We are in a chapter in life where our oldest is learning his prayer to the angels. He recites it in Spanish and then in English. It is interesting that after the Sign of the Cross, this prayer before bedtime is a strong remidner of God’s presence with us.

September 29 is the patronal feast day of Mount Angel Abbey. The whole monastic community, seminary, and oblates honor the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael! It is also known as Michaelmas. In Christ, we celebrate this feast recognizing the dynamic help of spiritual beings in the invisible world.

The words of today’s Communion Antiphon catch my attention on this feast day: “I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart; in the presence of the Angels, I will praise you.” Always in their company, the angels help us praise God in the assembly.

Archangels have played a significant role in the salvation! Who are the three Archangels we celebrate today?

Michael. In today’s liturgy, we read from Revelation an account of Michael’s battle with Satan:

Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. Although the dragon and his angels fought back, they were overpowered and lost their place in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent known as the devil or Satan, the seducer of the whole world, was driven out; he was hurled down to earth and his minions with him.

Michael reminds us that God will fight our battles for us. Michael will defeat all evil. Do not fear evil. In 1884, Pope Leo XIII composed the well known prayer to this protector. Say it often!

Gabriel. Gabriel is the Archangel who brought the Good News of salvation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Archangel greets the Virgin with “Ave!” It is a royal greeting to this simple Jewish girl. After this royal greeting, the Greek word that expresses “full of grace” is Kecharitomene. It suggests that since the beginning of her existence, Mary overflowed with God’s favor, protection, and love and “listens and lives in the Word of God, who cherishes in her heart the words that God addresses to her and, piecing them together like a mosaic, learns to understand them” (Pope Benedict XVI, December 8, 2005 homily). Gabriel is a reminder that God has a specific plan for me. We must list to the angels, they will show us the path of goodness and life.

Raphael. The name means Medicine of God. Raphael is the Archangel who cared for Tobias on his journey. He cured the sight of his father, Tobit, with the heart, liver, and gall of a fish (Tobit 6:9). Raphael reminds us that we are invited to entrust our lives to our loving God who desires to heal me that I might live.

These three archangels are defenders of Mount Angel, a mount of communion. We ascend the mount to meet God and from this mount, we are sent as messengers into every corner of the world.

The angels are more present in our lives than we realize. They are our companions and defenders who help us fight our battles. We turn to them without hesitation. While monks chant the divine praises, all who chant with them are formed and sent from the hill. We descend onto the plane and announce the good news of Christ risen from the dead.

As a side note, there is another abbey that holds Saint Michael close to their heart. Saint Michael Abbey in Orange County has a beautiful story of its origin, very fitting for this feast day.