Saint Michael The Archangel

Prayer to Saint Michael

Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May god rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do you, O' Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and the other evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls. Amen. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us. (Three times.)

The Great Battle
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St. Michael in the Bible
Prayers to St. Michael
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The Great Battle Of Saint Michael the Archangel

The most stupendous conflict that ever raged took place before any man was found upon earth. "Michael and his angels fought with the dragon and his angels..." Whether this apocalyptic battle described in the Book of Revelation is intended to forcast one of the final great spiritual battles of the world or not, it is also considered, traditionally, to record the first great battle, that between the good and the bad angels. The size of the angelic war was both gargantuan and more than global, that is cosmic. It affected not only the future of the innumerable angelic host, but that of all mankind to follow them Again, the number of angels involved in their various choirs was inestimable. John of the Apocalypse, like Daniel of the old testament, speaks of thousands of thousands of angels ministering to the Almighty. These were only the faithful angels. One can easily conceive that the angels, when first created, and before the celestrial battle divided them into citizens of heaven and hell, numbered in the billions.One can submise such mighty numbers from the fact that evey in- dividual human being on earth today has a guardian angel. If then, there are billions of humans beings on earth now, and there have been billions more before us. Because of its size and participants, can perhaps be matched only by the final Armageddon Battle of the End Of Times, and the other great, Latter Days' conflict following it just before Judgement Day. Just from the size of this war we begin to sense the power, valor, prestige, and holiness of Michael the Archangel, whose warcry is Quis ut Deus "Who is like unto God!" the answer to Satan's Non serviam, "I will not Serve." How did this conflict come to be? Angels were given free will just as humans. Before they were to be permitted to enter into the presence of a God, Who desired to give them all an eternal and incredible happiness, they would be put on trial. The crisis came about when the angels were given a preview or knowledge of the plans of the Creator with regard to creating a race og beings inferior to angels, but worse in the foreknowledge to the thinking of Lucifer and similiar wavering angels, this human race would fall, and the son of God would become incarnate by taking human flesh to redeem these inferior creatures. Instead of this leading Lucifer to express the virtues of humility and trust in God's wisdom he only turned to the awful sins of pride and rebellion. The Son of God was to degrade Himself in taking an inferior and fallen nature he would not serve, or bow to a God with a conjoined nature lower than that of angels. Lucifer Spoke "I shall not serve the Almighty", "Let us go up and take His place!" At this they then became demons. Through the loyalty and leadership Michael became the Prince of all the angels, of the entire nine choirs, and the Commander and Captain of the angelic hosts; The battle was brief with the power of God on the side of Michael, God's defender. When Michael and his angels cast Lucifer and his angels from the earthly heavensto Hell it was decisive victory in the repulsion of the bad angels in their foolish attempt to take God's Throne. The name Michael means "Who is like unto God." But this conflict will go on until Judgement Day with Michael leading Christ loyal followers and him fighting for the souls of those who have fallen prey to the temptations of the dragon "Lucifer" the hideous fiend, the arch-enemy of the race despised by him, humankind. Michael and his angels is forever present before the Beatific Vision of the Blessed Trinity, protect defend, inspire and lead the children of the human race against the attacks and deceits of the demons. Michael sees clearly the present efforts of Satan to overthrow the Kingdom of God on the earth, the Church, as the demon once fought to overthrow God Himself. In Michaels memory it is also very clear how the devil, as the mendacious serpent, tricked Eve and Adam andoverthrew the heavenly order of the first earthly paradise, that of the Garden of Innocence of our primordial parents. The result a wrecked human race! It is a terrible choice to side against Michael as it is also a tragic doom to come under the heel of Mary by obstinate resistance to the grace of her Son. Michael and Mary together love mankind, but also, when human enemies of God want it that final way, Michael and Mary war against all evil, together.

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About Angels

Angels by nature are entirely spiritual; there is not the least mite of matter in them. They are magnificent but limited spirits. A single angel would have in his power the ability to destroy all mankind, if that power were permitted to be loosed upon mankind by God. Angels are not limited, handicapped and fustrated by problems of material and fleshy bodies. Angels are more agil than light. They can move to distant places in a moment, or harmlessly pass through material substances. They have no need for food, drink, or sleep, suffer no injuries or pain. The faithful angels are forever incapable of sinning as the blessed of men are likewise after death and confirmed in grace. The angels do not have to reason as men do, but have immense permanent and also intuitive knowledge. The evil angels or demons are restrained by God and His angels for the saftey of mankind. The very word angel means messenger of God. Who they serve and are full of reverence and respect for Him. Because of their power, deeds performed by angels are often deemed "miracles" to men. The nine choirs of angels are as listed; In three hierarchial groups of ascending orders: Angels, Archangels and principalities; Powers, Virtues and Dominations; Thrones, Cherubim and Seraphim. There is no such thing as "brotherhood" in the human sense, when it comes to angels. Each angel is a different species, as it were, very individual in self. We cannot literally apply those human terms "him" or "her" to them, though the masculine term has usually been reserved for angels, probably because of their strength. There is no sex in angels as with human beings. Angels are simply spirits and have no such differentiating bodily organs as human beings do. But we do find a certain sense or atmosphere of "brotherhood" in an Old Testament incident out of Daniel, the book of the prophet by that name.

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Michael in the Bible

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Only three great angels, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are clearly identified in the old testament writings. Many apparitions of angels, however, are narrated where names are not given. Certain ones have been attributed to Michael. Michael is believed to have been the Angel of what might be called the "First Judgement" for the human race. When Paradise was closed to Adam and Eve, Michael stood there as Guardian of the closed Garden. Angels have such a magestic and glorious presence, even when appearing under the form of men or youths, that people in the Old Testament feared they would die over the experience. In the New Testament times there are much less fearsome relationships with the angels and more loving companionships. We do not hear much of Michael in the New Testament writing themselves. In the Old Testament there are many references to angels. In the New Testament the references to angels are more limited. This could be because the Old testament covers all of history from Adam to the times just before Jesus. Where the New Testament cover about fifty years with the life of Jesus and reflects on the first years of the Christian Church.Daniel 14:36 An angel transported the prophet Habakkuk along with a meal, over the desert in an instant from Palestine to distant Babylon. There, holding the prophet with the meal suspended over Daniel in the lions' den, the angel let Daniel have the food and then returned the prophet immediately to the Holy Land. Judges 6:21 An angel, with the tip of his staff brought fire down to consume the offering of meat and unleavened cakes made by Gideon. Dn. 12:1 The Archangel Gabriel informed Daniel of the knowledge Gabriel had of the part to be played by Prince Michael in the Latter Times. 2Kings 19:35 A powerful angel, perhaps Michael, was credited with destroying, in one night, the entire army of the Assyrians of Sennacherib besieging Jerusalem, over 185,000 men. Exodus 12:29 A similar display of angelic power in the "destroyer" angel killing the firstborn of every family in Egypt which did not have the first slain paschal lambs. Daniel 10:13 "But the prince of the Kingdom of the Persians resisted me one and twenty days: and behold Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. I left him there by the Prince of the King of the Persians. Daniel 10:21 Gabriel says: "But I will tell you what is set down in the scripture of truth: and; and none is my helper in all these things but Michael your prince." Daniel 12:3 Gabriel further informs Daniel how how Michael will rise up in the end of the World Times and of Antichrist, to strengthen the faithful: "But at that time shall Michael rise up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people...and at that time shall your people be saved. (Jude 5-9) In Saint Jude's Epistle he refers to the ancient Jewish tradition that Michael concealed the burial place of Moses to hide it from Satan and the Israelites. This was to avoid the danger of Satan using the body of Moses and the burial siteas a place where the Israelites would worship Moses as a god and/or set up an idol- because of their proclivities to idol worship.
Zechariah 1:8-17
1st Thessalonians 4:16
Rev. 12:7-9
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Prayers To Saint Michael

Prayer For Perserverance

O God, who made blessed Michael, Your Archangel, victorious over the proud Lucifer and all the wicked spirits, we beseech You that, combating under the Cross and ever adopting his maxim, "Who is like unto God," we may be victorious over all our enemies, and be delivered from all evils. Regulate our lives according to Your will and commandments. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer For Protection Of The Church And Her Members

O glorious Saint Michael, guardian and defender of the church of Jesus Christ, come to the assistance of this Church, against which the powers of hell are unchained. Guard with special care her august Head, and obtain that for him and for us the hour of triumph may speedily arrive. O glorious Archangel Saint Michael, watch over us especially at the hour of death; obtain for us favorable judgement, and the happiness of beholding God face to face for endless ages. Amen.

For Help Against Spiritual Enemies

Glorious Saint Michael, Prince of the heavenly hosts, who are ever ready to assist the people of God; who fought with the dragon, the old serpent, and cast him out of heaven, and now valiantly defend the Church of God so the gates of hell may never prevail against her: I earnestly entreat you, assist me also in the painful and dangerous conflict I must sustain against the same formidable foe. Be with me, O mighty Prince! that I may courageously fight and wholly vanquish that proud spirit, whom you, by the Divine power, have overthrown, and whom our powerful King, Jesus Christ, in our nature, so completely overcame; so that, triumphing over the enemy of my salvation, I may, with you and the holy angels, praise the clemency of God, who though refusing mercy to the rebellious angels after their fall, has granted repentance and forgiveness to fallen man.

Stanza

"Angel of peace! Come, Michael, to our aid, You who once hurled discord from the sky! Come, calm those boisterous passions that have made such havoc here as they have made on high; drive strife and rancor to their kindred gloom, to hell, their fitting, their everlasting tomb."

Gradual

Bless the Lord, all you His angels: you that are mighty in strength, that do His will. Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me bless His holy Name. Alleluia, alleluia. Holy Archangel Michael, defend us in the battle: that we may not perish in the dreadful judgement. Alleluia.

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ANGELS OF THE WEB AWARD
"You are to be my witnesses...
even to the ends of the Earth."
Acts 1:8
This Angel site by Gretchell Spears
ANGELS OF THE WEB

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