Devotion to St. Michael, ArchangelPrince of the Heavenly Hosts |
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St. Michael, Archangel Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them, before our God day and night. They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; love for life did not deter them from death. Therefore, rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them. But woe to you, earth and sea, for the Devil has come down to you in great fury, for he knows he has but a short time." Revelation 12:7-12
Michael Assisting Another Angel I alone, Daniel, saw the vision;
but great fear seized the men who were with me; they fled and hid themselves,
although they did not see the vision. So I was left alone, seeing this great
vision. No strength remained in me; I turned the color of death and was
powerless. When I heard the sound of his voice, I fell face forward in a
faint. But then a hand touched me, raising me to my hands and knees. "Daniel,
beloved," he said to me, "understand the words which I am speaking
to you; stand up, for my mission now is to you." When he said this to
me, I stood up trembling. "Fear not, Daniel," he continued;
"from the first day you made up your mind to acquire understanding and
humble yourself before God, your prayer was heard. Because of it I started
out, but the prince of the kingdom of Persia stood in my way for twenty-one
days, until finally Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help
me. I left him there with the prince of the kings of Persia, and came to make
you understand what shall happen to your people in the days to come; for
there is yet a vision concerning those days." While he was speaking thus
to me, I fell forward and kept silent. Then something like a man's hand
touched my lips; I opened my mouth and said to the one facing me, "My
lord, I was seized with pangs at the vision and I was powerless. How can my
lord's servant speak with you, my lord? For now no strength or even breath is
left in me." The one who looked like a man touched me again and
strengthened me, saying, "Fear not, beloved, you are safe; take courage
and be strong." When he spoke to me, I grew strong and said,
"Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me." "Do you
know," he asked, "why I have come to you? Soon I must fight the
prince of Persia again. When I leave, the prince of Greece will come; but I
shall tell you what is written in the truthful book. No one supports me
against all these except Michael, your prince. -- Daniel 10:7:21 Argued with the Devil Over the body of Moses I wish to remind you, although you
know all things, that (the) Lord who once saved a people from the land of
Egypt later destroyed those who did not believe. The angels too, who did not
keep to their own domain but deserted their proper dwelling, he has kept in
eternal chains, in gloom, for the judgment of the great day. Likewise, Sodom,
Gomorrah, and the surrounding towns, which, in the same manner as they,
indulged in sexual promiscuity and practiced unnatural vice, serve as an
example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. Similarly, these dreamers
nevertheless also defile the flesh, scorn lordship, and revile glorious
beings. Yet the archangel Michael, when he argued with the devil in a
dispute over the body of Moses, did not venture to pronounce a reviling
judgment upon him but said, "May the Lord rebuke you!" -- Jude 1:5-9 Prayer to St. Michael St. Michael the Archangel defend us
in battle be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him we humbly pray and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly
hosts, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who
wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen It is said that one day having
celebrated the Holy Sacrifice, the aged Pontiff Leo XIII was in conference
with the Cardinals. Suddenly he sank to the floor in a deep swoon. Physicians
who hastened to his side feared that he had already expired, for they could
find no trace of his pulse. However, after a short interval the Holy Father
rallied, and opening his eyes exclaimed with great emotion: "Oh what a
horrible picture I was permitted to see!" He had been shown in spirit
the tremendous activities of the evil spirits and their ravings against the
Church. But in the midst of this vision of horror he had also beheld
consoling visions of the glorious Archangel Michael, who had appeared and
cast Satan and his legions back into the abyss of hell. Soon afterward he
composed this well-known prayer. Words of the Angels (Also
called the weapons of truth) Who
is like unto God the Most High? Angels Protecting Us Before Birth 283. Besides the general providence
of God for the protection of his creatures must be mentioned the particular
protection of the angels, whom, according to David, the Most High has
commanded to bear us up in their hands, lest we stumble into the slings of
satan (Ps. 40,12); and in another place of Holy Scripture it is said, that
he sends his angels to surround us with his defense and free us from evils
(Ps. 33, 8). This defense, like the persecution of the devil, commences from
the womb in which we receive being, and continues until our souls are
presented at the tribunal of God to be adjudged to the state merited by each
one. At the moment in which a human being is conceived, the Lord commands the
angels to stand guard over it and its mother. Afterwards, at the right time,
He assigns a particular angel as its guardian, as I said in the first part of
this history (Part I, 114). From the very beginning the angels enter into
violent combat with the demons for the protection of the souls committed to
their care. The demons contend they have jurisdiction over the creature,
because it was conceived in sin, a child of malediction, unworthy of grace
and divine favor, and a slave of hell. The angel refutes them by maintaining
that it was conceived according to the laws of nature, over which hell has no
power; that if it is conceived in sin, it was due to its human nature, by
default of the first parents and not of its own free will; and even if
conceived in sin, God has created it to know, praise and serve Him, and by
virtue of his Passion, to merit eternal glory; and that these high ends are
not to be frustrated by the mere will of the demons.
284. These enemies also argue, that
in the begetting of the human being its parents had not the proper intention
or rightful purpose, that they committed excess and sin in the act of
generation. This is the strongest argument, which the devils can advance for
their right over human creatures yet in the womb; for without a doubt, sins
make the child unworthy of divine protection and justly hinder its conception.
Yet, although this latter happens and a number of human beings are conceived
without ever seeing the light, ordinarily the holy angels prevent such sad
result. If they are legitimate children, the angels allege, that the parents
have received the Sacraments and blessings of the Church; likewise, that they
have some virtues, such as giving alms, being kind, having practiced some
devotions or good works. The holy angels avail themselves of these things as
powerful arms to ward off the devils and defend their charges. Over
illegitimate children the combat waxes more difficult; the enemy exercises a
greater right, because in the begetting of such children, wherein God has
been so grievously offended, the enemies obtain a greater right and the
parents justly deserve rigorous chastisement. Hence, in defending and
preserving illegitimate children, God manifests his most liberal mercy in a
special manner. The angels base their arguments against the demon on this
mercy, and that, after all, the children are the results of natural causes,
as I have said above. If the parents have no merits of their own, neither
any virtues, but are sullied by sins and vices, then the holy angels refer
to the merits found in the forefathers of the child, in its brothers or
relations; to the prayers of its friends and acquaintances, and that it is no
fault of the child if the parents are sinners or have committed excess in its
generation. They also contend, that those children, if they live, may reach a
high degree of virtue and holiness, and that the demon has no right to hinder
them from arriving at the knowledge and love of their Creator. Sometimes God
manifests to them his design of choosing them for some great work in service
of the Church; and then the defense of the angels is most vigilant and
powerful; but also the demons exercise greater fury in their persecution,
being incited thereto by the greater solicitude of the angels.
The Mystical City of God, Volume 4, The Coronation, Mary of Agreda, pp 266-268. Click on the Links Below for More Information on the Life and
Works of St. Michael:
James Kiefer's Christian
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