Note: Raphael makes his appearance in the Book of Tobit. To fully appreciate his role, take a few minutes and read the this short chapter in the Bible or read Fr. Brooms’ article.
Travelers. He led young Tobit safely to the home of his future bride and spouse Sara. May Raphael accompany us and save us from the many dangers we experience on our journey to heaven.
Future Spouses. It was Raphael that brought both Tobit Jr. and Sarah together as future spouses. Today more than ever let us consecrate our young people to Raphael so that he might help them to make the right decision with respect to their marriage vocation. One wrong choice can prove catastrophic. May this holy Angel give them light and wisdom on this all-important choice.
Purity. Before they married they prayed together, expressing their desire not to marry due to lust but for the noble purpose of forming a family. May our young people, through the intercession of Saint Raphael, pursue holiness of mind, feelings, body, thought and action!
Happy Meetings. Furthermore, St. Raphael is the patron of happy meetings or encounters. He was the one that presented the young couple to each other by travelling with Tobit Jr. How often do we have meetings and encounters on a daily basis? How often these meetings start with tensions and end worse? Why not make it a common practice to invite the Archangel Raphael to be with you in your daily encounters with people. Beyond a shadow of doubt the meetings will be more peaceful and bear more abundant fruit. Try it!
Joy. Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel, insists on being missionaries to the whole world, in bringing the Good News of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to all people. However, the Pope insists that we cannot be walking around with a funeral face, but must radiate the joy of the Risen Jesus! The Archangel Raphael, by his powerful intercession and will of Almighty God, transformed tragedy and utter despair into an overflowing and exultant joy! Blindness into sight and death into the joy of married love! May you choose the Archangel Raphael to be your travelling companion in life and he will preserve you in a constant state of joy of heart. Saint Paul exhorts us: “Rejoice in the Lord; I say it once again: rejoice in the Lord!” (Phil. 4:4)
Patron of eyes. It was through the intercession of the Archangel Saint Raphael that this poor blind man, Tobit Sr. recovered his sight, by the application of the remains of the fish. How important today in our modern society to consecrate our eyes to Saint Raphael, Saint Lucy, and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In a pornographic society where so many people are addicted to the impure image—TV., internet, movies, indecent magazines, billboards, etc.—we must have some powerful intervention. May Saint Raphael help us to walk on the path of holiness and purity. May he help us to avoid the near occasion of sin; may he help us to control our eyes which are truly the mirror of our soul. May this great angel help us to live out the Beatitude: “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God.” (Mt. 5:8)
Patron of Prayer, Thanks and Praise. At the end of this heart-warming story, the Archangel Raphael does not attribute the triumphs and successes to himself. On the contrary, the angel points to God and praises and thanks God and invites Tobit, the family as well as all of us to render praise and thanksgiving to God who is the author of all good gifts—sight, health, healing, marriages and vocations. May this Glorious Archangel foster in our hearts an attitude of perpetual gratitude and a desire to constantly praise the good God for all the gifts He has so generously bestowed upon us.
In conclusion, you are never alone! Starting today, why not embrace a new friend, and angelic friend, an Archangel—Raphael. Ask him to walk with you, to accompany you, to be with you, to guide and protect you, to fill you with both purity and over-flowing joy. He longs for your friendship. If accepted he will be your strong and faithful friend on earth in time and for all eternity in heaven. Saint Raphael, be with us; walk with us; pray for us; be our dear and constant friend!
Note: This article was edited for space. Please go to Fr. Broom’s blog for the full story of St. Raphael and Tobias.
