St. Michael DEFEND US IN

THIS DAY OF BATTLE

by Fr. Jim Whalen

1997, Issue 2

   "St. Michael, defend us in this day of battle". In the book of Daniel, it was foretold that when the world was once again in real trouble, St. Michael the Archangel would come to our rescue. At the present time there seems to be a conspiracy of silence about our companions, the good angels. They are often ignored, neglected or forgotten. Pope John XXIII considered devotion to the angels as essential for Christians. He often spoke of the support given to priests by angels to touch people’s hearts. Pope Pius XII reminded us, "We will have to make a pact with the angels, to form with them one strong family because of the times that are to come." We need the help of the angels because we are weak creatures and continue to be the target of a continuous attack and ambush of satan, a fallen angel. His tactic is annihilation. There is the annihilation of spiritual life through falsehood. There is the annihilation of physical life through murder, especially evident in the world today. (55 million abortions a year in the world; over 300 a day in Canada.)

    We need the prince of light, St. Michael, to help us to overcome the prince of darkness, to defend life: "At that time Michael will rise up, the great prince, who stands for the children of your people." (DAN 12:1)

    We need the warrior angel, St. Michael, to lead us in spiritual battle for life, under the command of Mary, Queen of Angels, against "the powers and sovereignties, the spiritual army of evil." (EPH 6:12)

    We need St. Michael, Guardian Angel of the Church, to help restore the cross and the chalice of blood, the symbols of redemption; truth and life to our Church.  He is seen as our intercessor and bearer of the Church’s prayers before the Throne of God: "An angel of the Lord stood near the altar of the temple, having a golden censer in his hand." (Offertory, Mass of St. Michael). He points to the infinite value and power of the Mass to have, restore and heal life by His presence with thousands of angels.

    In tradition, St. Michael is portrayed as the Prince of the Heavenly Host, Guardian Angel of the Church Militant, Conqueror of Lucifer, and Head of God’s Mighty Invisible Army. He is presented as Chief of several orders of ministering angels. He is especially reverenced as an Angel of Mercy, a Healer, in France, Egypt, Turkey and Italy, where he appeared.

    Priests for Life choose St. Michael the Archangel as one of our patrons, for he was the first to defend and protect God’s children in the spirit world.  There was a great battle in Heaven when Michael and his angels attacked the dragon "... and they were defeated and driven out of Heaven." (APOC 12:7). The evil one continues to oppose Mary and the Church and "to make war on the rest of her children" (APOC 12:17). We call on St. Michael to extend the same protection for all human children, in all stages of life, the unborn, the infant, youth, adults, the family, the elderly and the handicapped.

    In this present age of open and secret revolt against God and His Church, the rights of God are mocked and denied when His children are denied protection in the womb. Our battle must not only be defensive but an aggressive spiritual campaign against every threat to human life. We need St. Michael to intervene for us. Let us call on his name, our victorious cry: "Who is like unto God." Let us follow Pope John Paul II’s advice, in this real time of trouble, to once again pray the prayer of Pope Leo XIII.....   ¤

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray and do thou, oh Prince of the Heavenly Hosts, by the Power of God, cast down into hell satan, and all his evil spirits who wander now throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.