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| The Annunciation by Leonardo Da Vinci |
And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the U′lai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I was frightened and fell upon my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.” - Daniel 8:16-17 RSV-CE
Today September 29 is the feast day of St. Gabriel the archangel.
The Hebrew word for angel "mal'akh" (מַלְאָךְ) means messenger as does the the Greek word "ángelos" (άγγελος). So it makes sense that the Church has made St. Gabriel the patron of messengers, telecommunication workers and postal workers.
St. Gabriel first appears in the Hebrew bible as a translator of visions
(Daniel 8:16-17 above). If the dream was a message, Gabriel's clarifies that message by interpreting the dream.
In the book of Enoch (which is not cannon but was read by many of the Church fathers and at least two of the disciples), Gabriel is an avenger - a role he plays in Daniel as well. In the Talmud, it is Gabriel who delivers a message to Queen Vashti urging her to disobey her King - thereby paving the way for Esther and the preservation of the Jews.
Nowhere, however, is St. Gabriel's role as a messenger more important than when he addresses the Blessed mother in Luke 1:26-38:
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.”...And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.-Luke 1:26-33, 38 - Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition
While I am not a messenger or a telecommunications worker, I do think that blogging and a digital downloads shop falls somewhat under that heading, so I am planning to pray to St. Gabriel and ask him to intercede for me in both of these ventures!
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