In the Creed which we pray every Sunday and Solemnity, we say that we believe in God, the “maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.” These invisible creatures are called “angels.” We know the names of some of them because they appear in the Bible: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.
Why did God create angels? We get some idea from the Catechism of the Catholic Church which says that “God created everything for man…” (#358). This means that God created angels for us. The Catechism explains: “Angels are spiritual creatures who glorify God without ceasing and who serve his saving plans for other creatures” (#350).
Of course, God could have accomplished His “saving plans” without the help of angels and humans, but God loves to create and He does so with beautiful diversity. Just as a painting of only one color is boring, so creation, God’s work of art, is more beautiful because of its diverse “colors” or creatures.
Even though they are greater than humans and closer to God, angels are our servants. They were created to help humanity as a whole and each of us individually during our earthly journey to Heaven. Michael is the great champion who fought against the rebellious angels who became devils (Revelation 12: 7-9). He is the protector of God’s people (Daniel 12: 1). Gabriel is the messenger who appeared to the prophet Daniel (8: 16 and 9: 21). He also appeared with the greatest message of all to Mary at the Annunciation (Luke 1: 26-38). And Raphael is a guide who has healing gifts (Tobit 5-12).
When he first met with the Cardinals who elected him, Pope Leo XIV told them that the reason he chose his name was “mainly because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical “Rerum Novarum” addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution. In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and labor.”
But there may be another connection between these two Popes, and it involves St. Michael. In the mid 1880’s Pope Leo XIII had a vision of demons that led him to include a prayer to St. Michael at the end of every Mass. Pope Leo XIV was elected on May 8, the anniversary of the dedication of a shrine that was built on the spot, now known as Monte Gargano in Italy, where St. Michael appeared to a bishop in the year 493.
Coincidence? In God’s world of humans and angels there are no coincidences. Only “God-incidences”!