Have you a favorite? Mine would easily be Raphael, the emissary sent to respond to the prayers of Sarah and Tobit. Each in turn prayed for death as a better alternative to their sufferings. Sarah had been afflicted by a demon who murdered seven husbands in turn on their wedding night. Tobit was blinded by bird droppings and suffered the ignominity of an uppity wife who received a generous bonus for freelance weaving.
Instead of death, Raphael came to Earth in human form to arrange for the healing of these two people, the future wife and the father of the young adventurer Tobiah.
On the road, the menu of choice for Raphael and Tobiah was broiled fish. It would seem a simple angel food cake needs a little kicking up for an archangelic feast. I remember pouring a little angel food batter into the cake tin, then sprinkling a layer of cinnamon, then more batter, more cinnamon, etc.. Instead of plain cinnamon, maybe add a little ground cloves and cardamom.
Whichever angel is your favorite, and however you celebrate the day, keep in mind the qualities these beings bring to the Christian believer. Raphael, for example, was not only a healer, but also a guide, a teacher, a mentor to the young, a matchmaker, and a friend. Many of those qualities serve parents, teachers, and leaders quite well.
29 September 2008 at 4:42 pm
My favorite is also Raphael. I like the Tobit story. There’s a great painting of it by Jan Steen – The Wedding Night of Tobias and Sarah.
29 September 2008 at 5:28 pm
My fave is Gabriel, one of the patron saints of communicators. You’re invited to visit my blog to read what I had to say about Gabriel today.
29 September 2008 at 6:56 pm
I adopted St Raphael as my patron in midlife for the reasons you illustrate, Todd.
29 September 2008 at 9:01 pm
Friends of mine used Raphael for one of the names of a baby son who nearly didn’t make it after suffering brain injury at birth. They felt he had been ‘looked after’. And despite the fact one neurologist was ready to fly him back to his home hospital “to die”, he is now a vigorous teen with only minimal signs of his birth trauma.