Not one single evening did I ever go to bed thinking, “I did a fantastic job employing the help of the unimaginably powerful angelic host the good Lord has given me to protect, guard, and guide me as I fulfill my duties and responsibilities on this beautiful journey back to the Father’s heart.”

To me, not asking for the incredible gift of the angels’ help seems like a missed opportunity, if there ever was one.

Through Scripture, we know the presence of angels in our lives is a reality. Angels interacting with humans can be found in both the Old Testament and the New. We even know a few of them by name: Archangels Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael.

As the Feast of the Archangels approaches on Tuesday, Sept. 29, it’s a good reminder for me that I have much more assistance in getting through the day than sticky notes and a planner with dogs wearing berets on the cover. I have incredibly intelligent, loving, and selfless immortal beings ready to come to my aid if I only remember to ask.

Helper #1: St. Gabriel

To be honest, I don’t often think to talk to St. Gabriel. He’s always seemed pretty busy as God’s chief messenger. I imagine him spending his days delivering high-level communication to spiritual heavy hitters, like Zechariah and the Blessed Mother. It feels somehow improper to bother him with my small concerns.

But that’s actually not true. The same heavenly prince who announced the Incarnation is intensely interested in helping us receive and understand God’s word for us in our own lives. His messages brought hope to those he visited, and they can for us, too. He can also assist us as we have conversations with others. 

It’s hard to remember, but St. Gabriel responds faster than a text and better than AI if I only think to call on him when I need help hearing God’s voice before taking the next step. 

Helper #2: St. Michael

I feel small and powerless in the face of many things: snakes, the Milwaukee interchange, and oddly, Sunday’s dry, crusty donuts on top of the fridge on a Tuesday afternoon. 

I’m familiar enough with myself to know trying to white-knuckle it through temptation on my own doesn’t last too long. 

When four o’clock rolls around, and a couple of crunchy donuts and a coffee strong enough to strip paint from the floor feel like a smart way to prepare for the evening hours, I need to remember: St. Michael’s protection is far more powerful than anything lurking in the dark corners of my kitchen! 

While I’m well aware that I’m not strong enough to resist that crumbling cinnamon cake donut, St. Michael, leader of God’s army, most certainly is.

Helper #3: St. Raphael

In the age of ibuprofen, online symptom checkers, 24-hour nurse hotlines, and drive-through pharmacies, I often get the impression that healing is just a click, call, or car ride away. What a blessing when it is!

When it isn’t, it may be time for me to step away from my phone, set my car keys on the table, and have a little chat with St. Raphael about what’s ailing me or my loved ones. 

St. Raphael, who accompanied Tobias on his journey to find healing for his father and provided him the means with which to heal him, is ready and willing to do the same for me. I need to remember that the next time a cure feels elusive despite what the internet tells me. 

God’s healing may or may not come through unexpected means and may even heal something I was unaware of needing healing, but I can be assured that St. Raphael is on it. What a relief already!

With the Archangels’ feast day coming up, I’m looking forward to the happy challenge of remembering them when the day feels too difficult even for my fancy dog planner. I have a feeling the angels are going to handle it.