In the year 1578, the city of Córdoba in southern Spain was suffering from devastating plagues and unrest. Starting on May 7 of that year, Father Andrés de las Roelas, a devout priest, began receiving supernatural visions of a radiant figure. The heavenly visitor identified himself as St. Raphael, the Archangel. Rafael spoke these reassuring words to the priest: “I swear to you by Jesus Christ crucified that I am Raphael, whom the Lord has placed as guardian of this city.” This divine revelation brought immense consolation to the people of Córdoba. They believed that St. Raphael had been sent by God to protect their city from further calamities. Following this apparition, the city of Córdoba grew in devotion to the Archangel Raphael. Many miracles were attributed to his intercession. The people built shrines and statues in his honor. The apparition of St. Raphael in Córdoba is a powerful reminder that God sends his angels to watch over his people. The basilica of St Rafael in Córdoba was built on the spot of the apparition in the late 18th and early 19th century in honor of the city’s devotion to the archangel Rafael.
In the Gospel of John, right after Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples, he delivered a series of discourses to them. Yesterday, we heard one of those discourses, where Jesus explained that he was the vine and that his disciples are the branches, that they are intrinsically connected. Today, we hear an explanation of that Gospel story that consists of only three short verses. Jesus summarizes God’s law in the concept of Agape love, of a love that is unselfish and that reaches out to the well-being other person. Jesus wants us to love our neighbor in a way that would willingly suffer inconvenience and discomfort as a part of that love. This love is called to be rooted in our faith and in our relationship with Jesus. May we always abide in God’s love as disciples of Christ.
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