Saint Raphael The Archangel: My Guardian Archangel

It brought chills down my spine. After watching an IMAX movie at MOA yesterday, I dropped by this exhibit about the Shroud of Turin. At first I thought it was just a walk-in exhibit but actually, it was a walk-through exhibit. What I mean is, there was a tour guide who would lead you through every step of the way. And it was not just an exhibit of pictures. There were "choreographed" diorama presentations and film showings. All in all the entire exhibit tour was around 30-45 mins. At the end of the exhibit of course is the display of the replica of the shroud itself. Adjoining the room where the replica was displayed was a gallery of pictures, an adoration chapel and a religious shop. In the religious shop the Sisters were selling archangel figurines. "Know Your Archangel" it said. So I was curious to know who my "archangel" so I asked.

They asked me for my birthdate. I told them and I was told that I was born on a Tuesday. "Your archangel therefore is St. Raphael," one of the sisters said. St. Raphael appears in the Old Testament, in the book of Tobit. His name in Arabic is Israfil, اسرافيل. According to the account in the book of Tobit, Raphael first appears disguised in human form as the travelling companion of the younger Tobias, calling himself "Azarias the son of the great Ananias". During the adventurous course of the journey the archangel's protective influence is shown in many ways including the binding of the demon in the desert of upper Egypt. After the return and the healing of the blindness of the elder Tobias, Azarias makes himself known as "the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord" Tobit 12:15.

Raphael is revered by Catholics as patron of travellers. In fact, during our travel to Cebu City for the medical boards, one of the saints we invoked was Saint Raphael. The other one was St. Michael.

In Islam Tradition, Israfil is the Angel responsible for signalling the coming of Judgment Day by blowing a horn and sending out a "Blast of Truth".

Modern occultists sometimes associate Raphael with the colors yellow or gold and emerald green, the direction East (or West) and the element Air. In Art, he is usually depicted carrying a pair of fish and a travelling staff. Other titles attributed to Raphael include the angel of prayer, love, joy, light, as well as the guardian of both the Tree of Life and of humanity.

I was happy to receive Saint Raphael as my personal Archangel. I feel that I should start a devotion to him. I bought a figurine of the Archangel and decided to place it on the table of my clinic to remind me of his guidance and presence. Whenever I consult patients, I shall invoke his help and guidance, so that whatever I will do with regards to my patients will be for the glory of God and the healing of my patients, if noy physically, at least emotionally.

By the way, Saint Raphael is also the patron of Doctors. He is the Archangel of Healing. In Hebrew רפאל, Raphael means "God Heals". The Hebrew word for a doctor of medicine is Rophe connected to the same root word as Raphael.

It is no coincidence therefore that as a doctor, my patron archangel is a "doctor" as well. When I told this to the Sisters, they were amazed. What a "blessing" they said, to have a patron archangel associated with one's profession. Earlier, a person asked for his own archangel and He got St. Uriel, the Angel of Justice. Coincidentally, that person was a lawyer.

Saint Raphael, pray for us.