The Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael
September 29 is the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels, observed with Lectionary 647. The feast recalls three archangels named in Sacred Scripture and presents the angels as servants of God, messengers of divine providence, and witnesses to the glory of Christ.
Although September 29 falls outside the liturgical season of Advent, the readings offer a clear pattern for Advent preparation. They direct attention toward the coming of Christ, the opening of heaven, the victory of God over evil, and the mission entrusted to those who serve the Church.
Today’s Daily Mass Readings
- First Reading, Option A: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
- First Reading, Option B: Revelation 12:7-12ab
- Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5
- Responsorial Psalm Response: “In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.”
- Gospel Acclamation: Psalm 103:21
- “Bless the LORD, all you angels, you ministers, who do his will.”
- Gospel: John 1:47-51
These daily Mass readings place the archangels within the wider mystery of salvation. Daniel describes the Ancient One surrounded by heavenly ministers and the Son of Man receiving everlasting dominion. Revelation presents Michael and his angels resisting the dragon. Psalm 138 gives voice to praise before the angels. In the Gospel, Jesus promises Nathanael that heaven will be opened and that the angels of God will ascend and descend upon the Son of Man.
Reflection on the Gospel: “You Will See Heaven Opened”
The Gospel begins with Jesus seeing Nathanael and declaring him to be “a true child of Israel” without duplicity. Nathanael is surprised that Jesus knows him. The Lord then reveals knowledge of Nathanael’s hidden moment beneath the fig tree.
The exchange moves from recognition to revelation. Nathanael begins by asking whether anything good can come from Nazareth. After encountering Jesus, Nathanael confesses Him as the Son of God and King of Israel. Jesus responds by promising a greater manifestation: “You will see greater things than this.”
The image of heaven opened recalls Jacob’s vision of a ladder joining heaven and earth. In the Gospel, however, the connection is no longer represented primarily by a ladder. Christ Himself is the meeting place between heaven and earth. The angels ascend and descend upon the Son of Man because Jesus is the definitive revelation of the Father and the center of the communion between God and humanity.
The archangels serve this mystery. Michael is associated with the defense of God’s people and the struggle against evil. Gabriel announces God’s saving purposes, most fully in the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary. Raphael accompanies and heals, as described in the Book of Tobit. Each name and mission points beyond the angel to the God who sends the angel.
A Catholic daily reflection on this feast therefore does not focus on angels as independent spiritual figures. It recognizes them as ministers who direct attention toward God’s holiness, Christ’s authority, and the fulfillment of divine providence.
Angels and Advent Preparation
Advent preparation involves learning to recognize the ways in which God is already acting. Nathanael initially does not expect the Messiah to come from Nazareth. His expectations limit his vision. Christ invites him to move beyond those assumptions and to remain open to the greater things God will reveal.
The same disposition belongs to Christian preparation:
- Attention allows the faithful to notice God’s presence in Scripture, worship, and daily responsibilities.
- Truthfulness reflects Nathanael’s lack of duplicity and calls for an honest examination of conscience.
- Readiness prepares the heart to receive Christ rather than attempting to control the manner of His coming.
- Faithfulness enables Christians to serve according to the responsibilities entrusted to them.
- Hope rests on Christ’s promise that heaven is not closed to those who follow Him.
The angels are described in the Alleluia as ministers who do God’s will. Their example presents service as a central expression of holiness. Advent preparation is therefore not limited to private devotion. It also includes practical service, prayer for the Church, and support for those who are being formed to proclaim the Gospel.
Eucharist Reflection Catholic: Christ, the Living Bridge Between Heaven and Earth
The Eucharist makes present the sacrifice and victory of Jesus Christ. At Mass, the Church joins the praise of the angels and saints. The Responsorial Psalm expresses this communion: “In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.”
The Eucharistic celebration does not separate earthly worship from heavenly worship. Through Christ, the Church participates in the liturgy of heaven. The angels are servants of this divine praise, while the baptized are gathered into the one worship of the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit.
This Eucharist reflection Catholic readers may carry into the day has a direct consequence. The Eucharist forms the Church for service. Those who receive Christ are sent to strengthen the Church, assist the poor, encourage vocations, and support the proclamation of the Gospel in every place.
The Eucharist also illuminates the work of priests. Through the ministry of the priest, the Church receives the sacraments, hears the Word of God, and gathers for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The formation of priests in mission territories is therefore directly connected with the sacramental life of local Christian communities.
The Society of St. Peter the Apostle and Local Clergy Formation
The Society of St. Peter the Apostle was established to support the formation of local clergy in mission territories. Its history began in 1889 in France through the work of Stéphanie and Jeanne Bigard.
At the end of the nineteenth century, Bishop Jules-Alphonse Cousin, a missionary bishop in Japan and later Bishop of Nagasaki, faced serious financial difficulties in providing for young men preparing for the priesthood. He appealed to Stéphanie and Jeanne Bigard, who responded by organizing support for seminaries and indigenous vocations.
The Society developed from that response. Its purpose was, and remains, the strengthening of local Churches through the preparation of priests, religious brothers, and religious sisters who serve their own communities and cultures. The Society later received formal ecclesial recognition and became one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies.
The Society’s current support includes:
- Ordinary subsidies for the daily needs and formation of seminarians, novices, and religious sisters.
- Extraordinary subsidies for constructing and renovating seminaries.
- Funding for self-sustainability projects that assist formation houses over the long term.
- Mass intentions to assist seminary formators.
- Scholarships for future seminary educators.
This work reflects the missionary principle that local Churches should be strengthened through local leadership. The Society works with bishops and Christian communities so that the Church in mission territories can grow through properly formed indigenous clergy rather than through permanent dependence on foreign missionaries.
The angelic messengers in today’s readings serve according to God’s mission. In a comparable way, priests and religious are formed to serve the particular communities to which the Church sends them. Support for their formation contributes to the opening of new paths for the Gospel.
Prayerful Resolutions for Today
The following resolutions provide a practical response to the feast:
- The faithful can spend several minutes in silence before the day’s responsibilities, asking for greater attentiveness to God’s presence.
- The faithful can pray the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel, particularly for protection from evil and perseverance in Christian discipleship.
- The faithful can read John 1:47-51 slowly, considering where Christ may be inviting a deeper trust.
- The faithful can pray for seminarians, novices, religious sisters, and their formators in mission territories.
- The faithful can examine whether personal expectations prevent recognition of God’s work in an unexpected person or place.
- The faithful can make a concrete contribution to local clergy formation through the Society of St. Peter the Apostle.
Supporting the Formation of Missionary Clergy
Those seeking to support this mission may learn more through the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, make a contribution through the official giving page, or request a Mass intention through Request a Mass.
The Society of St. Peter the Apostle provides a specific way to connect Eucharistic faith, missionary responsibility, and the formation of future priests and religious. Its work has continued from the initiative of Stéphanie and Jeanne Bigard in 1889 to the needs of local Churches today.
Contact Information
The Pontifical Mission Societies
70 West 36th Street, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10018
Phone: 212-563-8700
Email: contact@pontificalmissions.org
Additional information is available through the Pontifical Mission Societies contact page.
On this feast, the Church praises God in the sight of the angels and looks toward Christ, the Son of Man, in whom heaven and earth are united. The Gospel promise remains: “You will see heaven opened.”