Uriel, Gabriel, Michael and Raphael are
the four archangels mentioned most often in
Hebrew, Kabbalistic, Islamic, and Christian
traditions. The name Uriel literally means
"Fire of God," "Flame of God," "Light of God,"
or even "Sun of God."
Some accounts place the Archangel Uriel at the head of the third order or company of angels. Others identify Uriel as one of the Seven Spirits before the Throne. Kabbalists assign Uriel to the middle pillar of the Tree of Life, and specifically to the sephirah Malkuth, the Kingdom. Malkuth is often associated with the Shekinah, the Glory of God and the divine presence in the world. Malkuth represents the lowest point of descent of the divine force, from which it ascends again to complete the cycle of manifestation and pralaya. The penetration of divine force to the physical plane is of particular interest, at this time, because of the increasing intensity of seventh-ray energy in the world and growing emphasis on healing work.
The Archangel Uriel has been called "the Lord of powerful action" [Helena Roerich. Heart. Agni Yoga Society, 1932, 268]. Uriel personifies the Divine Fire that comes down from the Third Aspect of Deity--Universal Mind--penetrating each plane until It reaches the physical. There, the Fire ignites the fusion in the center of the Sun, the fission at the center of the Earth, and the kundalini at the base of the spine. It creates worlds, universes, and life--which then await the quickening impulse of the Second Aspect to evolve and grow.
The Book of Enoch describes Uriel as "one of the holy angels, who is over the world... the leader of them all." Later we read in the same book: "Uriel showed to me, whom the Lord of glory hath set for ever over all the luminaries of the heaven... the sun, moon, and stars, all the ministering creatures which make their revolution in all the chariots of the heaven."
In Paradise Lost, John Milton mentions "Th' Arch-Angel URIEL, one of the seav'n, Who in Gods presence, neerest to his Throne... Regent of the Sun." In his oratorio, The Creation, composed in 1797, Franz Joseph Haydn has Uriel announce the words from Genesis: "And God saw the light, that it was good... And God said, Let there be light in the firmament of heaven, to divide the day from the night, and to give light upon the earth... He made the stars also."
Colin Wilson describes encounters between Uriel and the 16th century scholar, Dr. John Dee. Dee's scrying assistant, Edward Kelley, saw a cherub in a crystal ball. Dee identified the cherub from his Kabbalistic knowledge as "Uriel, the angel of light." Later, in 1582, Dee had a vision of a child angel floating outside the window, holding a crystal egg. Again he identified this with Uriel. Wilson claims that the crystal egg is preserved in the British Museum. [Colin Wilson. The Occult: A History. Random House, 1971, pp. 273-4]. Whether Uriel appears as a child, a powerful man, or a woman of regal bearing, the archangel continues to command the imagination, reverence, and devotion of people around the world.
Uriel is often referred to as the Great Archangel of the Earth. One contemporary account describes the archangel thus: "He (or she) is the keeper of the mysteries which are deep within the planet, underground and in the hidden depths of the living world."
The feast day of the Archangel Uriel is celebrated July 28. Uriel's influence is believed to peak during the summer months. According to Corinne Heline: "The beautiful Uriel stands guardian over the activities of the summer. The ripening of grain and the floodtide of blossom are under his guidance. He also supervises the Nature Spirits, those fascinating little sprites who inhabit the elements of earth, air, fire and water, and who lend so much to the beautification of all nature. The highest initiatory teachings belonging to the New Age... are under the direction of Uriel." [Corinne Heline. The Blessed Virgin Mary. New Age Press, 1971, p. 110.]
Reflections
1) Do I love God above all persons and things?
2) How do I deal with God's commandments?
3) Do I treat others justly?
4) Do I help those who are victims of injustices?
Invocation to the Archangel Uriel
Glory to God and his deeds,
for everything is good and wonderful.
Holy Archangel Uriel,
protect and look after rivers,
their waters we drink,
life springs up from them;
make grass sprout for cattle,
make man yield bread out of the land,
wine to enliven his heart,
oil and food to give him force.
for everything is good and wonderful.
Holy Archangel Uriel,
protect and look after rivers,
their waters we drink,
life springs up from them;
make grass sprout for cattle,
make man yield bread out of the land,
wine to enliven his heart,
oil and food to give him force.