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St. RaphaelSt. Raphael, ArchangelFeast Day: September 29Patron Saint of Travellers and of Good Health Raphael is the name given to one of the seven archangels who stand beforethe throne of God. He figures prominently in the book of Tobit, a dramatictale in the Septuagint.Tobit is a man who has always obeyed the laws of God, yet in his oldage he has gone blind and is mocked by his townsmen. Sarah is a young womanplagued by a demon; she has been married seven times, but each time thedemon has killed her husband on their wedding night. Both Tobit and Sarahpray to God for deliverance, by death if necessary.In answer to their prayers, the Lord sends his archangel Raphael, whopresents himself to Tobit as a kinsman named Azarias. Tobit sends his son,Tobias, with Raphael to a town in Media on business. During their trip,they meet Raguel, Sarah's father, who turns out to be a distant relationand invites them to stay with him. As soon as Tobias meets Sarah, he demandsher hand in marriage. Initially reluctant, Raguel is persuaded by Raphaelto allow it, and on their wedding night Tobias follows Raphael's adviceand drives off the demon.When Tobias and his new bride return to his father, Raphael tells himhow to cure Tobit's blindness. Once Tobit's sight is restored, Raphaelreveals himself: "When you prayed with tears...I offered your prayers tothe Lord.... For I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand beforethe Lord." Tobit offers a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God, andthe book concludes with the happy news that he lived to see his great-grandchildren,while his son Tobit lived to see his own great-great-great-grandchildren.Tobit's beautiful prayer of rejoicing is used in the Divine Office,and the prayer Tobias and Sarah offered on their wedding night is usedat many wedding Masses, my own included:Tobias said, "Lord God of our father, may the heavens and theearth, and the sea, and the fountains, and the rivers, and all your creaturesthat are in them, bless you. You made Adam of the slime of the earth, andgave him Eve for a helper. And now, Lord, you know, that not forfleshly lust do I take my sister to wife, but only for the love of posterity,in which may your name be blessed for ever and ever."Sarah also said, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, and letus grow old both together in health." [Tobit 7-10]Some commentators have conjectured that Raphael is referred to in the Gospelof John:Now there is at Jerusalem a pond, called Probatica, which in Hebrewis named Bethsaida, having five porches. In these lay a great multitudeof sick, of blind, of lame, of withered; waiting for the moving of thewater. And an angel of the Lord descended at certain times into thepond; and the water was moved. And he that went down first into the pondafter the motion of the water, was made whole, of whatsoever infirmityhe lay under. [John 5:2-4]The conjecture is based on the meaning of Raphael's name -- "God has healed"-- and on his role as healer in Tobit. This passage from John is also theGosepl of the Mass of St. Raphael, implying a certain official sanctionof this conjecture.There is a Litany of St. Raphael, found here;for a wallet-sized copy, go here. Return to my PatronSaintspage.Page maintained by TomKreitzberg. Comments, suggestions, corrections, arguments, and questionsare welcome. Last modified July 1, 1998. |
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