In the book In Caelo et in Terra, we read today about St Raphael the Archangel. This angel is named in the book of Tobit. There are three angels named in the Bible: Raphael, Gabriel, and Michael. There are four more archangels, but we don't know the names of the other four. You might read names for them online or in books, including names like Uriel or Barachiel, but those names are not recognized by the church and are discouraged because it is dangerous to act in the spiritual realm unless we're sure what we're doing. There ARE spirits that we do not want to contact or interact with, so the three angels we DO talk to (ask for their help and intercession) are the three named above. The only other angel we know the name of is Lucifer, who later became Satan.
The book also correctly points out that these angels, and the other angelic beings named in the Bible, are not humans and have never BEEN humans. They are especially created spiritual beings that God made for specific purposes. However, it SHOULD be pointed out that the word "angel" means "messenger", and since people are sometimes used as messengers, we can technically say that humans CAN be angels in a sense. But there ARE separate beings called angels, and they are the ones named above.
You can read more about Raphael here.
Did you know that you have your own guardian angel? Every believer has one. I just learned that this week. I thought all human beings had a guardian angel, but I read in the Catechism this week that all BELIEVERS have guardian angels. I wonder if they're assigned when we're baptized?
God, thanks for the healing power of Raphael, the archangel. St Raphael, pray for us.
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