Today (or yesterday) (Tuesday) is / was the feast of the Archangel Raphael (cf. Tobit). Happy feast! I thought the fourth verse, below, particularly appropriate given all my thoughts turning on Church unity lately. Stay tuned for another post on the subject. And in the meantime: St. Raphael and all ye holy Angels and Archangels, guard and defend us!
The Father's pardon from above
O Christ, bestow; thy servants spare;
And bending from thy throne of love,
Regard the blessed Virgin's prayer.
Be ever nigh, Archangel pure,
Whose name proclaims God's healing blest;
Bring to the ailing body cure,
And solace to the mind distressed.
Bright Angels, happy evermore,
Who in your circles nine ascend,
As ye have guarded us before,
So may ye still our steps defend.
So may the realms of faith be blest,
So unbelief be chased away,
Till all within one fold find rest,
Secure beneath one Shepherd's sway.
To God the Father glory be,
Praise to the Saviour, Christ our Lord,
Praise, Holy Spirit, unto thee;
And may God's Angels be our ward. Amen.
2 comments:
I meant to post the hymn for yesterday's feast, but work got in the way of devotion, regretably.
A question: Where is that beautiful image from?
-j
Michael and Gabriel are (arch)angels so identified in Holy Scripture. Do we have an authoritative scriptural source (other than Dante or Tobit) to believe there actually is an Angel named Raphael? I love the name, it can be translated "Dr. God."
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