Devotion to the Angels: San Raffaele, the angel of healing. Who he is and how to invoke him

 

Raffaele means medicine of God and usually this archangel is represented together with Tobia, while accompanying him or freeing him from the danger of the fish. His name appears only in the book of Tobias, where he is presented as a model of guardian angel, because he protects Tobias from all dangers: from the fish that wanted to devour him (6, 2) and from the devil who would have killed him with those other seven suitors by Sara (8, 3). He heals his father's blindness (11, 11) and thus manifests his special charism of being medicine of God and patron of those who treat the sick. He settles the matter of money lent to Gabaele (9, 5) and advises Tobias to marry Sara.
Humanly, Tobia would never have married Sara, because he was afraid of dying like her previous husbands (7, 11), but Raffaele heals Sara from his fears and reassures Tobia to get married, because that marriage is wanted by God from all eternity (6, 17). Raffaele himself is the one who presents the prayers of Tobia and his family before God: When you prayed, I presented your prayers before the Saint; when you buried the dead, I also assisted you; when without laziness you got up and did not eat to go and bury them, I was with you (12, 12-13).
Raffaele is considered the patron saint of boyfriends and young spouses, because he arranged everything related to the marriage between Tobia and Sara and solved all the problems that prevented their realization. For this reason, all engaged couples must recommend themselves to St. Raphael and, through him, to Our Lady who, as the perfect Mother, cares for their happiness. So she did in fact at the wedding at Cana, during which she obtained the first miracle from Jesus to make the newlyweds happy.
Furthermore, St. Raphael is a good family councilor. Invite Tobias' family to praise God: Fear not; Peace be with you. Bless God for all ages. When I was with you, I was not with you on my initiative, but by the will of God; you must always bless him, sing hymns to him. [...] Now bless the Lord on earth and give thanks to God. I return to the one who sent me. Write down all these things that have happened to you (12, 17-20). And advise Tobias and Sarah to pray: Before joining her, both of you get up to pray. Beseech the Lord of heaven for his grace and his salvation to come upon you. Fear not: It has been destined for you from eternity. You will be the one to save it. She will follow you and I think that from her you will have children who will be for you like brothers. Don't be worried (6, 18).
And when they were alone in the bedroom, Tobia said to Sara: Sister, get up! Let us pray and ask the Lord to give us grace and salvation. [...]
Blessed are you, God of our fathers, and blessed is your name for all generations! Heaven and all creatures bless you for all ages! You created Adam and created Eve his wife, to be of help and support. From the two of them all mankind was born. You said: It is not a good thing for man to remain alone; let's help him like him. Now not out of lust I take this relative of mine, but with rectitude of intention. Deign to have mercy on me and her and to make us reach old age together.
And they said together: Amen, amen! (8, 4-8).
It is important to pray in the family! The family that prays together remains united. Furthermore, St. Raphael is a special patron of sailors, of all those who travel by water and of those who live and work near the water, since, as he freed Tobias from the danger of fish in the river, he can also free us from the dangers of the waters. For this he is special patron of the city of Venice.
Moreover, he is the patron saint of travelers and travelers, who invoke him before embarking on a journey, so that he will protect them as Tobias protected on his journey.
And again he is the patron saint of priests who confess and administer the anointing of the sick, since the confession and anointing of the sick are sacraments of physical and spiritual healing. This is why priests should ask for his help especially when they confess and administer extreme unction. He is patron of the blind, because he can heal them from blindness as he did to Tobias' father. And in a very special way he is the patron saint of those who treat or look after the sick, concretely, of doctors, nurses and carers.
Medicine does not have to be a simply therapeutic act without compassion or love. A dehumanized medicine, which sees only the scientific and technical means, cannot be totally effective. For this reason it is essential in the exercise of medicine and care for the sick, that the patient and those who assist him, are in the grace of God and invoke St. Raphael with faith, as sent by God to heal.
God can work miracles or can heal through the doctors and medicines on an ordinary basis. But health is always a gift from God. Moreover, it is very significant and useful to have medicines blessed in the name of God before taking them. It is important that they are blessed by a priest; however, if there is no time or possibility to do it, ourselves or a family member can pronounce this prayer or a similar one:
O God, who wonderfully created man and even more wonderfully redeemed him, deign to help all the sick with your help. I ask you especially for ... Hear our supplications and bless these medicines (and these medical instruments) so that he who takes them or is under their action, can be healed by your grace. We ask you, Father, through the intercession of Jesus Christ, your Son and through the intercession of Mary, our Mother and of St. Raphael the Archangel. Amen.
The blessing of medicines is very effective when it is carried out with faith and the sick person is in God's grace. Father Dario Betancourt reports the following case:
In Tijuana, Mexico, Carmelita de Valero had to take a medicine that caused her to be permanently sleepy and prevent her from performing her duties as a bride and mother. Her husband, José Valero, she and I prayed for medicines. The next day the woman was not sleepy and was happy, she took care of us with much love and concern.
The same father Dario, during a trip to Peru, said that in the United States there was an association of Christian doctors who gathered to pray for their patients and extraordinary things happened. One of the most surprising facts was that when they prayed for the chemotherapy they administered to cancer patients, those who received it blessed did not lose their hair. In this way they concretely proved the power of God through prayer.