebrew narrative as concisely as possible: Tobit was a rich man, and just; and he and his wife, Sara, were carried into captivity by the Assyrians. He gave alms to all his people, lived justly, and ate not the bread of the Gentiles. His misfortunes, however, increased ; he had but his wife and his son, Tobias, left to him, when he became blind, and prayed for death. At the same time a man named Raguel, who dwelt in Ecbatane, was afflicted with a daughter who was persecuted by an evil spirit. She had married seven husbands, and each one had been killed by the fiend, as soon as he entered the bridal chamber. The maiden was accused of these murders, and, like Tobit, she prayed for death. God then sent the Archangel Raphael to cure the blindness of Tobit, and take away the reproach of the unhappy daughter of Raguel of Ecbatane. When they came near Ecbatane, they met Sara, and she led them to her parents, who rejoiced to see them, and wept when they heard of the blindness of Tobit. While the servants of Raguel prepared a supper, Tobias said to the angel, " Speak of those things of which thou didst talk, and let this business be despatched." Then Raphael asked Raguel to give Sara to Tobias ; but the father was sore distressed, and told of the death of the seven who had already married her; but as Sara belonged to Tobias by the law of Moses, his request could not be denied, and before they did eat together, Raguel joined their hands, and blessed them. Then the marriage chamber was pre-pared, and the maiden wept ; but her mother comforted her, and when Tobias entered and made the smoke as the angel had directed, the evil spirit fled. Tobias and Sara knelt in thankfulness, and To-bias prayed as Raphael had told him, and Sara said, " Amen." In the morning Raguel dug a grave, for he wished to bury Tobias quickly, that no one should know what had happened ; but when he sent to see if he were dead, it was found that the young husband was quietly sleeping. Then there was great rejoicing, and a wedding feast was made, which lasted fourteen days. Meanwhile, Raphael went to Gabael and received from him the ten talents, and when the feast ended, the angel conducted Tobias and Sara to Tobit, and Raguel bestowed on Sara half his wealth. As they approached Nineveh, Raphael said to Tobias, " Let us haste before thy wife, to prepare the house: and take thou the gall of the fish." The mother of Tobias was watching for his return, and was greatly alarmed at his long absence. When she saw him with his guide, and the little dog which he had taken away, she ran to Tobit with the news, and they rejoiced greatly. Raphael now said to Tobias, " I know that thy father will open his eyes ; therefore anoint them with the gall, and being pricked

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therewith, he shall rub them, and the whiteness shall fall away, and he shall see thee." And so it was, and Tobit was blind no more, and they all rejoiced and blessed God. Then Tobias recounted all that had happened, and his parents went out with him to meet his wife, and her servants, and cattle, and all she had brought with her. And the people were filled with wonder to see that Tobit was blind no more, and they rejoiced greatly with him during seven days when he kept a feast. Tobit bade his son to call his guide and give him more than the wages that had been named. And Tobias wished to give the angel half of all he had brought back with him, and Tobit said, " It is due unto him." But when Raphael knew their intentions he commanded them to glorify God for all his goodness, and told Tobit that his, goodness and sorrows and those of the daughter of Raguel had been known in heaven, and God had sent him to heal all these troubles ; and added, " I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and go in and out before the glory of the Holy One." Our illustration after the picture of Giovanni Biliverti in the Pitti Gallery, Florence, places before us the scene, when, refusing reward, the Archangel declared himself. The beauty of the angel, the affectionate enthusiasm of Tobias, and the sincere and reverent gratitude of the old Tobit are wonderfully portrayed, while the young wife and the aged mother in the background complete the group of those who have been de-livered from their sorrows by the messenger of the Most High. From the time when the angel left them Tobit and Raguel prospered, and after Tobit and Sara died, Tobias re-moved to Ecbatane and inherited the wealth of Raguel ; he lived with honor to be an hundred and seven and twenty years old, and to hear of the destruction of Nineveh. Milton thus refers to the story of Tobias : " The affable archangel Raphael ; the sociable spirit that design'd To travel with Tobias, and secured His marriage with the seven times wedded maid." Raphael is frequently represented with-out wings when leading Tobias, who � in order to emphasize the contrast between an angel and a mortal �is made very small, and is thus manifestly out of keeping with the story. When the wings appear there is no reason for dwarfing Tobias, and the picture is far more satisfactory. It is not difficult to discern that if the story of Tobias is considered as an allegory, the young man personates the Christian, guided and guarded through life by God's mercy. There is, in Verona, in the Church of St. Euphemia, a most impressive chapel which was decorated with pictures illustrating the story of Tobias, by Carotto, a pupil of Mantegna, who seems to have painted more in the manner of Leonardo than in that of his master. Various incidents of the story are effectively pictured, but the famous altar-piece, the greatest work by Carotto, is the most important of the number. It represents the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, � three exquisite wingless figures, � the latter being in the centre, and the only one having an aureole. He is leading Tobias, and looking down at the youth with an expression of tenderness. St. Michael is on the right ; one hand rests on his great sword, while with the other he lifts his crimson robe. His countenance, serious and indomitable in expression, fitly indicates the characteristics that his titles imply. He is the Lord of Souls and the Angel of Judgment, so far as human imagination can picture so exalted a celestial being. St. Gabriel, on the left, holding a lily, and gazing heavenward in adoration, is a beautiful, angelic figure, far less powerful than the other archangels, and quite in harmony with his office.

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The impression on my mind, made by this picture, is that Gabriel realizes that his blessed office has been fulfilled, his active work is done, and adoration is now his duty and his joy; but Michael and Raphael have still their great missions to perfect ; they are still battling against evil, and guiding men in the paths of righteousness. Carotto was a native of Verona, and his pictures are rarely seen elsewhere. His color is warm and well blended, while his drawing is severe. It is said that he was but twenty-five years old when he decorated the Chapel of St. Raphael, in 1495. He was of a quick wit, and when told that the legs of his angels were too slender, he instantly replied, " Then they will fly the easier." A very famous and wonderful picture of the three archangels with Tobias, by Botticelli, is in the Academy of Florence. The angels of this artist are frequently criticised for a certain stiffness, but their beautiful faces more than redeem any fault in their figures, and have a sweetness and depth of expression that appeals to the heart and makes one forget less important details. A picture of St. Raphael leading Tobias, in the Church of St. Marziale in Venice, is said to be the earliest remaining work by Titian. For this reason it is most interesting, but it is certainly not so beautiful as that of Carotto, nor as that of Raphael, called the Madonna del Pesce,�the Madonna of the Fish, in the Madrid Gallery, in which the master pictures the archangel whose name he bore. Of this last picture Passavant says, " Here Christian poetry has found its highest expression ; for it is poetry which touches all nations the most deeply, and beauty alone can give an idea of divinity." In the famous Madonna del Pesce, the Virgin is seated on a throne with the child ; the young Tobias, holding a fish in his hand, and led by the Archangel Raphael, comes to implore Jesus to cure his father's blindness. The Infant Saviour looks at Tobias, while his hand is on an open book which St. Jerome holds before him ; the symbolic lion crouches at the feet of the saint. The background of the picture is principally formed by a curtain, but on the right a small opening of sky is seen. The whole picture is executed in the best style of the artist's mature power, while it is full of the fervent piety of his earlier works. The Virgin is the ideal of purity and loveliness; the child is radiant with divine beauty; the angel is celestial in his bearing and his countenance, while the head of the reverend saint is grand and noble in expression. Raphael's Madonnas sometimes seem to be but simple domestic women, gifted with beauty; in them no trace of a mystical or spiritual nature appears ; but the Madonna del Pesce, like the Madonna di San Sisto, and the Madonna di Fuligno, justifies the eulogy of Vasari, when he says, " Raphael has shown all the beauty which can be imagined in the expression of a Virgin; in the eyes there is modesty, on the brow there shines honor, the nose is of a very graceful character, the mouth betokens sweetness and excellence." The color of the Madonna del Pesce is admirably clear and harmonious, even for this great master. This Madonna was originally painted for the Church of San Domenico Maggiore, at Naples, in which church a chapel had been erected as an especial place of worship for the numerous Neapolitans who suffer from diseases of the eye ; it was not, however, permitted to serve its intended purpose, and has had an interesting history. It is said that the Duke of Medina, when Viceroy of Naples, took the picture from the Dominicans without the consent of the government, and when the prior complained to the Pope, Medina had him escorted to the frontier by fifty horsemen, and expelled from the kingdom. In 1644 the Duke took the Virgin with the Fish to Spain, and Philip IV. placed it in the Escurial. In 1813, when the French were compelled to leave Spain, they took this picture, with many others, to Paris. It was painted on a panel and was in bad condition, and Bonnemaison was commissioned to transfer it to canvas. This work was not completed in 1815, when other pictures which had been taken from Spain were returned, and this Madonna remained in France until 1822. Naturally, it must have lost 105

something of its original excellence, but it still holds a place of honor in the wonderful Italian Gallery of the Madrid Museum; it is a rival of the famous Dresden Madonna --di San Sisto � in the regard of many connoisseurs in art. The various scenes from the story of Raphael' and Tobias have been represented in the works of artists of all nations. Rembrandt four times painted the parting of Tobias from his father and mother, and several other incidents in the story. His picture in the Louvre, of the departure of the Archangel, is remarkable for its spirited action. As the angel ascends, flying through the air, he seems to part the clouds as a strong swimmer passes through the breakers of the sea. There have been many curious conceits introduced into some of the early religious pictures, and I have seen two instances in which little seraphim and angels are perched on trees, near the Virgin and Holy Child. The idea seems to be that these " Birds of God"� as Dante calls the angels � are making music and singing for the Divine Infant, some of them also praying for his solace. Occasionally a series of pictures called the Acts of the Holy Angels has been painted. It consists of eleven strictly Scriptural subjects, usually as follows, but varied in some instances by the introduction of other motives of the same character, as, for example, the angel appearing to Hagar and to Elijah : I. The Fall of Lucifer. II. The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. III. The Visit of Three Angels to Abraham. IV. The Angel Preventing the Sacrifice of Isaac. V. The Angel Wrestling with Jacob. VI. Jacob's Dream. VII. The Deliverance of the Three Children from the Fiery Furnace. VIII The Angel Slays the Host of Sennacherib. IX. The Angel Protects Tobias. X. The Punishment of Heliodorus. XI. The Annunciation to the Virgin. I have already said that of the seven archangels to whom Milton refers, when he says : " The Seven Who in God's presence, nearest to his throne, Stand ready at command," but three are recognized by the Christian Church ; and when three archangels are seen together, they are Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. In the Greek Church this representation is regarded as typical of the military, civil, and religious power, and, accordingly, the costumes indicate a soldier, a prince, and a priest. But Uriel has not been entirely ignored, 'wen by the Christian Church, and an early tradition teaches that this archangel, and not Christ, accompanied the two disciples on their way to Emmaus. In the book of Esdras we read, " The angel that was sent unto me, whose name was Uriel." His office was that of interpreter of judgments and prophecies, which Mil-ton recognizes thus : "Uriel, for thou of those Seven Spirits that stand In sight of God's high throne, gloriously bright, The first art wont his great authentic will Interpreter through highest heaven to bring." In several ancient churches four arch-angels are represented in the architectural decoration. An example in which they are very splendid is that in the mosaics above the choir arch in the Cathedral of Monreale, Palermo. These colossal, armed figures are impressive, not only from their size, but also because of their apparent realization of their illustrious rank in the order of created beings. 106

More frequently the four archangels are so represented as to appear to sustain the roof, or vault, in churches where the figure of Christ, or his symbol, the Lamb, is pictured as the central decoration. These are clearly intended to personate the four "who sustain the throne of God." Their symbols are sceptres or lances; at times they stand erect, like faithful, watchful guardians ; again with arms outstretched they seem to uphold the vault on which Christ is portrayed. The representations of three archangels are more numerous than the above, and are variously treated. In some ancient pictures they have no wings, and appear like men of princely rank and noble character. I have seen the visitors of Abraham thus represented, which accords with the Hebrew idea of angels at the period when Abraham was thus honored ; for, as I have mentioned, it was not until after the captivity, when the Egyptian custom of giving wings to their representations of messengers had been observed, that the cherubim and seraphim covered the mercy-seat with their wings. One of the best known and most beautiful pictures of these angelic visitors is that by Raphael in the fourth arcade of the Loggie of the Vatican Sr. Raphael was sent by God to help Tobit, Tobiah and Sarah. At the time, Tobit was blind and Tobiah’s betrothed, Sarah, had had seven bridegrooms perish on the night of their weddings. Raphael accompanied Tobiah into Media disguised as a man named Azariah. Archangel Raphael helped him through his difficulties and taught him how to safely enter marriage with Sarah. Tobiah said that Raphael caused him to have his wife and that he gave joy to Sarah’s parents for driving out the evil spirit in her. He also gave St. Raphael credit for his father’s seeing the light of heaven and for receiving all good things through his intercession. Besides Raphael, Michael and Gabriel are the only Archangels mentioned by name in the bible. Raphael’s name means “God heals.” This identity came about because of the biblical story which claims that he “healed” the earth when it was defiled by the sins of the fallen angels in the apocryphal book of Enoch. Raphael is also identified as the angel who moved the waters of the healing sheep pool. He is also the patron of the blind, of happy meetings, of nurses, of physicians and of travelers. His feast day is celebrated on September 29th. St. Raphael is the Patron Saint of Travelers Prayer to St. Raphael O Raphael, lead us towards those we are waiting for, those who are waiting for us! Raphael, Angel of Happy Meetings, lead us by the hand towards those we are looking for! May all our movements, all their movements, be guided by your Light and transfigured by your Joy. Angel Guide of Tobias, lay the request we now address to you at the feet of Him on whose unveiled Face you are privileged to gaze. Lonely and tired, crushed by the separations and sorrows of earth, we feel the need of calling to you and of pleading for the protection of your wings, so that we may not be as strangers in the Province of Joy, all ignorant of the concerns of our country. Remember the weak, you who are strong–you whose home lies beyond the region of thunder, in a land that is always peaceful, always serene, and bright with the resplendent glory of God. Amen. t. Raphael is one of the seven Archangels who stands before the throne of God. He is known as the healer. St. Raphael is also known as patron of travelers and he helps to guide spiritual journeys searching for truth and awareness. In the Book of Tobit (Old Testament), Saint Raphael helped Tobias to make balms and ointments from fish to cure Tobit’s (Tobias’s father) blindness. Raphael means ‘God’s Healing’ and so he is called upon by doctors, nurses and all medical workers. He helps to heal physical, spiritual and mental illness. Raphael shares his feast day, the Feast of the Archangels, with

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Saints Michael and Gabriel on September 29. The following prayer can be recited as a Novena for nine days for any special intention. O good St. Raphael, I invoke thee as the patron of those who are afflicted with bodily illness or ailment. Thou didst prepare the remedy which cured the blindness of the elder Tobias, and thy name means “God has healed”. I turn to thee for help in my present need (mention your request). If it be the Will of God, deign to cure my ailment, or at least give me the strength I need to bear it patiently in atonement for my sins and for the salvation of my soul. Teach me to unite my sufferings with those of Jesus and Mary and to seek God’s grace in prayer and Holy Communion. I wish to imitate thee in thy zeal to do God’s Will in all things. Like young Tobias, I choose thee as my companion on my journey through this valley of tears. I wish to follow thine inspirations every step of the way, so that I may reach my journey’s end under thy constant protection and in the grace of God. St. Raphael, to the elder Tobias thou didst reveal thyself as “the help of the grace of God”. Be thou my help and deign to obtain for me the grace of God and the favour I ask of thee through thy powerful intercession. Physician from God, deign to cure me as thou didst cure Tobias. St. Raphael, thou who art called “the Remedy of God” and “the Angel of Health”, pray for me. Amen. Archangel Raphael The Archangel Raphael is esteemed as the guardian angel of the human race. He especially protects the young and innocent, and guards pilgrims and travelers from harm. It was he who warned Adam of the danger of sin, and declared to him its dread consequences. Milton thus interprets the message: Be strong, live happy, and love ! but first of all Him, whom to love is to obey, and keep His great command; take heed lest passion sway Thy judgment to do aught, which else free-will Would not admit; thine, and of all thy sons The weal or woe in thee is placed ; beware ! That Raphael’s language was benevolent and sympathetic, as imagined by the poet, appears in Adam’s farewell to the angel: Since to part Go, heavenly guest, ethereal messenger. Sent from whose sovereign goodness I adore ! Gentle to me, and affable hath been Thy condescension, and shall be honor’d ever With grateful memory. Thou to mankind Be good and friendly still, and oft return! Representations of St. Raphael are far less numerous than are those of St. Michael and St. Gabriel. They are always pleasing, and present him as a benign, sympathetic, and companionable friend to those whom he serves. His symbol is habitually a pilgrim’s staff; as a guardian hewears a sword, and has a small casket or vase, containing the “fishy charm” against evil spirits. He wears a pilgrim’s dress, has sandals on his feet, and a pilgrim bottle or wallet hangs from his belt. His flowing hair is bound by a diadem, and his beautiful face expresses the benevolence of his character and mission. Many chapels and some churches are dedicated to the Archangel Raphael, as the chief of celestial guardians, and in these are numerous pictures commemorating his benevolent deeds. The greater part of the representations of this archangel are so connected with the history of Tobias, that it is necessary to know his story, in order to enjoy or understand these pictures. I will give this beautiful Hebrew narrative as concisely as possible: 108

Tobit was a rich man, and just; and he and his wife, Sara, were carried into captivity by the Assyrians. He gave alms to all his people, lived justly, and ate not the bread of the Gentiles. His misfortunes, however, increased; he had but his wife and his son, Tobias, left to him, when he became blind, and prayed for death. At the same time a man named Raguel, who dwelt in Ecbatane, was afflicted with a daughter who was persecuted by an evil spirit. She had married seven husbands, and each one had been killed by the fiend, as soon as he entered the bridal chamber. The maiden was accused of these murders, and, like Tobit, she prayed for death. God then sent the Archangel Raphael to cure the blindness of Tobit, and take away the reproach of the unhappy daughter of Raguel of Ecbatane. At this time Tobit desired his son, Tobias, to go to Gabael in Media to receive ten talents, which Tobit had left in trust with Gabael. Tobias asked, “How can I receive the money, seeing I know him not ?” Tobit gave Tobias the handwriting, and bade him seek a guide for his journey. Raphael then offered to guide the young man, who knew not that he spoke with an archangel. Tobias led Raphael to his father, and they agreed upon the wages the guide should receive, and Tobit gave directions concerning the journey, while he and Sara, his wife, were greatly afflicted at parting with Tobias. At evening the travellers came to the river Tigris, and when Tobias went to bathe, a fish leapt out at him. Raphael told the youth to take out the liver and gall of the fish and preserve it carefully, which being done, they roasted the fish and ate it. When Tobias asked why he should keep the liver and the gall, the angel told him that the heart and liver would cure a person vexed with an evil spirit, if a smoke from them was made before the person; and the gall would cure the blindness of one afflicted with whiteness of the eyes. In our illustration from the picture by Andrea del Sarto, in the Belvedere, Vienna, Tobias carries the fish, and it appears to represent the moment when Raphael is making his explanation of its purpose. As they proceeded Raphael said, “Brother, to-day we shall lodge with Raguel, who is thy cousin; he hath but one daughter, named Sara; I will ask her as a wife for thee: she belongs to thee by law, and is fair and wise, and you can marry her when we return.” Then Tobias, who knew the fate of the seven husbands, was filled with fear lest he too should die, and thus afflict his parents, who had no other child. But Raphael assured Tobias that Sara was the wife that the Lord intended for him, and that when he entered the marriage chamber the evil spirit would flee at the smoke he should make with the liver of the fish, and would never return. When Tobias heard this he loved the maiden, and his heart was effectually joined to her. When they came near Ecbatane, they met Sara, and she led them to her parents, who rejoiced to see them, and wept when they heard of the blindness of Tobit. While the servants of Raguel prepared a supper, Tobias said to the angel, “Speak of those things of which thou didst talk, and let this business be dispatched.” Then Raphael asked Raguel to give Sara to Tobias; but the father was sore distressed, and told of the death of the seven who had already married her; but as Sara belonged to Tobias by the law of Moses, his request could not be denied, and before they did eat together, Raguel joined their hands, and blessed them. Then the marriage chamber was prepared, and the maiden wept; but her mother comforted her, and when Tobias entered and made the smoke as the angel had directed, the evil spirit fled. Tobias and Sara knelt in thankfulness, and Tobias prayed as Raphael had told him, and Sara said, “Amen.” In the morning Raguel dug a grave, for he wished to bury Tobias quickly, that no one should know what had happened; but when he sent to see if he were dead, it was found that the young husband was quietly sleeping. Then there was great rejoicing, and a wedding feast was made, which lasted 109

fourteen days. Meanwhile, Raphael went to Gabael and received from him the ten talents, and when the feast ended, the angel conducted Tobias and Sara to Tobit, and Raguel bestowed on Sara half his wealth. As they approached Nineveh, Raphael said to Tobias, “Let us haste before thy wife, to prepare the house: and take thou the gall of the fish.” The mother of Tobias was watching for his return, and was greatly alarmed at his long absence. When she saw him with his guide, and the little dog which he had taken away, she ran to Tobit with the news, and they rejoiced greatly. Raphael now said to Tobias, “I know that thy father will open his eyes; therefore anoint them with the gall, and being pricked therewith, he shall rub them, and the whiteness shall fall away, and he shall see thee.” And so it was, and Tobit was blind no more, and they all rejoiced and blessed God. Then Tobias recounted all that had happened, and his parents went out with him to meet his wife, and her servants, and cattle, and all she had brought with her. And the people were filled with wonder to see that Tobit was blind no more, and they rejoiced greatly with him during seven days when he kept a feast. Tobit bade his son to call his guide and give him more than the wages that had been named. And Tobias wished to give the angel half of all he had brought back with him, and Tobit said, “It is due unto him.” But when Raphael knew their intentions he commanded them to glorify God for all his goodness, and told Tobit that his goodness and sorrows and those of the daughter of Raguel had been known in heaven, and God had sent him to heal all these troubles, and added, “I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and go in and out before the glory of the Holy One.” The illustration after the picture of Giovanni Biliverti in the Pitti Gallery, Florence, places before us the scene, when, refusing reward, the Archangel declared himself. The beauty of the angel, the affectionate enthusiasm of Tobias, and the sincere and reverent gratitude of the old Tobit are wonderfully portrayed, while the young wife and the aged mother in the background complete the group of those who have been delivered from their sorrows by the messenger of the Most High. From the time when the angel left them Tobit and Raguel prospered, and after Tobit and Sara died, Tobias removed to Ecbatane and inherited the wealth of Raguel; he lived with honor to be an hundred and seven and twenty years old, and to hear of the destruction of Nineveh. Milton thus refers to the story of Tobias: The affable archangel Raphael; the sociable spirit that design’d To travel with Tobias, and secured His marriage with the seven times wedded maid. Raphael is frequently represented without wings when leading Tobias, who — in order to emphasize the contrast between an angel and a mortal — is made very small, and is thus manifestly out of keeping with the story. When the wings appear there is no reason for dwarfing Tobias, and the picture is far more satisfactory. It is not difficult to discern that if the story of Tobias is considered as an allegory, the young man personates the Christian, guided and guarded through life by God’s mercy. There is, in Verona, in the Church of St. Euphemia, a most impressive chapel which was decorated with pictures illustrating the story of Tobias, by Giovanni Francesco Caroto, a pupil of Mantegna, who seems to have painted more in the manner of Leonardo than in that of his master. Various incidents of the story are effectively pictured, but the famous altar-piece, the greatest work by Caroto, is the most important of the number. It represents the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and

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Raphael, — three exquisite wingless figures, — the latter being in the centre, and the only one having an aureole. He is leading Tobias, and looking down at the youth with an expression of tenderness. St. Michael is on the right; one hand rests on his great sword, while with the other he lifts his crimson robe. His countenance, serious and indomitable in expression, fitly indicates the characteristics that his titles imply. He is the Lord of Souls and the Angel of Judgment, so far as human imagination can picture so exalted a celestial being. St. Gabriel, on the left, holding a lily, and gazing heavenward in adoration, is a beautiful, angelic figure, far less powerful than the other archangels, and quite in harmony with his office. The impression made by this picture, is that Gabriel realizes that his blessed office has been fulfilled, his active work is done, and adoration is now his duty and his joy; but Michael and Raphael have still their great missions to perfect ; they are still battling against evil, and guiding men in the paths of righteousness. Caroto was a native of Verona, and his pictures are rarely seen elsewhere. His color is warm and well blended, while his drawing is severe. It is said that he was but twenty-five years old when he decorated the Chapel of St. Raphael, in 1495. He was of a quick wit, and when told that the legs of his angels were too slender, he instantly replied, ” Then they will fly the easier.” A very famous and wonderful picture of the three archangels with Tobias, by Botticelli, is in the Academy of Florence. The angels of this artist are frequently criticized for a certain stiffness, but their beautiful faces more than redeem any fault in their figures, and have a sweetness and depth of expression that appeals to the heart and makes one forget less important details. A picture of St. Raphael leading Tobias, in the Church of St. Marziale in Venice, is said to be the earliest remaining work by Titian. For this reason it is most interesting, but it is certainly not so beautiful as that of Caroto, nor as that of Raphael, called the Madonna del Pesce, — the Madonna of the Fish, — in the Madrid Gallery, in which the master pictures the archangel whose name he bore. Of this last picture Passavant says, “Here Christian poetry has found its highest expression; for it is poetry which touches all nations the most deeply, and beauty alone can give an idea of divinity.” In the famous Madonna del Pesce, the Virgin is seated on a throne with the child; the young Tobias, holding a fish in his hand, and led by the Archangel Raphael, comes to implore Jesus to cure his father’s blindness. The Infant Saviour looks at Tobias, while his hand is on an open book which St. Jerome holds before him; the symbolic lion crouches at the feet of the saint. The background of the picture is principally formed by a curtain, but on the right a small opening of sky is seen. The whole picture is executed in the best style of the artist’s mature power, while it is full of the fervent piety of his earlier works. The Virgin is the ideal of purity and loveliness ; the child is radiant with divine beauty ; the angel is celestial in his bearing and his countenance, while the head of the reverend saint is grand and noble in expression. Raphael’s Madonnas sometimes seem to be but simple domestic women, gifted with beauty; in them no trace of a mystical or spiritual nature appears; but the Madonna del Pesce, like the Madonna di San Sisto, and the Madonna di Fuligno, justifies the eulogy of Vasari, when he says, “Raphael has shown all the beauty which can be imagined in the expression of a Virgin; in the eyes there is modesty, on the brow there shines honor, the nose is of a very graceful character, the mouth betokens sweetness and excellence.” The color of the Madonna del Pesce is admirably clear and harmonious, even for this great master. This Madonna was originally painted for the Church of San Domenico Maggiore, at Naples, in which church a chapel had been erected as an especial place of worship for the numerous Neapolitans who suffer from diseases of the eye; it was not, however, permitted to serve its intended purpose, and has had an interesting history. 111

It is said that the Duke of Medina, when Viceroy of Naples, took the pic- ture from the Dominicans without the consent of the government, and when the prior complained to the Pope, Medina had him escorted to the frontier by fifty horsemen, and expelled from the kingdom. In 1644 the Duke took the Virgin with the Fish to Spain, and Philip IV. placed it in the Escurial. In 18 13, when the French were compelled to leave Spain, they took this picture, with many others, to Paris. It was painted on a panel and was in bad condition, and Bonnemaison was commissioned to transfer it to canvas. This work was not completed in 1815, when other pictures which had been taken from Spain were returned, and this Madonna remained in France until 1822. Naturally, it must have lost something of its original excellence, but it still holds a place of honor in the wonderful Italian Gallery of the Madrid Museum; it is a rival of the famous Dresden Madonna — di San Sisto — in the regard of many connoisseurs in art. The various scenes from the story of Raphael and Tobias have been represented in the works of artists of all nations. Rembrandt four times painted the parting of Tobias from his father and mother, and several other incidents in the story. His picture in the Louvre, of the departure of the Archangel, is remarkable for its spirited action. As the angel ascends, flying through the air, he seems to part the clouds as a strong swimmer passes through the breakers of the sea. St.

Raphael

Biography

Raphael means 'God's healing' or 'God the Healer. The word 'angel' denotes a function rather than a nature. The holy spirits of heaven can only be called angels when they deliver some message. Those who deliver messages of lesser importance are called angels; and those who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called archangels. God created angels to perform various services for Him. One of those services was to watch over (or guard) human beings. Those angels are called 'guardians'. Belief is that each human is assigned to the protection of one guardian angel at all times but many angels may come to protect or guide one human is it is necessary. Angels are pure spirits. They are not born therefore they never die. Contrary to popular belief people do not become angels when they die. People must become 'saints' in order to enter into heaven. Belief is that when a person dies and their soul is not worthy of entering heaven the soul is then cleansed in purgatory (something like one bathing and preparing his best before he is granted audience with the kind…in this case with the Lord God Almighty. St. Raphael the Archangel is one of seven Archangels who stand before the Lord. According to the Old Testament St. Raphael was sent by God to aid, Tobit, Tobiah and Sarah. Tobit was blind and Sarah, Tobiah's betrothed, had already suffered the deaths of seven bridegrooms the night of their weddings (at the hands of a demon serial killer named Asmodeus. Disguised as a man named Azariah, Raphael accompanied Tobiah to Media and through difficulties and taught him how to safely enter marriage with Sarah. (from: Tobias Chap.5-11) According to the Book of Enoch (10:5-7) Raphael bound Azazel under a desert called Dudael "And again the Lord said to Raphael: 'Bind Azazel hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dudael, and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may not see light. And on the day of the great judgment he shall be cast into the fire." Through healing Tobit of blindness and the saving waters at Bethsda, Archangel Raphael's image as 'the healer' becomes evident. He is also patron of the blind, of happy meetings, of nurses, of physicians and of travelers. The Archangels Michael and Gabriel are mentioned in the New Testament but the only referral to the 112

Archangel Raphael is in John's Gospel of Revelation 5:1-4 at the pool at Bethsda where a multitude lay waiting for an angel of the lord to descend and move the water. The unnamed angel is assumed to be Saint Raphael. All three Archangels share the feast day of Sept. 29th. According to the Book of Enoch (cf. xxi) The other angels are named are Uriel, Raguel, Sariel, and Jerahmeel, According to Islamic scriptures Saint Raphael the Archangel, along with Michael and Gabriel, is believed to have accompanied Muhammad to Mecca. Raphael is said to be responsible for signaling the coming of Judgment Day by blowing a horn, thus sending out a "Blast of Truth". Unlike Gabriel (Jibrail) and Michael (Mikail) are mentioned by name in the Quran. Raphael is not. The name of this archangel (Raphael = "God has healed") does not appear in the Hebrew Scriptures, and in the Septuagint only in the Book of Tobias. Here he first appears disguised in human form as the travelling companion of the younger Tobias, calling himself "Azarias the son of the great Ananias". The story of the adventurous journey during which the protective influence of the angel is shown in many ways including the binding "in the desert of upper Egypt" of the demon who had previously slain seven husbands of Sara, daughter of Raguel, is picturesquely related in Tobit 5-11, to which the reader is referred. After the return and the healing of the blindness of the elder Tobias, Azarias makes himself known as "the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord" (Tobit 12:15. Cf. Revelation 8:2). Of these seven "archangels" which appear in the angelology of post-Exilic Judaism, only three, Gabriel, Michael and Raphael, are mentioned in the canonical Scriptures. The others, according to the Book of Enoch (cf. xxi) are Uriel, Raguel, Sariel, and Jerahmeel, while from other apocryphal sources we get the variant names Izidkiel, Hanael, and Kepharel instead of the last three in the other list. Regarding the functions attributed to Raphael we have little more than his declaration to Tobias (Tobit 12) that when the latter was occupied in his works of mercy and charity, he (Raphael) offered his prayer to the Lord, that he was sent by the Lord to heal him of his blindness and to deliver Sara, his son's wife, from the devil. The Jewish category of the archangels is recognized in the New Testament (1 Thessalonians 4:15; Jude 9), but only Gabriel and Michael are mentioned by name. Many commentators, however, identify Raphael with the "angel of the Lord" mentioned in John 5. This conjecture is based both on the significance of the name and on the healing role attributed to Raphael in the Book of Tobias. The Church assigns the feast of St. Raphael to 24 October. The hymns of the Office recall the healing power of the archangel and his victory over the demon. The lessons of the first Nocturn and the Antiphons of the entire Office are taken from the Book of Tobias, and the lessons of the second and third Nocturns from the works of St. Augustine, viz. for the second Nocturn a sermon on Tobias (sermon I on the fifteenth Sunday), and for the third, a homily on the opening verse of John 5. The Epistle of the Mass is taken from the twelfth chapter of Tobias, and the Gospel from John 5:1-4, referring to the pool called Probatica, where the multitude of the infirm lay awaiting the moving of the water, for "an angel of the Lord descended at certain times into the pond; and the water was moved.And he that went down first into the pond after the motion of the water was made whole of whatsoever infirmity he lay under". Thus the conjecture of the commentators referred to above is confirmed by the official Liturgy of the Church. Raphael is one of only three archangels whose name is specifically mentioned in Jewish, Christian and Islamic religious traditions. Jewish / Judaic / Hebrew TraditionThe angels mentioned in the Torah (the older books of the Hebrew Bible), are without names. But the Archangel Raphael is mentioned by name in several Jewish "apocryphal" books. (Apocryphal texts are 113

those that may have been used or accepted by all or part of a religious group, but are not included or universally accepted as part of the "official" religious scripture of that religion.) Christian TraditionMany people are not aware that the version of the Bible accepted by Roman Catholics contains more books than the version of the Bible accepted by Protestant denominations (Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, etc.). "Orthodox" churches also ascribe to versions of the Bible that contain differing official books. The "Book of Tobit" is one of the books that is accepted as part of the Bible by Catholic and Orthodox churches, but is not included in Protestant Bibles. In this book there occurs a detailed narration in which the Archangel Raphael is one of the central characters. Raphael first appears in the "Book of Tobit" disguised in human form, as the traveling companion of a young man named Tobias. During the course of Tobias' journey the Archangel Raphael's protective influence and healing powers are shown in many ways. Raphael rescues the Tobias from being devoured by a great fish. Raphael then uses the fish's gall to miraculously heal Tobias's father Tobit of blindness. Raphael also rescues young Tobias' wife Sarah from a demon named Asmodeus, who had killed each of Sarah's first seven husbands on their wedding nights, before they could lay with Sarah. Because of the elder Tobit's works of charity and mercy, Raphael is willing to step in and save young Tobias (the 8th man who is betrothed to Sarah) from the same fate. Raphael handily defeats the demon Asmodeus, binds him, and throws him into the desert. In this narrative, Raphael at first conceals his true identity from Tobias and calls himself "Azarias the son of the great Ananias" but later reveals himself to be "the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord" [Tobit 12:15]. In the New Testament, Michael and Gabriel are the only Archangels specifically mentioned by name. However, Catholic, Orthodox and some protestant traditions (e.g. Anglican) ascribe to the belief that Raphael is one of the unnamed angels in John's Revelation 8:2, and venerate and patronize him as Saint Raphael the Archangel. Apocrypha (unofficial ancient Jewish & Christian texts)Raphael is also mentioned by name - along with several other angels - in "The Book of Enoch." This apocryphal text is not accepted as a book of the Torah, nor of the Catholic or Protestant versions of the Bible, but it is part of the Biblical scripture of the Ethiopian Orthodox church. Though not "canonical" this book is widely accepted by scholars as an authentic ancient Jewish text that heavily influenced subsequent Jewish and Christian Christian writings. The first section of "The Book of Enoch" depicts in detail the interaction of the "fallen angels" with mankind. Sin and chaos result, and the Archangels Raphael, Michael, Uriel and Gabriel appeal to God to judge the inhabitants of the world and the fallen angels. God then sends Uriel to tell Noah of the coming apocalypse and how to prepare. Then God sends Raphael to defeat and imprison the ringleader of the fallen angels, named Azâzêl. Raphael succeeds mightily, and Azâzêl is banished. God also imparts upon Raphael the momentous responsibility to ". . .heal the earth which the angels have corrupted, and proclaim the healing of the earth, that they may heal the plague, and that all the children of men may not perish through all the secret things that the Watchers have disclosed and have taught their sons..." An important task, indeed. Islamic TraditionRaphael is known as Israfil in the Islamic Tradition. He is not mentioned directly in the Qur'an, but he 114

is discussed specifically by name in the Hadiths of Muhammad. He is also mentioned in several traditional stories of Islam. According to the Hadith, Israfil (Raphael) is the Angel responsible for signaling the coming of Qiyamah (Judgment Day) by blowing a horn and sending out a Blast of Truth. This blowing of the trumpet is described in many places in the Qur'an. It is said that the first blow will destroy everything [Qur'an 69:13],while the second blow will bring all human beings back to life again [Qur'an 36:51]. Israfil is held in highest esteem in the Islamic tradition, as evidenced by the Sufi narrations of the "pious predecessors" or early Muslim generations. According to these declarations, the individuals regarded among mankind as having the highest rank of the "Siddiqun" (Islamic saints), are those who have a heart that resembles that of Israfil (Raphael). Cultural InfluenceBecause of his prominence in Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions, homage to the Archangel Raphael has permeated Eastern and Western architecture, art, literature, and geography. Churches across every continent feature stained glass windows depicting Raphael and the other archangels. Myriad paintings and sculptures, dating from ancient times through the present day, also depict the glorious winged messengers of God, including the Archangel Raphael. Angels, including Raphael, were a particularly beloved subject of painters during the highly religious Renaissance era. To view many of these images, click here to see the page Images of Raphael the Archangel. In literature, Raphael's most well known role is in John Milton's Paradise Lost. There he is assigned by God to re-warn Adam of the sin of eating of the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil". Raphael is also charged with relating to Adam the narrative of the creation of Earth, and the story of the war in heaven in which the Archangel Lucifer fell from grace. Countless individuals have been named after Raphael, by religious parents seeking the Archangel's influence and protection for their children. Most notable of these namesakes is the renowned Italian master painter and architect in the High Renaissance, Raffaello Sanzio (1483–1520) - often also simply known as Raphael. Cities have also been named after the Archangel Raphael in Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, France, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, the Philippines and Venezuela. In the United States, the state of California boasts both a city and a mountain range named after "San Raphael". Even those who do not believe in the existence of supernatural beings, cannot deny the impact that the belief in the Archangel Raphael has had on humanity since the beginning of recorded time. Whether you are a believer or a skeptic, we invite you to return to the Main Menu and explore the beautiful images, prayers, theological discussions, stories and testimonials surrounding the globally revered and venerated protector, healer and messenger Archangel Raphael. Raphael, from the Hebrew : to heal, and <'el:> God, means "God heals," or the "Divine healer." The history of Tobias, father and son, contains the grandest angelophany of the whole Bible, and it all revolves around the manifestation of the Archangel Raphael under the assumed name and form of a beautiful young man named Azarias. At the very end of his long mission the Archangel revealed his own identity and his real name, together with the actual purpose of his mission: "And now the Lord hath sent me to heal thee, and to deliver Sara thy son's wife from the devil. For I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord."[31] In this angelophany, Saint Raphael reveals himself as a divine healer not only of physical infirmities, the blindness of old Tobias, but also 115

of spiritual afflictions and diabolical vexations, as in the case of Sara, young Tobias' wife. Had not the Archangel resorted to an assumed human form and personality, it might not have been possible for him to consort in such a familiar way with men, for several consecutive weeks, because of the instinctive fear that man experiences in the presence of celestial beings. Had either father or son, or both, known the real identity of the stranger, from the beginning, the Angelic mission could not have been accomplished in the charming human way in which it was actually carried out. However, the assumed form, and especially the assumed name and paternity-"Azarias the son of the great Ananias"-has been regarded by some as a sort of deception and a lie. However, the perfect sanctity of the Angels is opposed to even the appearance of sin and deception, even to what we call a white lie. In order to carry out his mission, it was necessary for the Angel to assume a form perceptible to man, a human form and a human name. In this case he assumed the appearance of an Israelite, a young relative of Tobias himself. By divine command the Archangel was to act as proxy for that young Israelite, Azarias, whose name he took; hence there was no lie on his part when he gave the name of the person he was representing in his human form. His true identity was revealed at the close of his mission, and whatever misconception had been created in the minds of the various persons he had met, was completely removed, and these were then grateful to the Archangel not only for his many benefits but also for his consideration in dealing with them like a human being. Besides, the Archangel was not hiding a human name and personality and giving another instead; in taking the place of Azarias he could in all truth call himself Azarias. The story of the Archangel Raphael and the two Tobias' is too beautiful and too instructive for us to dismiss it with a simple reference: it reveals how Angels act when in human form; their Angelic nature, their power, wisdom, holiness are made manifest in the various incidents of this charming narrative. The Archangel is God's legate, he carries out God's plan acting as an instrument of Divine Providence, and Divine Goodness. The old, charitable, and pious man Tobias is blind and feels that his days are numbered. He gives his young son Tobias some godly admonitions and tells him of some money he had lent to Gabelus of the city of Rages in Media, many years back, for which he had a regular note with Gabelus' signature. He wants his son to go and collect that money, but he first wants him to find a man to accompany him on the long journey: "Go now and seek thee out some faithful man, to go with thee for his hire, that thou may receive it, while I yet live." While this was going on in Tobias' home, Heaven was listening in and preparing the companion, the "faithful man" young Tobias was looking for. The Lord gave the Archangel Raphael the command to appear as a young man named Azarias, to accompany young Tobias to the land of the Medes, and to bring peace and happiness to two God-fearing but very unhappy families. As the young man stepped out of his house in search of a companion, one morning, the Archangel Raphael was there as if waiting for him, in the disguise of "a beautiful young man." "And not knowing that he was an Angel of God, he saluted him, and said: From whence art thou, good young man? But he answered: Of the children of Israel." In a very short time the Archangel informed young Tobias that he knew the road to Gabelus, and knew Gabelus himself, having spent some time there; he knew all that country very well. Tobias could hardly believe in such a happy coincidence. Immediately he took his new friend and companion and returned to his blind father. The Angel who well knew the purpose of his mission, implicitly announced it in his words of greeting directed to the blind old man, when he said: "Joy be to thee always!" 116

Not knowing who was he who wished him joy, old Tobias replied: "What manner of joy shall be to me, who sit in darkness, and see not the light of heaven." Here the Archangel Raphael became more explicit, making both a promise and a prophecy: "Be of good courage, thy are from God [God heals, was Raphael's own name] is at hand." He could not say more without engendering suspicion and betraying his own identity. Old Tobias regarded those kind words as an expression of good will and paid no particular attention to them; he had heard such expressions so often in the past. His interest is now in the voyage of his son, and he wants to know in whose hands he is committing the life of his only child and part of his own fortune. Upon hearing that the young guide is no less than Azarias, the son of the great Ananias, he remarks: "Thou art of a great family." Old Tobias, like his kinsman Gabelus, later on in this story, expresses his belief in the protection and guidance of guardian Angels. Not knowing that an Archangel is actually accompanying his son, he says: "May you have a good journey, and God be with you on your way, and his Angel accompany you." Had this circumstance been known to him, both he and his wife would have been spared all the worry and the sleepless nights during the long absence of their son. One thought, however, sustained the mind of old Tobias during his waiting: "Our son is safe: that man with whom we sent him is very trustworthy." How carefree, and how joyful must have been that journey for young Tobias. To travel in the happy company of an Angel! He knew the road so well. He was never in doubt about anybody or anything they met on the road; always cheerful, never tired or sleepy; so sweet and kind in his conversation, yet always full of respect and attention. He was deeply spiritual and profoundly devout in his prayers, pure in all his words and actions. How true and inspired were the words of old Tobias when, comforting his weeping wife, he said to her: "I believe that the good Angel of God doth accompany him, and doth order all things well that are about him, so that he shall return to us with joy." The sacred text remarks that when young Tobias started on his journey with his Angel companion, his pet dog followed him all the way to the East. Tobias was one of the thousands of Israelites living in the Babylonian captivity. Some of them had settled down in neighboring provinces, such as Mesopotamia, Assyria, and Media. It was exactly in this last province of Media that Tobias' kinsman Raguel lived with his family. This was not really the goal of his trip to the East, but it was here that God and His Angel wanted him to go; whereas his father had sent him to collect his money from Gabelus in the city of Rages in the mountains of Ecbatana, in Media. The Angel by diverting his trip accomplished more fully his mission, bringing unexpected joy and happiness to three families. Having left his home town, the great city of Ninive, that morning, Tobias and his guide reached the river Tigris just before dark. They decided to spend that night by the bank of the Tigris. Here the Archangel Raphael began to reveal medical knowledge and experience. At the same time he provided food for that evening and for the rest of the journey. Weary of walking all day, young Tobias went to wash his feet in the cool water of the river before retiring. Here the sight of a monstrous fish that seemed to be coming up to devour him, frightened him exceedingly and made him cry for help: "Sir, he cometh upon me !" The Angelic guide, without coming to his rescue, instructed him on what to do, both giving him directions and inspiring him with confidence. At the end of the first day young Tobias had not yet acquired familiarity with his guide, so he calls him, Sir. Later he will call him brother. When the monstrous fish had been successfully drawn out of the river, it was cut open, roasted, and salted. "Take out the entrails of this fish," ordered the Angel, "and lay up his heart, and his gall, and his liver for thee, for these are necessary for useful medicines." These, no doubt, may have seemed 117

strange medicines to young Tobias and he wanted to know when and how to use them. Here he begins to show more confidence and affection for the heavenly guide: "I beseech thee, brother Azarias, tell me what remedies are these things good for, which thou hast bid me keep of the fish." The Angel explains the medical virtue of those parts of the fish. More practical details are imparted as the proper time for their use approaches. The liver of the fish was needed as a material ingredient for an exorcism in order to free Tobias' future wife Sara from the evil influence of the devil; the gall was to be used for the cure of the blindness of old Tobias. The Archangel Raphael had been sent by God to cure and comfort two afflicted souls, old Tobias and Raguel's young daughter Sara, the widow of seven husbands, all of whom had died on the first night following their wedding to her. As night was falling, at the end of another day of their long journey, young Tobias turning to his guide asked him the customary question: "Where wilt thou that we lodge ?" Here begins the first part of Raphael's mission. He must induce young Tobias to marry Sara, Raguel's daughter, and at the same time deliver her from all diabolical influence and vexation. This was a very delicate matter, for sinister rumors about this young dame, as being the cause of death to seven husbands, had reached Ninive and young Tobias himself knew all about her and was deathly afraid of associating with her. At the question of where to lodge for the night, Raphael had proposed to put up at Raguel's and for Tobias to propose to Sara, his own cousin. "I hear," answered Tobias, "that she hath been given to seven husbands, and they all died; moreover I have heard, that a devil killed them." Imagine this young man, now, going to ask for the hand of such a dame! The Archangel Raphael obtained just that, and what is more, their marriage was a very happy one, blessed with good health and long life, so that they both saw their children's children to the fifth generation. The instructions on marital union given by the Archangel Raphael to young Tobias on this occasion remain an ideal of moral perfection for married couples for all time. Prayer, continence, and pure intention dispose the soul for God's blessings and thwart all influence of the evil spirit. Young Tobias listened intently to his heavenly guide and later carried out his instructions most faithfully, first repeating them to his bride: "We are the children of the saints, and we must not be joined together like heathens that know not God." Amid the charming and intimate family reunion in Raguel's home, described in chapter seven of the book of Tobias, an unseen struggle goes on in the spirit world. Young Azarias (the Archangel Raphael) absents himself for a very short while from the gathering of the family and friends in order to attend to a very important business of his own. During those few minutes, Raphael, in the name and with the power of God, "took the devil, and bound him in the desert of upper Egypt." This devil Asmodeus, who had caused so much sorrow to Sara and her family, was Satan himself. With the exile of the spirit of evil, joy, peace and all blessings came to Raguel's home. Having attended to his business, young Azarias returned and took his place at the wedding feast, while actually contemplating the face of the Father Who is in heaven. The following morning, leaving Tobias there with his happy bride, he continues on the journey, accompanied by four servants and two camels. He finally found Gabelus and collected the money for old Tobias and, on his return, he took Gabelus to the wedding feast of his kinsman young Tobias. The last part of the mission entrusted to Raphael the Archangel was now to follow. Having brought joy and happiness to Sara and all her family, it was time to bring a similar and even greater joy to old Tobias and his wife. The slow pace of the caravan that accompanied the bride to Ninive did not suit the Archangel who well knew the pain and the worries of Tobias' old parents: "Brother Tobias," said 118

the Archangel, thou knowest how thou didst leave thy father. If it please thee, let us go before, and let the family follow softly after us, together with thy wife and with the beasts." Tobias agreed and taking with himself the gall of the fish, he and the Angel began to advance with much greater speed, the dog following them. It was time now to give the final instruction as to the use of the gall: "As soon as thou shalt come into the house, forthwith adore the Lord thy God, and giving thanks to Him, go to thy father and kiss him, and immediately anoint his eyes with this gall of the fish.... Thy father shall see the light of heaven, and shall rejoice in the sight of thee." In the meantime Tobias' old mother was waiting for her son, sitting daily on top of a hill, scanning the horizon for a sign of her son and his guide. Finally one day Tobias' pet dog, running ahead brought the joyful news to the afflicted parents by his fawning and wagging his tail. All these human and earthly elements blend beautifully with the heavenly in this charming story of Angels and men. Everything happened as promised by the Angel. Old Tobias regained his sight. At this point the heart of young Tobias was filled with gratitude, love, and admiration for his wonderful guide; so many and so great were the benefits received through him. Having witnessed the miraculous cure of his father he could find no words to express his feelings: "We are filled with all good things through him," he kept telling his father. Old Tobias understood that it was God Who was actually working all these marvels through young Azarias, and thus, full of reverence, he calls the young guide a holy man: "What can we give to this holy man, that is come with thee?" The Lord never permits man to remain in error because of the disguise assumed by His ministering spirits in any of their apparitions. Sooner or later the truth about them will be made manifest. For several weeks in succession, the Archangel Raphael had been acting under assumed human form and human name. Now that his mission has been happily completed, he begins to prepare his two friends, father and son, for a great surprise, the revelation of his real self. At the moment that they both humbly approach him offering one half of everything that had been brought home as payment for his service, young "Azarias" answers with a wonderful explanation of why God has so blessed them. He recalls to the mind of old Tobias all the good he did in his days, his charity, his mercy, his patience, his alms, and his tearful prayers. Thus he begins to reveal himself gradually in order not to frighten them with a sudden disclosure. The enumeration of all the good deeds and of secrets of conscience known only to God are the first step in this revelation; the second is the statement: "Now the Lord hath sent me to heal thee, and to deliver Sara thy son's wife from the devil." The third and final step was liable to trouble and frighten them, hence he begins with comforting and reassuring words: "Peace be to you; fear not." As he said this, both father and son fell upon the ground on their faces, for suddenly the human form of Azarias was transfigured into that of an Archangel of light and beauty, and the final revelation came: "I am the Angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord . . . when I was with you I was there by the will of God: bless ye him, and sing praises to him." This is the only reward that he will accept, but none of the material things, money and cattle and clothes offered him generously by his good friends. Yet, these could still entertain some doubts, because they had seen him eat and drink like any other human being, and Angels do not eat and drink as men do. To this secret doubt he answers with saying: "I seemed indeed to eat and to drink with you, but I use an invisible meat and drink, which cannot be seen by men." Now that his work has been done, and that they know that God has sent His Angel to fill them with blessings, it is time for him to return to Heaven: "It is time therefore that I return to him that sent me; but bless ye God, and publish all his wonderful works." Here the Archangel returned to his invisible form, and from the 119

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Raphael, the Divine healer, seems to have been at work at Jerusalem, in the days of Christ our Lord, in the pool called Bethsaida by the Sheepgate. In the five porticoes surrounding that pool there was a multitude of sick people, waiting for the action of the Angel upon the water of the pool, an action which cured immediately any person who first descended into the pool: "An Angel of the Lord used to come down at certain times into the pool and the water was moved. And he that went down first into the pool after the motion of the water, was cured of whatever infirmity he had."[32] The health-giving ministry of Saint Raphael may still be seen in the miraculous cures that have taken place up to our own times in many of the sacred Shrines throughout the Christian world. RAPHAEL ( ): Table of Contents One of the Seven Archangels. Raphael in Christian Theology. One of the archangels. The word occurs as a personal name in I Chron. xxvi. 7 (A. V. and R. V. "Rephael"), but it is not found as the name of an angel in the canonical books, as are the names of Michael and Gabriel. This must be due to chance, however, since Raphael is an important figure in the pre-Christian Apocrypha, while from the fact that he ranks immediately below the two angels just mentioned it may be concluded that he appeared in Jewish angelology shortly after them. The late Midrash Konen (Jellinek, "B. H." ii. 27) states that he was once called Labiel, but there is no evidence in support of this statement. One of the Seven Archangels. Raphael is one of the seven archangels who bring prayers before God (Tobit xii. 15), although he was not one of the six who buried Moses (Targ. Yer. Deut. xxxiv. 6). In Enoch, xx. 1-7 he is the second among the six or seven angels, Michael, as the most prominent, being placed in the Middle (see Jew. Encyc. i. 590, s.v. Angelology); yet in a papyrus devoted to magic, in which the seven archangels appear, Raphael ranks second, immediately after Michael (Wessely, "Griechischer Zauberpapyrus," ii. 65, line 38). In the same place Suriel is mentioned as the fourth angel, and in a gnostic diagram cited by Origen ("Contra Celsum," vi. 30) Suriel is also reckoned as one of the seven, together with Raphael; this refutes Kohut's theory ("Angelologie," p. 35) of the identity of the two (see Lüken, "Michael," p. 7, Göttingen, 1898). In the lists of planetary angels given in the Jewish calendar, Raphael presides over the sun and over Sunday (ib. p. 56). The four angels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel appear much more often in works of Jewish mysticism. From heaven they behold all the bloodshed on earth and bring the laments of souls before the Lord (Enoch, ix. 1-3). From out of the darkness they lead souls to God (Sibyllines, ii. 214 et seq.). They are the four angels of the Presence, and stand on the four sides of the Lord, whom they glorify (Enoch, xl., where the fourth angel is Phanuel). Each has his own host of angels for the praising of God, around the four sides of whose throne are the four groups of angels. In accordance with their position in heaven, they are the four leaders of the camp of Israel in the wilderness: Michael on theeast, opposite the tribe of Levi; Raphael on the west, opposite Ephraim; Gabriel on the south, facing Reuben and Judah; Uriel on the north, facing Dan (Pirḳe R. El. iv.; Hekalot R. vi., in Jellinek, "B. H." ii. 39, 43; Pesiḳ. R. 46 [ed. Friedmann, p. 188a]; Num R. ii. 10). In like manner, the four rivers of paradise are divided among these four angels ("Seder Gan 'Eden," in Jellinek, "B. H." iii. 138). The magic papyrus also names the four angels (Wessely, l.c. ii. 70 et seq.), 120

and accordingly, on page 41, line 641, where the names of Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel are plainly legible, the letters missing after καιυ must be supplied so as to read καὶ Ουρίηλ. Schwab ("Vocabulaire de l'Angélologie," p. 10) cites an exorcism by these "holy angels," who, as the most august, according to the apocryphal fragments of Bartolomæus, were created first (Lüken, l.c. p. 114). Raphael, like every other angel, can assume any form he will (Tobit); a tablet on his breast bears the name of God (Pesiḳ. R. 108b); according to the Zohar, he is the chief of the "ofannim." Arealization of the foreign character of this angel is inferred in the statement of Simeon ben Laüish (in 250 C.E.) to the effect that the names of the angels originated in Babylon, meaning among the Parthians who ruled there (Gen. R. xlviii. 9). Raphael, as his name implies, is the angel of healing diseases and wounds (Enoch, xc. 9); he overcomes Asmodeus, the evil spirit (Tobit v. 4 et seq.; ix. 1, 5; xi. 1, 6; Testament of Solomon, in "J. Q. R." 1898, p. 24); he binds even Azazel, and throws him into a pit (Enoch, x. 4). He cures blindness (Tobit l.c.; Midrash of the Ten Commandments, in Jellinek, "B. H." i. 80), and because of his healing powers he is represented as a serpent (Origen, l.c.). Raphael, as the third in rank, appeared with Michael and Gabriel to cure Abraham (Yoma 37a; B. M. 86b; Gen. R. xlviii. 10). He cures also moral evil (Pasiḳ. R. 46 [ed. Friedmann, p. 188a]). Raphael in Christian Theology. Raphael was a favorite figure in Christian as well as in Jewish angelology, and early Christian amulets, encolpions, tombstones, and other monuments have been found bearing the names of the angels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael (Lüken, l.c. p. 119). A small, gold tablet discovered in the grave of Maria, the wife of the emperor Honorius, bears a similar inscription (Kopp, "Paleographia Critica," iii., § 158; comp. Lüken, l.c. pp. 118, 122). The names of the same angels occur on Basilidian gems, and Origen likewise mentions them (Lüken, l.c. pp. 60, 68), although in the magic papyri Raphael appears chiefly in the formulas for amulets. In post-Talmudic mysticism Raphael preserves his importance, and is himself described as using Gemaṭria (Zohar, iii. 133, 228, 262; Jellinek, "B. H." ii. 27, 39, 43, et al.; Schwab, l.c. p. 249; Yalḳ., Ḥadash, ed. Presburg, p. 67a et al.). His name occurs in Judæo-Babylonian conjuring texts (Stübe, p. 27), and is conspicuous in the liturgy—as in the evening prayer, where he is mentioned together with the three other angels, at whose head stands God, exactly as in the Christian version of Zechariah vi. (Lüken, l.c. p. 122). He is mentioned also in association with various ofannim (Zunz, "S. P." p. 479), evidently being regarded as their head. Naturally, his name appears on amulets intended to prevent or cure diseases (Grunwald, "Mittheilungen," v. 77). See Angelology; Gabriel; Michael. Bibliography: Hamburger, R. B. T. ii. 96; Hastings, Diet. Bible; Kohut, Jüdische Angelologic, pp. 35 et seq., Leipsic, 1866; W. Lüken, Michael, Göttingen, 1898; Riehm, Bibl. Handwörterbuch; M. Schwab, Vocabulaire de l'Angélologie, pp. 10, 249, 345, Paris, 1897; C. Wessely, Griechischer Zauberpayrus, Vienna, 1888; idem, Neue Griechische Zauberpapyri, ib. 1893. RCHANGEL RAPHAEL: MY BEST FRIEND HERE ON EARTH Story by: Rev. Janette Sanchez Archangel Raphael’s meaning is “He who heals,” in mind, body, and spirit. His intense electromagnetic emerald green and deep pink energy graces you with joy and laughter. His great 121

sense of humor, compassion, and acceptance comforts the heart chakra unmistakably, like an ocean of tenderness that fills you with peace of mind. Everyone and everything around you is now blessed with your love. The restoration of your being now begins. Most people spend their free time going out or speaking with friends, but isolate those experiences with the people around them, but I do all of these things with Archangel Raphael as well. Raphael keeps me grounded to Mother Earth, connected with the elements, and honor life itself. Every morning when I awake, I give angels permission to intervene on my behalf, for my highest good, especially when my ego is going crazy. Remember, I have the final choice, I just understand more quickly when showed the light and truth. Environment and Animals Raphael’s passion for Mother Earth and animals is miraculous. He will quickly assist you in participating as an active human being nurturing, supporting, and protecting the Earth. He will guide you to the groups and organizations you would best serve. Or, if you prefer to work solo, Raphael will show you how to maintain your own home. Ask him to help you connect with the soil, cleanse the ocean/water, and breathe in the fresh air surrounded by the rich green grass and fragrant flowers. Raphael will teach you how to access all these gifts and embrace them all. Animals, mammals, reptiles, and insects all have a purpose here on earth. They are highly sensitive and are to be respected. Keeping our environment healthy will help these beauties flourish. Archangel Raphael can teach us to connect by raising our physical energy vibrations. There are many people out there that can hear messages, particularly from animals. Animals have a lot to say in regards to healing with love for us. That is why we are attracted to their light. Science and Knowledge Science and healing professions can assist the healing process, especially a speedy healing. The combination of traditional and non-traditional medical practices can be very powerful, or not, but both are equally important. The body wants what it wants, and Raphael is perfect for this job. “Dearest Archangel Raphael, I ask you to assist me in all my medical needs, steps, and discipline in regards to __________________. Grace me with the best people for the job, freedom from unnecessary pain and discomfort, and selflove. Thank you. It is done.” Travel I remember as a child traveling with my parents. My mother would whisper a prayer to Saint Christopher sitting in the passenger seat. I asked her why she said that, and she replied it was for protection. For the entire trip I tried to figure out why we needed protection, as the need for protection does not resonate with me. Archangel Raphael explained to me that we do not need protection unless we think we do. Preservation from injury or harm can feed the ego into believing that you are a victim, so he suggested that if I needed to use words instead of knowing, to use the word “guard.” Meaning, to watch over, to be by your side. When Raphael stands by my side, I constantly see the love, light, and beauty surrounding me. I have great experiences, my challenges are smooth, and my higher frequencies are attracting likeness. “Dearest Archangel Raphael, Guard us throughout our journey. Bring us joy, loving and helpful people, and celebration for life. Stand by our side with favor and blessings. Thank you. It is done.” Relationships Communication is the key to any relationship. Creating healthy ground work is the start to a happy and successful life with one another. Qualities such as trust, healthy boundaries, likes and dislikes, 122

love language, honor, teamwork, respect in mind, body, and spirit just to name a few. When asked, Raphael will take you to the very core, the heart. The spirit heart works as the physical heart. They both process everything and both have similar results. See Spirit of Ma’at March Issue 2014. Childhood and life experience has a huge influence on all our relationships. This will show in our selfesteem and self-worth, and most of all, how we express ourselves in the world. This will reflect the kind of relationships we bring into our life, likeness attracts likeness. How do we first address ourselves? Ask yourself, “Do I love and like myself? Do I respect and honor myself? Do I create peace and harmony for myself? Do I give as well as receive in my life?” Give yourself time and space to reflect your belief system, then decide what you want to heal, change, and create anew. When you are where you want to be, you will attract your best friend and partner. Call on Archangel Raphael anytime of the day or night. Instantly, he is by your side ready to assist, comfort, and guide you. There is no challenge too big for Raphael. Talk with him always. Ask question after question. Gratefully accept and receive his love. There’s nothing more that Raphael desires than our evolvement, and he likes to use humor. It’s amazing, an angel that teaches us to laugh at ourselves. I’ll accept healing like that anytime. “Dearest Archangel Raphael, Assist me in choosing a friend, spouse, healthy people to share my life with. I desire God-like qualities in all of my relationships, as I choose to reflect the same. Direct me to the best locations, healthy/balanced people, and desired experiences. Thank you. It is so.” AND “Dearest Archangel Raphael, Assist me with/in relationship challenge, addiction. Fill me with wisdom and grace to make choices for my highest good. Ground me in my thoughts and actions so they support my healing. I surrender to you Raphael. Show me what to do, give me complete clarity so I may be fully accountable and responsible for my choices. Bless all in this situation. Thank you. It is so.” Just a Note, As an Aromatherapist, Archangel Raphael is my master teacher. He likes all therapeutic essential oils because of their healing properties. I asked him what oils bring in his essence; they are Frankincense, Lavender, and Rosemary. References: 1. Angels.about.com/od/Famous-Archangels 2. Catholic Online, catholic.org/saints 3. www.biblegateway.com 4. The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman Raphael the Liar: Angelic Deceit and Testing in the Book of Tobit GEOFFREY D. MILLER St. Louis University St. Louis, MO 63103 LYING is not uncommon in biblical narrative. But rarely is the liar a heavenly figure. The only angel to lie is Raphael in the Book of Tobit, masquerading as an Israelite named Azariah who claims to be Tobit's kinsman (5:5,13). At first glance, the angel utters a "white lie" about his name and background without causing any harm to those beguiled, 123

and his prevarication seems permissible in that he eventually reveals his identity later in the tale (12:15). When one reads the text more carefully, however, it becomes evident that Raphael lies repeatedly in the story, not only in chap. 5 but at least once more in chap. 7. When Tobiah and Raphael arrive at the house of Raguel and Edna, the hosts inquire about the identity of their visitors, and Raphael joins Tobiah in answering, "We are descendants of Naphtali exiled in Nineveh" (7:3).' Moreover, Raphael feeds numerous lies to Tobit and Tobiah during their first encounter, giving them a false name (Azariah), ethnicity (Israelite), lineage (son of Hananiah), and "bogus credentials" as a fravel guide.^ These many examples make it difficult to ignore Raphael's mendacious behavior, especially for an angel worthy to stand before the glory of the Lord (12:15). Nevertheless, modem scholars have done just that, glossing over the problem of a devious angel with little or no comment.^ In this article, I will try to reverse ' All translations fi-om the Book of Tobit are my own. Citations of other biblical passages are taken from the NAB. ^ George W. E. Nickelsburg, Jewish Literature between the Bible and the Mishnah: A Historical and Literary Introduction (2nd ed.; Minneapolis: Fortress, 2005) 31. ^ This lack of interest among exegetes is best expressed by Romualdo Galdos (Commentarius in librum Tobit [Cursus Scripturae Sacrae 12/1; Paris: Lethielleux, 1930] 178), who dismisses the matter of Raphael's dishonesty as a "trifiing inquiry" (quaestiuncula). ANGELIC DECEIT AND TESTING IN THE BOOK OF TOBIT 493 that trend by considering the problem at length, picking up where earlier exegetes have left off. Commentators prior to fhe mid-twentieth cetittiry appreciated the difficulty posed by Raphael's conduct and addressed the issue of his dishonesty in some fashion, either fo justify it or to criticize the angel for being less than angelic.'' Yef they have ignored a key revelation by the angel in chap. 12, namely, that he has been sent to test Tobit (12:14). In the first part of this article, I will survey and assess the most compelling arguments in defense of fhe angel's moral rectitude, arguing that all are incomplete since they address only one of Raphael's lies or neglect to take into account all of the ramifications of his dishonesty. In the second part, I will propose a new solution: fhe angel offers Tobif misinformation in.order to test him. These tests seek fo uncover fwo things about Tobif's character: his faith in God's providence and his priorities as a father. Although Tobit fails the fesfs at first, he eventually passes fhem by the end of fhe narrative. I. Incomplete Solutions A. An Angelic Pseudonym in the Context of the Book's Literary Genre Affempfs fo justify Raphael's dishonesty have waned over time in part because of the paradigm shift that revolutionized biblical studies in the nineteenth century. Interpreters of the premodem period who "took the book literally"^ stmggled to make sense of Raphael's statements, asstiming that fhe story recotinfed historical events. It was inconceivable in their view that an angel could sin and still be allowed to enjoy God's presence. This historicizing view, however, no longer prevails, and "a change in appreciation of the literary genre of the story completely changes the state of the question."^ Now scholars regard fhe Book of Tobif as a fictional novel composed sometime around 200 B.C.E. rather than a chronicle of evenfs in the eighth-centtiry Diaspora.' Although some of the characters and events '' According to P. F. Keerl (Die Apocryphen des Alten Testaments: Ein Zeugnis wider dieselben auf Grund des Wortes Gottes [Leipzig: Gebhardt & Reisland, 1852] 47-62), Raphael's dishonesty is one of the 124

reasons that the Book of Tobit was excluded from the Jewish canon. See also H. Sengelmann, Das Buch Tobit erklärt (Hamburg: Perthes-Besser & Mauke, 1857). ^ Carey A. Moore, Tobit: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (AB 40A; Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1996) 187. ^ José Vilchez, Tobias y Judit (Nueva Biblia española Narraciones 3; Estella: Verbo Divino 2000)118. ' Most scholars use the category of "novel" or a similar designation to classify Tobit. See Moore, Tobit, 19; John Dancy, Shorter Books of the Apocrypha (CBC; London: Cambridge University Press, 1972) 12930; David A. äsSi\\a, Introducing the Apocrypha: Message, Context, and Significance (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002) 70; J. Auneau (Écrits didactiques: Le Livre de Tobie. Les Psaumes et les autres Écrits [Petite bibliothèque des sciences bibliques Ancien Testament 5; Tournai: Desclée, 1990] 361); Athanasius Miller (Das Buch Tobias übersetzt und erklärt [Die Heilige Schrift des Alten Testament 4/3; Bonn: Peter Hanstein, 1940] 9). Regarding the book's 494 THE CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY | 74,2012 described therein have a historical basis (e.g., Assyrian rulers such as Sennacherib and Esarhaddon), the remainder of the story is considered creative fiction, and this includes the angel's activify in the book. This observation was made as early as 1888 when J. M. Fuller opined that apocryphal works, like apocalyptic literature, "assumed feigned names.. .. Fancifril names and circumstances were introduced into the narratives, strict accuracy being accounted immaterial, so long as the absfract principles inculcated were true."^ Hence when Raphael dons the name Azariah in 5:13, readers should not deduce that an angel sinned at some point in human history. Raphael is not a historical figtire but a character created by the author whose behavior is wholly consistent with the genre of the book. To give his actual name would be inappropriate for this literary form, so Raphael offers a pseudonym instead. Raphael's false persona also serves the author's literary agenda in another way. As Irene Nowell points out, "The ambiguify of Raphael's identify contributes to the rich irony of the book of Tobit. . . . The audience knows who he is, but the characters do not."^ fronic elements permeate the narrative,'" such as the fact that Tobit performs good deeds that directly lead to his blindness, humiliation, and the confiscation ofhis properfy (1:16-20; 2:4-10) or that Tobit assumes that an angel will go with Tobiah to Media (5:22) yet does not realize that the man accompanying his son is actually an angel. Throughout the story, the narrator gives readers access to information to which the human characters are not privy. We know that Tobit and Sarah will be healed of their afflictions (3:17), but they do not. We know that Raphael intends to lead Tobiah to Sarah's house in order for them to marry, but the frittu-e newlyweds do not. Similarly, we know exactly who Raphael is, but the other characters remain oblivious. This combination of perspicuify and obscurify underscores an important message about divine intervention in human affairs: "Precisely when God seems farthest away, he is actually present. He may be disguised, but he is not absent." date of composition, see Joseph A. Fitzmyer, Tobit (Commentaries on Early Jewish Literature; Berlin/New York: de Gruyter, 2003) 51 -52; G. Toloni, L 'Originale del libro del Tobia: Studio filologico- linguistico (Madrid: Instituto de Filología, 20Q4) 153-57. ^ J. M. Fuller, "Tobit," in The Holy Bible, according to the Authorized Version (A.D. 1611), with an Explanatory and Critical Commentary and a Revision of the Translation: Apocrypha (ed. Henry Wace; 2 vols.; Speaker's Commentary; London: John Murray, 1888) 1:207. ' Irene Nowell, "The 'Work' of Archangel Raphael," in Angels: The Concept of Celestial Beings. Origins, Development and Reception (ed. Friedrich V. Reiterer, Tobias Nicklas, 125

and Karin Schöpflin; Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature Yearbook; Berlin/New York: de Gruyter, 2007) 227-38, here 233. '" Irene Nowell, "The Book of Tobit: Narrative Technique and Theology" (Ph.D. diss.. The Catholic University of America, 1983) 192-200; eadem, "Irony in the Book of Tobit," ra7'33 (1995) 79-83; Fitzmyer, Tobit, 35; Moore, Tobit, 24-26. I' Nowell, "Book of Tobit," 199. Raphael's deception, then, becomes more palatable in light of these literary considerations, yet the problem is not completely resolved. The Book of Tobit is not only a fictional story but a didactic novel,'^ aiming to teach its readers certain things about God and life and to exhort Diaspora Jews to remain faithful to the Mosaic law despite the adversity they face in a gentile world (e.g., 1:3-9; 2:1-8; 4:3-19; 12:6-10; 14:9). The story is designed not so much to entertain as to convey theological truth and to instill certain values and modes of behavior in its audience. The author accomplishes these objectives by means of the wisdom sayings of chaps. 4 and 12 as well as the words and actions of the story's principal characters. This is especially evident in the recurring themes of endogamy (1:9; 4:12-13; 6:11-18; 7:10-11) and burial of the dead (1:17-18; 2:3-7; 4:3-4; 6:15; 8:12; 14:1, 10-13), which are frequently enjoined by the book's titular character. Raphael likewise serves as an exemplary figure. He helps those in need (5:4-13; 6:4-5, 11-18; 8:3; 9:5; 11:7-8), obeys God's will by carrying out his divinely appointed mission (3:17; 6:11-18; 11:7-8), and exhorts Tobit and his son to pray, fast, praise God, and give alms (12:6-10). After witnessing such upright conduct and sage counsel from the angel, readers might erroneously assume that they can also imitate his mendacious behavior. The author of Tobit must be careful in the characterization of Raphael, lest the readers misconstrue the story's intent. B. Raphael as Telling the Truth Symbolically Then again, perhaps Raphael is not lying. When the angel claims in 5:13 that he is Azariah, son of Hananiah, his statement "is essentially true," for these epithets symbolically convey the truth about his mission and piupose. '^ The angel presents Tobit with theophoric names meaning "Yhwh helps" and "Yhwh shows favor," respectively, and this is precisely what Raphael was sent to do. He is God's instrument of succor and mercy, helping the principal characters overcome their calamities by curing Tobit's blindness, warding off the demon Asmodeus, and bringing Tobiah and Sarah together in marriage (3:17; 6:18; 8:3; 11:7-8, 12-13). Whereas Tobit seeks an appellation that reveals who his interlocutor is, Raphael instead offers one that reveals what he does. And whereas Tobit wants a literal answer, Raphael gives him a figurative one. The angel, therefore, is not guilty of wrongdoing, since he did not utter a falsehood. The names he gives to Tobit "are truths. '2 Lawrence M. Wills, The Jewish Novel in the Ancient World (Wiyi\\ and Poetics; Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1995) 88-92. See also Nickelsburg, Jewish Literature between the Bible and the Mishnah, 34; Fitzmyer, Tobit, 31 ; Pierre Grelot, "Les noms de parenté dans le livre de Tobit," RevQ 17(1996) 327-37, here 329; Beate Ego, Das Buch Tobit (JSHRZ 2/6; Gütersloh: Mohn, 1999) 884; Paul Deselaers, Das Buch Tobit: Studien zu seiner Entstehung, Komposition und Theologie (QBO 43; Freiburg: Universitätsverlag; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1982) 278. '2 Moore, Tobit, 192. 496 THE CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY | 74,2012 albeit not actual historical personages."''' The only thing for which the angel can be impugned is not formulating the truth in a way that Tobit can understand.'^ This interpretation of the 126

angel's deception has a long history, yet its appeal has diminished over time.'^ On the surface, it preserves the angel's integrity by showing that he is not a liar but a truthteller; he simply chooses not to reveal the whole truth to Tobit and his son. But this proposed solution is inadequate for two reasons. First, it is debatable that telling the truth guarantees that one has not lied. Some definitions of lying require that the statement uttered be false, at least in the mind of the speaker," but not all would define lying in this way. Many ethicists assert that the intentional use of the truth to convince a person of something that is not true is tantamount to lying.'^ Thus, if Raphael's objective is to mislead Tobit into thinking that he is a human being with a name that is not his own and a lineage that is not his own, then the angel is at fault. Second, even if Raphael's figurative use of the truth could exonerate him in this instance, it could not account for the other false statements he makes throughout the narrative, such as his claims to be an Israelite (5:5), a relative of Tobit (5:13), and a fellow exile living in Nineveh (7:3)." It is difficult to see how these statements are also symbolically true, although a few scholars have tried to make that case.^" If commentators are honest, they must admit that Raphael is not. He has a habit of lying in the story, and his ''' Ibid, (italics Moore's). '5 Irene Nowell, "Tobit," NJBC, 570. Albert Clamer ("Tobie," in L. Pirot and A. Clamer, ParalipomènesEsdras-Néhémie-Tobie-Judith-Esther-Job [5574; Paris: Letouzy &Ané, 1952] 387- 480, here 437) also supports this interpretation of 5:13, and he adds that the angel's alias and actual name are virtually synonymous. The name "Raphael" means "God heals," which is somewhat akin to Azariah, "God helps." Thus the two "are symbols of the same truth." '^ Among several proponents of this view, Meinrad M. Schumpp (Das Buch Tobias übersetzt und erklärt [EHAT 11 ; Münster: Aschendorff, 1933] 114) lists Nikolaus Serarius (In sacros divinorum bibliorum libros Tobiam, Iudith, Esther, Machabaeos Commentarius [2nd ed.; Mainz; B. Lippius, 1610] 1-138) and Cornelius a Lapide ("Commentaria in Tobiam," in Commentaria in Scripturam Sacram [20 vols.; ed. J. M. Peronne; Paris: Vives, 1866] 4:265-312). " David Nyberg, The Varnished Truth: Truth Telling and Deceiving in Ordinary Life (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993) 48; Richard Kagan, "Lying," in Ethics (ed. John K. Roth; rev. ed.; 3 vols.; Pasadena, CA: Salem, 2005) 2:877-79, here 877; D. Hughes, "Lying," NCE (2nd ed.; Washington, DC: Catholic University of America, 2003) 8:899-903, here 899. " See, e.g., the seminal work by Sissela Bok, Lying: Moral Choice in Public and Private Life (New York: Pantheon, 1978). She defines lying as "any intentionally deceptive message which is stated" (p. 13). " Several of the early scribes struggled to make sense of these blatant falsehoods, and they omitted a few of them to lessen the angel's mendacity. G' eliminates Raphael's claim to be an Israelite, and the Vg removes any reference to Hananiah being Tobit's kinsman. The same motivation probably lies behind the tendency of G' to use "angel" instead of Raphael's name. So Helen Schiingel-Straumarm, Tobit übersetzt und ausgelegt (HTKNT; Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder, 2000) 159. See, e.g., 6:10, 13, 15; 8:15; 12:5. ^° Serarius (cited in Schumpp, Buch Tobias, 114) explains that Raphael is an Israelite not by ANGELIC DECEIT AND TESTING IN THE BOOK OF TOBIT 497 use of the truth in one of these lies does not exculpate him for the rest. It only shows him to be a clever liar. C. Lying as Permissible Depending on the Circumstances and the 127

Deceiver's Intent A sfronger defense of Raphael's behavior is to argue that Raphael's lies are warranted. Although lying is normally illicit, sometimes a person's options are limited and lying seems to be the lesser of two evils.^' Raphael is arguably in such a predicament; as an angel, he may not divulge his name to human beings. In the OT, angels are occasionally asked to identify themselves, but they always give cryptic answers in such situations.^^ The most obvious example is the divine emissary who foretells the birth of Samson in Judges 13. Manoah asks the anonymous visitor for his name, and the angel responds cagily, "Why do you ask my name, which is mysterious?" (Judg 13:18).^^ To surrender one's name is hazardous for a heavenly being, since "possession of such knowledge brings power over the one who is named."^"* Angels have been entrusted with a specific mission by God, and they cannot jeopardize that mission by allowing a human being to gain the upper hand on them. The angel must always maintain confrol over the situation.^^ birth but by virtue of an office he holds. As guardian of God's people, he can be considered a member of the nation of Israel. Miller (Das Buch Tobias, 66) constructs a similar argument, stating that angels are spirits who minister to the entire community and thus share in the covenant between God and humanity. See also Margaret Barker, "The Archangel Raphael in the Book of Tobit," in Studies in the Book of Tobit: A Multidisciplinary Approach (ed. Mark Bredin; Library of Second Temple Studies 55; London/New York: Clark, 2006) 118-28, here 120; she points to several of the Dead Sea Scrolls where angels "were believed to be part of the Qumran community." 2' A classic example offered by ethicists involves a would-be assassin who asks for the whereabouts of an acquaintance of yours in order to kill that person. Assuming that you know where that person is located, it would be foolish—indeed nefarious—to tell the assassin where the intended victim is. To lie to the would-be killer is not only acceptable but laudable because it is the best option given the circumstances (attempts to disarm or deliberate with the assassin would be dangerous) and because your intention is good, namely, to preserve human life. ^^ The lone exception is Gabriel, who reveals his name to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist (Luke 1:19). The names of two angels, Michael and Gabriel, are given to Daniel but not by the angels themselves. A human voice calls out Gabriel's name in Dan 8:16, and a heavenly figure (possibly Gabriel) mentions Michael's name in Dan 10:16. " According to Dieter Grimm ("Der Name des Gottesboten in Richter 13," Bib 63 [1981] 92-98), "Mysterious" ('XVD) is the messenger's name. ^'' Roland E. Murphy, "Genesis," NJBC, 8-43, here 34. See also Lothar Ruppert, Genesis: Ein kritischer und theologischer Kommentar (FB 106; Würzburg: Echter, 2005) 3:377; Susan Niditch, Judges: A Commentary (OTL; Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2008) 146. ^^ Another potential example is the mysterious assailant who wrestles with Jacob but refuses to disclose his identity (Gen 32:23-33). This figure might be an angel (Hos 12:5), a river demon (Claus Westermann, Genesis: A Commentary [trans. J. J. Scullion; 3 vols.; Minneapolis: Augsburg, 498 THE CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY | 74,2012 Raphael is tmder similar constraints in fhe Book of Tobif, buf, tmlike Manoah's visifor, he does not enjoy the luxtxry of skirting questions, even though he pursues this tack initially. When asked about his name and origin, Raphael resorts fo evasive action, answering a question with a question, "Why do you need a tribe and a homeland? Or are you looking for a hired man fo travel wifh yotir son?" (5:12).^*

128

His demeanor is thus "no different than . . . other manifestations of God or of angels who conduct themselves with an element of mystery, going about not without obscurity."^' Yet Tobit is not appeased but persists in his interrogation, "I wish to know the tmth about whose son you are and what your name is" (5:12). In contrast to the heavenly beings of Judges 13 and Genesis 32, Raphael cannot dodge Tobit's query and simply vanish from the scene. Those figures were asked about their identities after accomplishing their mission, but Raphael is asked at the onset. Raphael must placate Tobit with an answer that will convince Tobit to allow him to accompany Tobiah to Media, and he must choose an option other than giving up his tme name. Hence, he offers Tobit a pseudonym in order fo accomplish what God has sent him to do. Tobit's persistence, then, forces the angel's hand, and Raphael responds as best he can. Preserving his own autonomy, however, is not the angel's only concem. An honest answer would have harmful repercussions also for the people he has come to help. Revealing his angelic identity could be defrimental to Tobit and others, since "the freedom of the human characters would be compromised if they 1984-86] 2:516-21), the celestial patron of Esau (Nahum Sama, Genesis T\^WVra: The Traditional Hebrew Text with New JPS Translation [JPS Torah Commentary; Philadelphia/New York: Jewish Publication Society, 1989] 404), or God (David W. Cotter, Genesis [Berit 01am; Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2003] 247-48). See further William T. Miller, Mysterious Encounters at Mamre and Jabbok (BJS 50; Chico, CA: Scholars Press, 1984) 97-138; Franz Dünzl, "Gott, Engel oder Dämon? Zur Auslegungsgeschichte von Gen 32,23-33," in Steht nicht geschrieben? Studien zur Bibel und ihrer Wirkungsgeschichte: Festschrift für Georg Schmuttermayr (ed. Johannes Frühwald- König et al.; Regensburg: Pustet, 2001) 337-48. ^* Some G" witnesses (S and 319) lack the second question about a hireling, but most witnesses contain it, namely, G', Syr, La, and the Vg. For the Greek text of Tobit, I employ Robert Hanhart, Tobit (Septuaginta, Vetus Testamentum Graecum auctoritate Academiae Scientiarum Gottingensis 8/5; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1983). For the Old Latin text, I use Alan E. Brooke, Norman McLean, and Henry St. J. Thackeray, eds., Esther, Judith, Tobit, in The Old Testament in Greek 3/\ (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1940) 123-44. For the Syriac text, I use the critical edition of J. C. H. Lebram, Tobit (Vetus Testamentum syriace 4/6; Leiden: Brill, 1972). For the Vg, I employ the critical edition of Robert Weber, Biblia Sacra iuxta Vulgatam Versionem (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1969-). The abbreviations used for the versions (S, rf, 319, La, Syr, G', G") are Hanhart's. 2' Clamer, "Tobie," 437. So also Paul Deselaers, Das Buch Tobit (Geistliche Schriftlesung 11; Düsseldorf: Patmos, 1990) 96. Raphael imitates the angel of Judges 13 in numerous ways, and there are at least eight commonalities between the two angelophanies. See Alexander A. Di Leila, "The Book of Tobit and the Book of Judges: An Intertextual Analysis,"//e/iocA 22 (2000) 197-205. ANGELIC DECEIT AND TESTING IN THE BOOK OF TOBIT 499 knew an angel was intimately involved in their lives."^^ This is easiest to see in the case of Tobiah. It is imperative that Tobiah marry his kinswoman Sarah because he will thereby obey his father (4:12-13; 6:16) and observe the Mosaic law (6:13; 7:11, 13). It is also God's will that they wed (3:17; 6:18; 7:11). Raphael's admonition to Tobiah in chap. 6 induces him to take Sarah as his wife, but he only exhorts Tobiah to do so—he does not command. If Tobiah knew that Raphael was an angel, he would feel compelled to follow Raphael's 129

instructions lest he incur God's wrath for disobeying God's envoy. Since Raphael does not wish to infringe on the free will of the human characters, he assumes the human persona of Azariah in order to "lead and advise" rather than "push or act directly in human affairs."^' Even without such mitigating circumstances, Raphael's mendacify might be justified also by his role as heavenly nuncio. Although no other biblical angel lies, many of God's intermediaries do, including several prophets and a lying spirit dispatched from the heavenly council. According to Ezek 14:9, a prophet who beguiles (nriD) has done so at God's instigation, and Deut 13:2-4 explains that prophets and dreamers who seek to lead the people astray in apostasy have been incited by Yhwh to test the Israelites. Several prophets in 1 Kings lie to others with apparent divine approval. An old prophet entices a man of God to dine with him in 1 Kings 13, even though the latter had been instructed by God not to eat in that cify (Bethel). The former responds that he is also acting on God's instructions—a boldfaced lie (tt'nD), according to the narrator (13:18)— yet the man of God trusts him and has a meal with the old prophet. In 1 Kings 20, God stirs up another prophet to confront King Ahab under the pretense that he is a soldier wounded in battle, coaxing a passerby into striking him so that his disguise will be effective (20:35-36). When the forecasts of both deceptive prophets come frue, it is hard to believe that their actions do not have divine sanction. Ahab later dies of wounds in battle, as the prophet had foretold (20:42; 22:35), and the duped man of God in chap. 13 is devoured by a lion, as the old prophet had promised (13:21-23).-"' 28 Nowell, "'Work' of Archangel Raphael," 234. 2' Patrick Griffin, "The Theology and Function of Prayer in the Book of Tobit" (Ph.D. diss.. The Catholic University of America, 1984) 169. ^^ The hand of God in these episodes is undeniable, but scholars debate whether God approves of the deceptive means employed by the old prophet in 1 Kings 13. All agree that the lion is "an instrument of God's punishment" (Gina Hens-Piazza, 1-2 Kings [Abingdon OT Commentaries; Nashville: Abingdon, 2006] 135; see also Walter Brueggemann, 1 & 2 Kings [Smith & Helwys Commentary; Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys, 2000] 171; Jerome T Walsh, / Kings [Berit 01am; Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1996] 186), yet some allege that God plays no part in the prophet's trickery (Richard D. Nelson, First and Second Kings [Interpretation; Atlanta: John Knox, 1987] 89), while others consider it a moot point (e.g., Brueggemann, 1 &2 Kings, 169). When God encourages deceit in other passages in 1 Kings, however, such as provoking a prophet to pretend to be a wounded soldier (chap. 20) and soliciting a spirit in the heavenly council to spread falsehood (chap. 22), it seems that the old prophet's lie in chap. 13 is likewise condoned by God. 500 THE CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY | 74,2012 The most vexing instance of a divinely authorized lie occurs in 1 Kings 22, where God plots to bring about the death of King Ahab. The prophet Micaiah recounts the scene in the heavenly council where God enlists a spirit to "become a lying spirit [ipW mi] in the mouths of all his prophets" (v. 22). These prophets then convince the king that he will retake Ramoth-gilead, even though he ultimately dies in battle there. The passage has perttirbed commentators for centuries, and many scholars have tried to exegete it in such a way to keep God's justice intact. The divinely inspired lie is done "'in the service of truth' and goodness";^' God is merely giving the spirit permission to mislead Ahab but not endorsing the ruse;^^ or God must resort to 130

desperate measures to "get through to someone who does not want to hear."^-' Regardless of the theodicy employed, all can agree that God shows a willingness in this episode to use a messenger to lie in order to ftirther the divine purposes. An analogous situation occurs in the Book of Tobit. God sends an intermediary to interact with human beings, and the envoy pursues God's agenda by duplicitous means. The ultimate outcome is what God had intended all along, and the truth is eventually revealed to those who had been hoodwinked. Though it might be difficult to fathom that a God who condemns lying (e.g.. Lev 19:11; Ps 5:7; Prov 6:16-19; Sir 20:25; Wis 1:11) would use devious gobetweens to accomplish the divine will, there is biblical precedent for it.^'' Although the text of Tobit never states that God wants Raphael to lie, God's tacit approval is plausible. God has allowed or encouraged previous heralds to prevaricate, and if there was ever a situation that justified dishonesty, it is Raphael's. He is assigned a critical mission that has ramifications not only in the human arena but also in the spiritual realm. Besides curing Tobit's blindness and joining Tobiah and Sarah in marriage, he must also subdue the demon Asmodeus, showing that ^' Terence Fretheim, First and Second Kings (Westminster Bible Companion; Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1999) 127, citing Walter Brueggemann, / Kings (Knox Preaching Guides; Atlanta: John Knox, 1982) 100. " Walter C. Kaiser, Jr, Toward Old Testament Ethics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983) 256. This interpretation is feasible only if the spirit is a separate entity from God—a concession some scholars are reluctant to grant. Some argue that the use of the definite article indicates that the spirit is God's own. See Walsh, / Kings, 351; Robert B. Chisholm, Jr., "Does God Deceive?" BSac 155 (1998) 11-28, here 15-16. " R. W. L. Moberly, "Does God Lie to His Prophets? The Story of Micaiah ben Imlah as a Test Case," HTR 96 (2003) 1-23; quotation fi-om 9. ^'' For other examples of divinely instigated lies, as well as instances where even God might lie, see J. J. M. Roberts, "Does God Lie? Divine Deceit as a Theological Problem in Israelite Prophetic Literature," in Congress Volume: Jerusalem ¡986 (ed. J. A. Emerton; VTSup 40; Leiden/ New York: Brill, 1988) 211-20; Ora Horn Prouser, "The Phenomenology of the Lie in Biblical Narrative" (Ph.D. diss., Jewish Theological Seminary, 1991); Yael Shemesh, "Lies by Prophets and Other Lies in the Hebrew Bible," JANES(CU) 29 (2002) 81 -95; James Barr, "Is God a Liar? (Genesis 2-3)— and Related Matters," j r s 57 (2006) 1-22. ANGELIC DECEIT AND TESTING IN THE BOOK OF TOBIT 501 God will triumph over the forces of evil. Additionally, the existence of Diaspora Judaism is imperiled, since virtually all Jews have apostatized. Only the families of Tobit and Raguel have remained faithful, and if their children do not procreate, there will be no devout Jews left.^^ Much is at stake here, and Raphael cannot afford to fail. Moreover, he must accomplish these things without divulging his identity. He tries to avert Tobit's questions about his name at first, but when the latter persists, the angel uses lying as a last resort. Furthermore, his intent is benign —to avoid jeopardizing his mission and to preserve the free will of the human characters—and he speaks as truthfully as possible by uttering statements that are symbolically true.-'^ Despite its sfrengths, however, this theory is not flawless. In other biblical narratives where a prophet or spirit misleads human beings, the deceived are informed shortly thereafter of the scheme. There is something unsettling about an angel who deludes human beings for nearly a month.^' Moreover, this argument could run afoul of certain 131

moral systems by embracing a consequentialist ethic in which the end justifies the means. A means that is intrinsically wrong cannot be justified no matter what the circumstances, and lying seems to belong to this category, at least from a biblical perspective. When the OT prohibits lying, it does so unequivocally and does not grant exceptions based on circumstances or intent.^^ These hurdles could perhaps be overcome, but this interpretation of Raphael's dis^^ Geoffrey D. Miller, "A Match Made in Heaven? God's Role in Marriage according to the Book of Tobit," RivB 57 (2009) 129-53, here 144; Beate Ego, "'Denn er liebt sie' (Tob 6, 15, Ms. 319): Zur Rolle des Dämons Asmodäus in der Tobit-Erzählung," in Die Dämonen/Demons: Die Dämonologie der israelitisch-jüdischen und frühchristlichen Literatur im Kontext ihrer Umwelt/The Demonology of Israelite-Jewish and Early Christian Literature in Context of their Environment (ed. Armin Lange et al.; Tübingen; Mohr Siebeck, 2003) 309-17, here 315. ' •^ In earlier periods, such a defense of Raphael's prevarication was not possible, since exegetes had been heavily influenced by Augustine and Aquinas, both of whom asserted that all forms of lying are sinful and threaten the salvation of one's soul (Augustine De mendacio §25 and Contra mendacionem §§1-2, 36-37; Aquinas Summa Theologica 2.2. q. 110, a. 2 and a. 4). Such a categorical condemnation of lying remained the norm for centuries, but today, it is widely accepted among moral theologians and ethicists that mitigating circumstances and good intentions on the part of the moral agent in question can exculpate the liar. See frjrther Bok, Lying, 6; Kagan, "Lying," 2:877; Nyberg, Varnished Truth, 48-50. " The wedding feasts celebrated at the houses of Raguel (10;7) and Tobit (11 ; 18) total three weeks. Raphael discloses his identity at the end of the second feast. 3* Most texts that condemn lying (e.g.. Lev 19:11; Ps 5:7; Prov 6:16-19; Sir 20:25; Wis 1:11) are concise and lack nuance, issuing blanket condemnations without accounting for external factors that might mitigate the offense. See, however, Shemesh ("Lies by Prophets," 81), who contends that the Bible has a "complex attitude to falsehood—outright condemnation, on the one hand, versus recognition of its legitimacy and occasional necessity, on the other." See also Prouser, "Phenomenology of the Lie," 187; Barr, "Is God a Liar?" 14-18; R. Mosis, "DtD kzb I," TDOT, 7:104-21, here 108. honesty still ignores an often overlooked detail in the story. Raphael has been sent by God to test Tobit (12:14). IL A New Proposal: Deception as a Means of Testing Although the angel appears in eight of the book's fourteen chapters, the author provides few clues to what motivates his behavior. Only two pieces of information emerge: he has been sent by God to alleviate the suffering of Tobit and Sarah (3:17) and to put Tobit to the test (12:14). Readers learn the first point prior to Raphael's entry into the story and so construe his actions in light of this truth, but the second point is a surprising revelation for both characters and readers alike. It constitutes an invitation to readers to peruse the story a second time and to rethink Raphael's conduct in terms of testing. Unfortunately, scholars have not taken up this charge.-" Most likely, it is because they falsely assume that the testing refers to Tobit's blindness.''° Tobit views his loss of sight as a "scourging" (11:15), but this test could come only from God and not from Raphael. Raphael does not appear in the story until the end of chap. 3— 132

over a full chapter after Tobit has become blind (2:10). Moreover, Tobit's blindness is part of the impetus for Raphael's being sent in the first place. After Tobit has been deprived ofhis sight, he cries out to God in supplication, and God responds by commissioning Raphael to heal Tobit ofhis malady. Raphael's testing, therefore, must occur subsequent to Tobit's blindness, and the most logical placeto look is in chap. 5. Apart from the angelophany in chap. 12, the only extended interaction that Tobit has with the angel is their discussion about the potential frip to Media. A. Raphael's Tests As soon as Raphael walks through the door, he begins testing Tobit, although not all of these tests entail deceit. In the first set of tests, the angel uses cheerful ^' One exception is Will Soil ("The Family as Scriptural and Social Construct in Tobit," in The Function of Scripture in Early Jewish and Christian Tradition [ed. Craig A. Evans and James A. Sanders; JSNTSup 154; Studies in Scripture in Early Judaism and Christianity 6; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998] 166-75, here 169), who understands Raphael's question in 5:12 not as "a rebuke, but a kind of test" that allows Tobit "an opportunity to display his 'family values.'" Despite this keen observation. Soil incorrectly concludes that Tobit passes this test in chap. 5. More will be said below about the nature of the angel's testing and Tobit's performance. '"'Fitzmyer, Tobit, 295; Vilchez, Tobias y Judit, 194; Beate Ego, "The Figure of the Angel Raphael according to His Farewell Address in Tob 12:6-20," in Angels: The Concept of Celestial Beings (ed. Réitérer et al.), 239-53, here 247. Moore (Tobit, 271) interprets the passage more carefiilly, "It is, however, unclear as to what exactly the 'test' was. We have only the angel's word that there had been one." The problem is avoided altogether in G', where the scribe removes all mention of testing. greetings and encouragement to probe Tobit's faith in God's providence. After being welcomed into Tobit's home, Raphael wishes his host an abundance of joy (xaipeiv aoi noXXà yévoiTo; 5:10). Tobit responds sullenly, however, bemoaning his blindness and likening himself to the dead who can no longer see the light of day. Raphael then tries to inject life into this alleged corpse, telling him to take courage (oápaei) and assuring him that God has healing in store for him.'" His words fall on deaf ears, though, and Tobit remains mired in his melancholy. At the beginning of the story, Tobit professed how he "walked in the ways of tmth and in righteousness all the days of my life" (1:3), refusing to succumb to the apostasy of his brethren and instead performing virtuous deeds despite the ignominy and persecution that followed (1:3-2:8). Now his faith in God has been shaken, and his earlier zeal for God has dissipated. A man well versed in the Torah (1:8) should know that God will reward those who remain faithful to the covenant (e.g., Deut 28:1-14; 30:15-20),''^ but Tobif will nof lisfen. He is too absorbed in his own pain to see the hopeful fmth fhaf Raphael pufs before him. Ignoring his guesf's exhortation, Tobit shifts the conversation to fhe proposed trip to Media, and it is here thaf Raphael uses misinformation to test Tobit. Several of the angel's statements should arouse Tobit's suspicion, but he is too preoccupied with money and lineage to notice. Raphael gives Tobit a phony name and ancestry, claiming to be Azariah, the son of Tobit's kinsman Hananiah (5:13). The name Azariah is a good "Hebrew masculine name," and the "theophoric ending -yah" is suitable for the period of the exile,''-' but the mention of Hananiah should give Tobit pause. Tobit indeed has a kinsman by that name, but Raphael offers no proof that he is related to Hananiah apart from acknowledging that he 133

has heard of him. Kinship should manifest itself in physical resemblance such as similar facial feattires, and other characters in the story are quick to pick up on these when they meet Tobiah; Raguel and Gabael both remark that the young man looks just like his father (7:2; 9:6). Yef Tobit here does not show the same attention to detail. In fact, for all Tobit knows, Raphael could be a stranger who has met Hananiah and is now pretending to be related to him.'''' Whereas Tobit had been pertinacious in "" In S, Raphael tells Tobit twice to take courage, although most manuscripts (319, La, and the Vg) have only one occurrence. ^^ Tobit draws heavily on Deuteronomic theology. See Alexander A. Di Leila, "The Deuteronomic Background of the Farewell Discourse in Tob 14:3-11," CBQ 41 (1979) 380-89; Steven Weitzman, "Allusion, Artifice, and Exile in the Hymn of Tobit," JBL 115 (1996) 49-61. « Fitzmyer, ro6/i, 192,92. •" According to Soil ("Family as Scriptural and Social Construct in Tobit," 169), such contrivance on the part of Raphael would not be a problem for Tobit, since genealogical information at the time "may well have been the subject of plausible invention. The genealogies of preindustrial societies fundamentally deal with values that are so important that if suitable pedigrees cannot be discovered they must be invented." Soil, however, adduces no biblical examples to support his claims but relies solely on socialscientific studies. In fact, there is no instance where a biblical char504 his questioning initially, he curtails the interrogation once he receives a favorable, though unsubstantiated, answer. Tobit is too excited by the mention ofhis relative to think clearly, accepting Raphael's word without scrutinizing his claims.'*' Tobit should be unsettled also by Raphael's apparent ineptitude as a fravel guide. The angel claims to know all the routes to Media well (5:10), but his statements about the terrain suggest otherwise. He fries to assuage Tobit's anxiefy by telling him, "In good health we will return to you, for the way is safe" (5:16). Tobit, however, has traversed these roads before as Shalmaneser's purchasing agent (1:14), and he remembers just how treacherous those roads had become. Tobit could no longer go to Media because of the danger (1:15). The potential hazard in making this journey is precisely why Tobit instructs his son to find a travel guide in the first place. When Tobiah and Raphael do make the joiuney, they encounter an enormous, aggressive fish that tries to swallow Tobiah's foot (6:3). These roads are not safe at all, and a veteran of these byways should be skeptical of the angel's false assurances, not pacified by them. Tobit also has an opportunify to test Raphael's geographical knowledge but declines to do so. He instructs his son to bring Raphael to him in order to determine "if he is trustworthy enough to fravel with you" (5:9), but Tobit makes a feeble attempt to evaluate Raphael's skills as a travel guide. He asks the man only if he can go with his son to Media, to which Raphael replies that he has been there numerous times and knows every road well (5:10). Tobit is likewise familiar with the region and could thus quiz Raphael about every detail of the route from Nineveh to Rages. Yet he takes Raphael at his word without questioning it. A responsible father would have reacted differently, pressing the man to see how well he knows the territory. If Tobit had been more inquisitive, he would have forced Raphael to repeat the same inaccurate statements he made to Tobiah earlier. In the previous scene, Raphael told Tobiah that Rages is a two-day jotxmey from Ecbatana and that the former lies in the mountains while the latter is on the plain (5:6). These distances and elevations are 134

erroneous. The relative heights should be reversed; Ecbatana is not on a plain but lies 2,010 meters about sea level, and Rages is not in the mountains but lower than Ecbatana, situated at 1,132 meters above sea level. Moreover, acter assumes an entire lineage that is not his own. Moreover, Soil does not read the text of Tob 5:12 carefully. Tobit demands "to know the truth [xà Kax' àXiiBeiav] about whose son you are and what your name is" and so would not be interested in a fictitious lineage. '" The name Hananiah also is an intriguing choice by the angel, for it is a further, albeit subtle, clue that Raphael is lying. At least fourteen people bear that name in the OT, although most are inconsequential figures mentioned in genealogical lists (e.g., 1 Chr 8:24). Only two of these appear as characters in a narrative, and only one has an active role: the false prophet Hananiah who opposes Jeremiah in Jeremiah 28. (The other character named Hananiah is one of Daniel's companions in Dan 1:6.) Just as the prophet Hananiah had misrepresented the truth, so also does Raphael. the distance between the two cities is 325 kilometers, and no matter how fleet of foot a traveling band might be, they could not complete the trip in two days.''* Tobit would know this, but to his discredit, he never probes further to verify Raphael's claims. Instead, Tobit is a negligent father who sends his only son on a perilous journey with a man who claims without proof to be related to him, who claims without proof to know the way, and who gives false assurances about the safety of a route that Tobit knows full well is dangerous. Tobit is not thinking enough about his son's welfare because he allows himself to be disfracted by peripheral matters: the money he left with Gabael and Raphael's genealogical pedigree. Tobit's preoccupation with the money is evident at the end of chap. 4 and beginning of chap. 5 when he tells his son about ten talents of silver he deposited with Gabael. Over the span of five verses (4:20-5:3), Tobit mentions money (àpcpuptov) four times. By contrast, he mentions only once that his son should find a trustworthy (maTÓc;) guide (5:3). The emphasis should have been the other way around, but money is at the forefront of his mind and has impaired his judgment. Tobit's judgment is clouded also by his fixation on proper lineage. When Raphael enters his home, Tobit asks him only two questions: whether he is able to show Tobiah the way to Media, and to which family and fribe he belongs. The second question seems to hold greater weight for him than the first, for Raphael's intentionally inadequate answer to the first query elicits no reaction from Tobit; he is too eager to move onto the second. After Tobit receives the answer he wants to hear, his speech becomes more spirited and long-winded, and he prattles on about the nobility of Azariah's line and the righteousness of a few of his relatives ''* Fitzmyer, Tobit, 189. The army of Alexander the Great needed ten days to make the trip. Even if Alexander took an indirect route (J. Marquant, "Alexanders Marsch von Persepolis nach Herat," Philologus Supplementband 10 [ 1907] 19-71, here 21 ) or was delayed by battles (J. Siebert, Die Eroberung des Perserreiches durch Alexander d. Gr. auf kartographischer Grundlage [Beihefte zur Tübinger Atlas des vorderen Orients B series 68; Wiesbaden: Reichert, 1985] 112), a twoday trek of 325 kilometers would be impossible. Most modem scholars attribute this geographical blunder to ignorance on the part of the author of Tobit, who makes a similar mistake regarding the sequence of kings in 1:15. Shalmaneser was not succeeded by Sennacherib, nor was he the father of Sennacherib. These discrepancies, however, do not necessarily refiect poorly on the author's geographical and historical knowledge. The 135

error in 1:15 may stem from the author's reliance on the inaccurate king lists of 2 Kgs 17:1-6 and 18:9-13 (Nowell, "Book of Tobit," 45; Fitzmyer, Tobit, 32 n. 107). As for the erroneous claims about Rages and Ecbatana, at least one scholar views them as intentional (Amy-Jill Levine, "Diaspora as Metaphor: Bodies and Boundaries in the Book of Tobit," in Diaspora Jews and Judaism: Essays in Honor of, and in Dialogue with, A. Thomas Kraabel [ed. J. Andrew Overman and Robert S. MacLennan; South Florida Studies in the History of Judaism 41 ; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1992] 105-17, here 107), and this seems most plausible since it is Raphael who utters them. Given his other deliberately fallacious statements in chap. 5 (i.e., that he is an Israelite, that his name is Azariah, that he is Tobit's kinsman, that he is the son of Hananiah, and that the road to Media is safe), this geographical misinformation is merely another one of his lies. (5:14). Tobit is so exuberant about Raphael's supposed lineage that he devotes a disproportionate amount of the conversation to this point. Elsewhere in the dialogue, Tobit speaks in shorter statements, the longest of which is twenty-seven words,'" but his harangue in v. 14 lasts for nearly seventy words. There is no doubt where Tobit's interest lies. To be sure, kinship is one of the story's dominant motifs, and the author stresses the importance of family throughout the narrative. Tobit, however, goes too far and must be faulted for being "obsessed with tribe and family.'"'^ He has valued extended kinship more dearly than near kinship, so overjoyed at meeting a cousin that he forgets about his more immediate relations. Dearer to him than a near relative should be his nearest relative, namely, his son, and a good parent would not entrust his child to someone who feigns kinship without sufficient proof Responsible parenthood is demonstrated instead by Anna, who serves as a foil to her husband in this episode. Tobit does not have his priorities straight, and his wife's rebuke highlights his oversight. She is content to live in poverty as long as Tobiah is safe: "Don't let money come first! Rather let it be a ransom for our son! What the Lord has given us to live on is certainly enough for us" (5:19-20). Tobit could benefit from his wife's advice, not only because she puts family and money in proper perspective but also because she trusts in God's providence, something Tobit failed to accept earlier. But Tobit will not listen to her, nor does he recognize the angel's tests. He is blind both literally and figuratively, unable to see what truly matters.'" B. Tobit Eventually Passes the Tests Fortunately, Tobit's failure is temporary. In chap. 11, Tobiah returns home with wife, money, and dowry in tow. In contrast to chap. 5, where Tobit could not stop talking about the money, Tobit never broaches the subject of the ten talents. Monetary concerns have fallen by the wayside, and Tobit finally puts his son first. Once he regains his sight, his first act is to embrace Tobiah and bless God because he sees his son again, not because he has acquired much property. The topic of the •" Outside of V. 14, Tobit's questions and statements total twenty-two, eleven, thirteen, twentyseven, and four words respectively. Word counts are based on the text of G", not including minor variants that would not affect the total number greatly. "8 David McCracken, "Narration and Comedy in the Book of Tobit," J5L 114 (1995) 401-18, here 414. '" The multidimensional nature of Tobit's blindness is further explored by Micah D. Kiel ("Tobit's Theological Blindness," CBQ 73 [2011] 281-98), who claims that Tobit is unable to see the truth about divine retribution. His recovery of sight in chap. 12 coincides with a new theological insight whereby Tobit begins to appreciate the complex ways in which 136

God responds to human conduct. money never comes up until Tobiah informs his father about it. Tobit, however, does not show any interest in the money but immediately goes out to meet Sarah at the city gate before she arrives and welcomes her as a family member. He calls her "my daughter" four times in one verse (11:17),^'' again illusfrating his newfound priorities. He focuses all his energy, attention, and affection on those dearest to him, which now includes this recent addition to the family, and he pays no heed to the money he was so concemed about earlier. In the ensuing discussion with Tobiah at the beginning of chap. 12, family trumps money once again. Familial terminology is used three times over four verses ("son" twice in 12:1, 4 and "father" once in 12:2).^' Financial matters resurface, but this time Tobit displays generosity in giving away money rather than desiring to regain it. He tells Tobiah that he is willing to give an enormous sum to Azariah for his work (half of the money and the dowry), showing that amassing wealth is not important to him after all (12:4). Tobit also passes the angel's other test, professing his trust in God and blessing God for divine providential care. As Tobiah approaches his father and uses the fish gall to heal him, he tells Tobit the same thing that the angel had said earlier, "Take courage" (Gápoei; 11:11). This time Tobit responds with rejoicing rather than sulking. He blesses (euXoYnfóc;) God three times in 11:14-15, bestowing consummate praise on the Almighty.^^ Tobit also acknowledges that God scourged him previously yet now shows him mercy (11:14-15). The man who had doubted God's providence in chap. 5 now announces it for all to hear, confidently proclaiming that God has been working in his life all along. in. Conclusion Once Tobit has proven himself a responsible father and faithful Jew, Raphael's mission has been completed, and he can finally divulge the truth: he is an angel sent by God to heal and to test (12:14-15). With this revelation—and only with this revelation—can Tobit and Tobiah recognize who Raphael is and why he has behaved thus. The same holds true for exegetes. It is only after learning that Raphael has been testing Tobit that readers can consfrue the angel's words and fourfold use of familial language countermands the fourfold mention of money in 4:20-5:3. Whereas Tobit's earlier enthusiasm was misplaced, his current ebullience is justified. Now he has found something more valuable than silver ' ' The versions are in general agreement about the number of occurrences of "son" and "father," but with minor exceptions. The first occurrence of "son" is omitted in d, most La MSS, and the Vg, and the last mention of "son" is missing in d and Syr '^ Since the number 3 denotes the superlative degree (Marvin H. Pope, "Number, Numbering, and Numbers," IDB, 3:561-67, here 564), Tobit blesses God with the highest blessing. In the third occurrence of eùXoYnxot;, Anna joins Tobit in blessing God in d, Syr, and some La MSS. deeds correctly. Earlier commentators have ignored this hermeneutical key and have arrived at only partial insights into why Raphael acts deceptively. An angelic pseudonym is permissible given the book's literary genre and contributes to the pervading theme of irony in the tale. The alias "Azariah" is nof literally tme but figuratively, and, given the circumstances, a false name is the angel's best option. He does not want to encroach upon the free will of the human characters, yet, like the divine herald of Judges 13, he must maintain the upper hand in this relationship and achieve the objective(s) for which he was sent. Lastly, other messengers sent by God also use surreptitious and even mendacious means to accomplish their aims, and Raphael is no different. 137

All these observations are incisive, buf fhey fail to account for each of fhe angel's lies in the book, and they overlook the testing funcfion of Raphael's dishonesty. The angel tests Tobit to see if he is as good as he claims fo be (1:3-2:10), especially in terms of his tmst in God's providence and his priorities as a father. Periodically in the biblical corpus, God tests the righteous to see if they are worthy (e.g.. Gen 22:1-18; Job 1:6-2:10; Wis 3:5), and Tobit is a parade example. His case is a bit unusual in that an angel administers fhe tests, but there is nothing exceptional about the tester's methods. The use of deception in order to test God's people is more commonplace in fhe QT than scholars have realized, and a reexamination of the relationship between deception and testing would be beneficial, particularly in the passages from 1 Kings cited in this article. The presence of both is not always apparent on a first reading, but, much like the disguised angel of the Book of Tobit, appearances can be deceiving. Copyright of Catholic Biblical Quarterly is the property of Catholic Biblical Association of America and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.

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