St. Raphael: “Healer of God”

One of seven archangels who stand before the Lord’s throne, Raphael is one of three angels mentioned by name in the Bible with Michael and Gabriel. The name Raphael means “Healer of God.” In the book of Tobit, God sent Raphael to earth to help Tobit, his son Tobiah and Sarah, Tobiah’s betrothed. Raphael guided Tobiah through difficulties and showed him the safest way to enter into the marriage to Sarah.

Remember, Sarah’s previous seven bridegrooms had each been killed by a demon on their wedding night. In tomorrow’s devotion, we will share their prayer together to drive out the demon.

Raphael also cured Tobit’s blindness and allowed him to see the light of heaven. Because Raphael was Tobiah’s traveling companion, he is a patron of travelers and immigrants. He is the heavenly advocate of love and happy meetings. His restoration of site to Tobit leads many who are blind or suffer from diseases of the eye to turn to him.

As the “Healer of God,” he is also the patron of physicians, nurses, and pharmacists as well as people with physical, mental, and spiritual illnesses.