``Where
the Bishop is, there let the multitude of believers be;
even as where Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church'' Ignatius of
Antioch, 1st c. A.D
Feast of St. Gabriel the Archangel
There are seven
archangels in all, but only the three named in Sacred
Scripture are celebrated liturgically. First comes today's Feast, the
Feast of St. Gabriel, on March 25, the day before the Annunciation. Then comes the Feast of St. Michael, on
September 29, which is followed by the Feast
of St. Raphael on October 25. In between is the Feast of the Guardian Angels, on
October 2.
Gabriel, whose name means "Strength of God," acts as God's messenger
angel We first hear of him by name in the Book of Daniel, when
Daniel had a vision he didn't understand, and St. Gabriel interpreted
it for him:
Daniel 8:15-19
And it came to pass when I Daniel saw the vision, and sought
the meaning, that behold there stood before me as it were the
appearance of a man. And I heard the voice of a man between Ulai: and
he called, and said: Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
And he came and stood near where I stood: and when he was come, I fell
on my face trembling, and he said to me: Understand, O son of man, for
in the time of the end the vision shall be fulfilled. And when he spoke
to me I fell flat on the ground: and he touched me, and set me upright,
And he said to me: I will shew thee what things are to come to pass in
the end of the malediction: for the time hath its end.
After praying for Israel and pondering the prophecies of Jeremias,
Gabriel explains the prophecy to him:
Daniel 9:2-3;
21-23
The first year of his reign, I Daniel understood by books the
number of the years, concerning which the word of the Lord came to
Jeremias the prophet, that seventy years should be accomplished of the
desolation of Jerusalem. And I set my face to the Lord my God, to pray
and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes...
...As I was yet speaking in prayer, behold the man Gabriel,
whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, flying swiftly touched
me at the time of the evening sacrifice. And he instructed me, and
spoke to me, and said: O Daniel, I am now come forth to teach thee, and
that thou mightest understand. From the beginning of thy prayers the
word came forth: and I am come to shew it to thee, because thou art a
man of desires: therefore do thou mark the word, and understand the
vision.
Then we don't hear of Gabriel again by name until he appears to the
aged
Zachary to tell him that his theretofore barren wife will give birth to
a boy they'll name John (the great John the Baptist):
Luke 1:11-20
And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on
the right side of the altar of incense. And Zachary seeing him, was
troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him: Fear not,
Zachary, for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear
thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John: And thou shalt have joy
and gladness, and many shall rejoice in his nativity. For he shall be
great before the Lord; and shall drink no wine nor strong drink: and he
shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And
he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias; that he
may turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the
incredulous to the wisdom of the just, to prepare unto the Lord a
perfect people.
And Zachary said to the angel: Whereby shall I know this? for I am an
old man, and my wife is advanced in years.
And the angel answering, said to him: I am Gabriel, who stand before
God: and am sent to speak to thee, and to bring thee these good
tidings. And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be able to speak
until the day wherein these things shall come to pass, because thou
hast not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time.
Then, within months, he goes to Mary -- an event we celebrate tomorrow
-- and tells her that she will give birth to a Son she'll name Jesus,
and that He "shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most
High; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David his
father; and He shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of His
kingdom there shall be no end."
Luke 1:26-28:
And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God
into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man
whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was
Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Dante describes the scene of the Annunciation so beautifully in Canto
XXIII of his Paradiso,
referring to Gabriel as "Angelic Love":
Athwart the
heavens a little torch descended
Formed in a circle like a coronal,
And cinctured it, and whirled itself about
it.
Whatever melody most sweetly soundeth
On earth, and to itself most draws the
soul,
Would seem a cloud that, rent asunder,
thunders,
Compared unto the sounding of that lyre
Wherewith was crowned the sapphire
beautiful,
Which gives the clearest heaven its
sapphire hue.
“I am Angelic Love, that circle round
The joy sublime which breathes from out
the womb
That was the hostelry of our Desire;
And I shall circle, Lady of Heaven, while
Thou followest thy Son, and mak’st diviner
The sphere supreme, because thou enterest
there.”
It's believed that St. Gabriel is also the angel who appeared to St.
Joseph (Matthew 1:20) and to the shepherds on Christmas (Luke 2:8-20).
Tradition also holds that it was he who tended to Christ as He spent
the night in the Garden of Gethsemani before His Passion (Luke
22:39-44),
It's also believed that he will be the angel to announce the End of Time (Matthew 24:31). I
Thessalonians 4:15 reads, my emphasis:
For the Lord
himself shall come down from heaven with commandment, and with the
voice of an archangel, and
with the trumpet of God: and the dead who are in Christ, shall rise
first.
I Corinthians
15:51-52 also gives hints about this Mystery:
Behold, I tell
you a mystery. We shall all indeed rise again: but we shall not all be
changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet:
for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise again
incorruptible: and we shall be changed.
St. Gabriel is the patron of those who work in communications (e.g.,
postal workers, messengers, etc.). He can be recognized in art by his
holding a lily (including the fleur-de-lis, a stylized lily) or a
trumpet, or, as is most usual, by the context of
his addressing the Virgin. He's also seen in art signalling the End
Times with his trumpet (as you'll see by the music below).
Customs
Some may prepare for this feast by praying the Novena to St. Gabriel the Archangel
beginning on March 15 and ending on March 23, the eve of St. Gabriel's
feast. As for prayer for the feast itself, there is the Litany of St. Gabriel the Archangel
(for private use only), and the following:
The Collect from today's Mass
O God, Who didst choose from among all blessed spirits the
Archangel Gabriel to announce the mystery of Thine Incarnation, grant,
in Thy mercy that, celebrating his feast on earth, we may reap the
benefit of his help in Heaven, Who livest and reignest with God the
Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer to St. Gabriel for
the Benefit of the Incarnation
O blessed Archangel Gabriel, we beseech Thee, do thou
intercede for us at the throne of divine mercy in our present
necessities, that, as thou didst announce to holy St. Mary the mystery
of the Incarnation, so, through thy prayers and patronage in Heaven, we
may attain the benefits of the Redemption for which Christ came unto
us, and sing the praises of God forever in the land of the living. Amen.
Prayer to St. Gabriel for
Protection for Those Whom we Love
O loving messenger of the Incarnation, do thou descend upon
all those for whom I wish peace and happiness. Spread thy wings over
the cradles of newborn babes, O thou who didst announce the coming of
the Infant Jesus. Give to the young a lily petal from the virginal
sceptre in thy hand. Cause the Ave Maria to echo through all hearts,
that they may find grace and joy through Mary. Finally, deign to recall
those sublime words which were uttered on the day of the Annunciation,
“Nothing shall be impossible with God”, and repeat them in hours of
trial to all those whom I love, that their confidence in our Lord may
be rekindled when all other help fails. Amen
I don't know of any food traditions related to the day (but for
angel-themed food, see the Feast of the
Guardian Angels). There are, though, a number of songs related to
the day. The ones below aren't fit for Mass (obviously), but they're
fun, and you might enjoy them.
The first is an old spiritual called "Gabriel Blows His Horn," here
sung by The Golden Gate Quartet:
There'll be
weepin'
There'll be moanin'
And there'll be grievin'
And there'll be groanin'
There'll be shouting halleluia
Halleluia in the mornin'
When brother Gabriel up and blows his horn.
Oh, sisters and brothers,
I want you to hear me
Hear the word of the Lord
I want you to bear with me,
You better seek your soul's salvation
Or be lost to degradation
When Gabriel up and blows his horn.
Oh, sisters and
brothers,
I want you to hear me,
Hear the word of the Lord
I want you to bear with me,
You better seek some good religion
And stop your lyin' and hypocritin'
Before Gabriel blows his horn.
There'll be weepin'
There'll be moanin'
And there'll be grievin'
And there'll be groanin'
There'll be shouting hallelu- hallelu-
Halleluia in the mornin'
When brother Gabriel up and blows his horn.
This next is also an old spiritual, this time sung by The Statesmen
Quartet. It's called "Blow Your Trumpet, Gabriel":
Blow your trumpet
Blow, come Gabriel
Blow your horn
Let the whole world know;
it's time for judgment morn.
Run, run, they're goin' run; to find a hiding place
Run, but not a one; can ever hide his face.
This ole' world's a-rockin'
Reeling and a-rockin'
How it keeps on standing
I don't know
Lift up your voice and shout, Gabriel
Take up your horn and blow
Blow your trumpet
Blow, come Gabriel
Blow your horn
Let the whole world know;
it's time for judgment morn.
Run, run, they're goin' run; to find a hiding place
Run, but not a one; can ever hide his face.
Blow your
trumpet loud,
Blow your trumpet high
The whole world's goin' shake
From motion depths up to the sky
The day's not far away
He's comin' soon I know
Stand upon the land
Take up your horn and blow.
And this last -- well, hold on to your hat; it's a real barn burner.
Written by Cole Porter, and sung by Ethel Merman, it's called "Blow,
Gabriel, Blow":
Do you hear that
playin'?
Yes, we hear that playin'!
Do you know who's playin'?
No, who is that playin'?
Why it's Gabriel!
Gabriel's playin'!
Gabriel, Gabriel's playin'!
Will you be ready to go
when I blow my horn?
Blow Gabriel
blow!
Go on and blow, Gabriel, blow!
I was a sinner, I was a scamp,
But now I'm willin' to trim my lamp
So blow, Gabriel, blow!
I was low, Gabriel, low!
Mighty low, Gabriel, low!
But now, since I have seen the light,
I'm good by day and I'm good by night!
So blow, Gabriel, blow!
Once I was headed for hell,
Oh I was headed for hell,
But when I got to Satan's door,
I heard you blowin' on your horn once more,
So I said, "Satan, farewell!".
And now I'm all
ready to fly,
Yes, to fly higher and higher and higher!
'Cause I've gone through that brimstone
and I've gone through fire;
And I've purged my soul and my heart too,
So climb up to the mountain top
And start to
blow, Gabriel, blow!
Go on and blow, Gabriel, blow!
I want to join your happy band
And play all day in the promised land,
So blow, Gabriel, blow!
Come on, you sinners,
Get up, you sinners,
You're all too full of expensive dinners!
Stand up on your lazy feet and sing
Hallelujah!
Come on and blow, Gabriel, blow!
Go on and blow, Gabriel, blow!
I want to join your happy band
And play all day in the promised land,
So blow, Gabriel, blow!
Finally, I can't resist adding an mp3 to this old radio show -- an
episode of "Quiet Please" called "Portrait of a Character." It's silly,
and not for children, but I heard it years ago and it stuck with me, so
I figured I'd include it; it's so weird. It was first broadcast on
Janary 9, 1949:
For basic
background information on the angels, see The Praeternatural World pages of
this site.
.
Readings
Saint Gabriel, the Archangel
By Dom Prosper
Gueranger
So far in the Church's Calendar, we have not met with any Feast in
honour of the Holy Angels. Amidst the ineffable joys of Christmas
Night, we mingled our timid but glad voices with the Hymns of these
heavenly Spirits, who sang around the Crib of our Emmanuel. The very
recollection brings joy to our hearts, saddened as they now are by
penitential feelings and by the near approach of the mournful
anniversary of our Jesus' Death. Let us, for a moment, interrupt our
sadness, and keep the Feast of the Archangel Gabriel. Later on, we
shall have Michael, Raphael, and the countless host of the Angel
Guardians; but today, it is just that we should honor Gabriel. Yes, a
day hence, and we shall see this heavenly Ambassador of the Blessed
Trinity coming down to the Virgin of Nazareth; let us, therefore,
recommend ourselves to him, and beseech him to teach us how to
celebrate, in a becoming manner, the grand Mystery of which he was the
Messenger.
Gabriel is one of the first of the Angelic Kingdom. He tells Zachary,
that he stands before the face of God (St. Luke, i. 19.). He is the
Angel of the Incarnation, because it is in this Mystery, which
apparently is so humble, that the power of God is principally
manifested: and Gabriel signifies the strength of God. We find the
Archangel preparing for his sublime office, even in the Old Testament.
First of all, he appears to Daniel, after this Prophet had had the
vision of the Persian and Grecian Empires; and such was the majesty of
his person that Daniel fell on his face trembling (Dan. vii.17).
Shortly afterwards, he appears again to the same Prophet, telling him
the exact time of the coming of the Messias: Know thou and take notice:
that from the going forth of the word to build up Jerusalem again, unto
Christ the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks
(Ibid. ix. 25), that is, sixty-nine weeks of years.
When the fulness of time had come, and Heaven was about to send the
last of the Prophets, he, who after preaching to men the approach of
the Messias, is to show him to the people, saying: Behold the Lamb of
God, who taketh away the sins of the world, Gabriel descends from
heaven to the temple of Jerusalem, and prophesies to Zachary the birth
of John the Baptist (St. Luke, i. 13), which was to be followed by that
of Jesus Himself.
Six months later on, the holy Archangel again appears on the earth; and
this time it is Nazareth that he visits. He brings the great message
from heaven. Angel as he is, he reveres the humble Maid, whose name is
Mary; he has been sent to her by the Most High God, to offer her the
immense honour of becoming the Mother of the Eternal Word. It is
Gabriel that receives the great Fiat, the consent of Mary; and when he
quits this earth, he leaves it in possession of Him, for whom it had so
long prayed in those words of Isaias: Drop down Dew, O ye Heavens (Is.
xlv. 8.)!
The hour at length came, when the Mother of the Emmanuel was to bring
forth the Blessed Fruit of her virginal Womb. Jesus was born amidst
poverty; but Heaven willed that his Crib should be surrounded by
fervent adorers. An Angel appeared to some Shepherds, inviting them to
go to the Stable near Bethlehem. He is accompanied by a multitude of
the heavenly army, sweetly singing their hymn: Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace to men of good will! Who is this Angel that
speaks to the Shepherds, and seems as the chief of the other blessed
Spirits that are with him? In the opinion of several learned writers,
it is the Archangel Gabriel, who is keeping up his ministry as
Messenger of the Good Tidings (St. Luke, ii. 10).
Lastly, when Jesus is suffering His Agony in the Garden of Gethsemani,
an Angel appears to Him, not merely as a witness of His suffering, but
that He might strengthen Him under the fear his Human Nature felt at
the thought of the Chalice of the Passion He was about to drink (Ibid.
xxii. 42, 43.). Who is this Angel? It is Gabriel, as we learn not only
from the writings of several holy and learned authors, but also from a
Hymn which the Holy See has permitted to be used in the Liturgy, and
which we give below.
These are the claims of the great Archangel to our veneration and love;
these are the proofs he gives of his deserving his beautiful name, the
Strength of God. God has employed him in each stage of the great work,
in which he has chiefly manifested his power, for Jesus, even on his
Cross, is the Power of God (1 Cor. i. 21.), as the Apostle tells us.
Gabriel prepares the way for Jesus. He foretells the precise time of
his Coming; he announces the birth of his Precursor; he is present at
the solemn moment when the Word is made Flesh; he invites the Shepherds
of Bethlehem to come to the Crib, and adore the Divine Babe; and when
Jesus, in His Agony, is to receive Strength from one of His own
creatures, Gabriel is found ready in the Garden of Gethsemani, as he
had been at Nazareth and Bethlehem...
... The whole human race is
indebted to thee, O Gabriel! and,
on this day, we would fain
pay thee the honour and gratitude
we owe thee. Thou wast moved to
holy compassion on seeing the
miseries of the world; for all
flesh had corrupted its way, and
the forgetfulness of God increased
with each new generation of men.
Then did the Most High com- mission
thee to bring to the world
the good tidings of its salvation.
How beautiful thy steps, O prince
of the heavenly court, as thou
earnest down to this our humble
sphere! How tender and fraternal is
thy love of man, whose nature,
though so inferior to thine own,
was to be raised, by the
mystery of the Incarnation, to union
with God Himself ! With what
respectful awe didst thou approach
the Virgin, who surpassed all the
angels in holiness!
Blessed messenger of our redemption,
whom God selects as His minister
when He would show His power, we
beseech thee, offer the homage of
our gratitude to Him that thus sent
thee. Help us to pay the immense
debt we owe to the Father,
who so loved the world, as to
give it His only-begotten Son; to
the Son, who emptied Himself,
taking the form of a servant; and
to the Holy Ghost, who rested
on the Flower that sprang up out
of the root of Jesse.
'Tis thou, O Gabriel! that
taughtest us the salutation wherewith
we should greet Mary full of grace.
Thou wast the first to pronounce
these sublime words, which thou
broughtest from heaven. The children of
the Church are now, day and
night, repeating these words of thine;
pray for us that we may say
them in such a manner, as that
our blessed Mother may find them
worthy of her acceptance.
Angel of strength, friend of
mankind! relent not in thy ministry
of aiding us. We are surrounded by
terrible enemies; our weakness makes
them bold; come to our assistance,
get us courage. Pray for us during
these days of conversion and
penance. Obtain for us the knowledge
of all we owe to God in
consequence of that ineffable mystery
of the Incarnation, of which thou
wast the first witness. We have
forgotten our duties to the
Man-God, and we have offended Him:
enlighten us, that so, henceforth, we
may be faithful to His teachings
and examples. Raise up our thoughts
to the happy abode where thou dwellest; assist us to merit the
places left vacant by the fallen
angels, for God has reserved them
for His elect among men.
Pray, O Gabriel, for the Church
militant, and defend her against the
attacks of hell. The times are
evil; the spirits of malice are
let loose, nor can we make stand
against them, unless with God's help.
It is by His holy angels that
He gives victory to His bride. Be
thou, O strength of God !
foremost in the ranks. Drive heresy
back, keep schism down, foil the
false wisdom of men, frustrate the
policy of the world, arouse the
well-minded from apathy ; that thus the
Christ whom thou didst announce may
reign over the earth He has
redeemed, and that we may sing
together with thee and the whole
angelic choir: 'Glory be to God,
peace to men!'
