The Archangel Raphael -- Who Is He ?
His name meaning "God Heals" or the "Divine Helper", the Archangel Raphael is mentioned in Scripture in only one book, that of Tobias. And it is as a healer, guide, matchmaker and exorcist that Raphael accomplished the mission to him by God.
The events began when the young Tobias was sent to a distant city by his father, who was also named Tobias, to collect money that was owed to him by a man named Gabelus. Before setting out, Tobias looked about for a traveling companion, and as Scripture reveals: "Tobias going forth found a beautiful young man, standing girded, and as it were ready to walk. And not knowing that he was an angel of God, he saluted him and said: From whence art thou, good young man?" (Tobias 5: 5-6).
The angel's answer was: "Of the children of Israel."
After assuring Tobias that he knew the way to Rages, in the country of Medes, the angel agreed to serve as a guide. Taking the young man to meet his blind father, Tobias introduced them. During a brief exchange, the young man told the elder Tobias, "Be of good courage, thy cure from God is at hand." (Tobias 5: 13).
Since Tobias was an only child his mother was very fearful that he would not return safely to them, but the elder Tobias, not knowing that the young man was an angel, comforted his wife by telling her: "Weep not; our son will arrive thither safe, and will return safe to us, and thy eyes shall see him. For I believe that the good angel of God doth accompany him, and doth order all things well that are done about him so that he shall return to us with joy." (Tobias 5:26-27).
Accompanied by the family dog, Tobias and Raphael set out and spent the first night by the river Tigris. When Tobias went to the water to wash his feet, "behold a monstrious fish came up to devour him." (Tobias 6:2). Tobias, very much afraid, called to Raphael for help, but on the angel's advice and being inspired with confidence, Tobias grabbed the fish by the gill and brought it ashore.
Raphael then instructed him, "Take out the entrails of this fish, and lay up his heart, and his gall, and his liver for thee: for these are necessary for useful medicines." (Tobias 6:5). He then explained the cures that would be obtained by the application of these parts. When Tobias asked where they should stay during the second night, the angel answered, "Here is one whose name is Raguel, a near kinsman of thy tribe, and he hath a daughter named Sara...Ask her therefore of her father , and he will give her thee to wife." (Tobias 6:11, 13).
At the advice of the archangel, Tobias asked Sara's father for her hand in marriage, which was granted. However, despite her good character, Sara was plagued by an evil spirit. In order to defeat this devil, Tobias heeded St. Raphael's advice regarding the useful parts of the fish he had caught. On his wedding night, Tobias "took out of his bag part of the fish liver and laid it upon the burning coals. Then the angel Raphael took the devil and bound him in the desert of upper Egypt." (Tobias 8: 2,3).
(to be continued....)
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