Holy Michael the Archangel statue in Kiev, courtesy of The Roving Medievalist blog
Posted on 09/29/2008 2:26:17 PM PDT by Pyro7480
(The following is excerpted from Dom Prosper Guéranger's entry in The Liturgical Year for May 8, The Apparition of Saint Michael, in Volume VIII of the 1983 Marian House edition of the English translation by the Benedictines of Stanbrook.)
"The very name of Michael urges us to honour this glorious spirit; it is a cry of enthusiasm and fidelity, for it signifies: 'Who is like unto God?' Satan trembles at hearing this name, for it reminds him of the noble protest wherewith the bright Archangel answered the call of the rebel angels. Michael proved his strength and prowess when he fought the great battle in heaven. On that account, he was made the guardian and protector of God's people; first of the Jews, and afterwards of the Christan Church, for the Synagogue has forfeited all her honours. Michael now watches over Jesus' Spouse, our mother; he supports her in her trials and she wins no triumph in which he has not had some part."
"But we are not to supposed that the holy Archangel is so engaged in attending to the general interests of Christ's kingdom on earth that he cannot listen to the prayers of each individual member of the Church. God has given him a compassionate love for men; and there is not a single soul that escapes his notice. He wields the sword in defence of the Spouse of Christ; he wars with the dragon, who is ever lying in wait for the Woman and her child [Apoc. xii 13]; but, at the same time, he is attentive to each one of us; for after having confessed our sins to Almighty God, and to the Blessed Mary ever a Virgin, we acknowledge them likewise to Blessed Michael the Archangel and beseech him to pray for us to the Lord our God [the Confiteor]."
"He assists at every death-bed, for his special office is to receive the souls of the elect on their quitting the flesh. With loving solicitude and princely bearing, he presents them to the Light Eternal and introduces them into the House of God's glory. It is Holy Church herself that tells us, in the words of her Liturgy, of these prerogatives of the great Archangel. She teaches us that he has been set over Paradise, and that God has given him the charge of leading to heaven the souls of them that are to be received there. On the last day, when our Risen Jesus is to appear on the clouds of heaven to judge mankind, all of whom will then have resumed their bodies in the general resurrection, Michael with the rest of the angels will have to fulfil a ministry of awful import -- that of separating the good from the bad. Our Catholic forefathers, in the Middle Ages, were fond of representing the holy Archangel engaged in this dread function, standing at the foot of Jesus' judgement-seat, and holding a scale, in which he is weighing the souls of men and their works...."
"Guardian angel of Holy Church! now is the time for thee to exert all the might of thine arm. Satan is furious in his efforts against the noble Spouse of thy Master; brandish thy bright sword, and give battle to this implacable enemy. The kingdom of Christ is shaken to its very foundations. Is it that the reign of the Man of Sin is about to be proclaimed on the earth? Are we near that last day when, this guilty world is to be destroyed by fire, and thou art to exercise, in the name of the Sovereign Judge, the terrible office of separating the goats from the sheep? If this earth is still to exist; if the mission of the Church is not yet completed; is it not time for thee, O Michael! to show the dragon of hell that he may not, with impunity, insult on this earth the God who created it, who redeemed it, and whose name is King of kings and Lord of lords? The forces of error and crime and unceasingly dragging the world to the brink of the precipice; save it, O glorious Archangel, by confounding the dark plots which are laid for its destruction!"
"O Christ! the glory of the angels, the Creator and Redeemer of mankind! grant that we may ascend to the happy thrones of the heavenly citizens."
"May Michael, the angel of peace, come from heaven into this our temple, bring us sweet peace, and drive dismal war back again to hell."
"May Gabriel, the angel of strength, come and rout our ancient foe; may he often visit the heaven-loved temples which the triumphant Jesus has places throughout the world."
"May Raphael, our heavenly physician, descend and visit us, that he may heal all that are infirm and direct our faltering steps in the path of life."
"May the Virgin Queen of peace, the Mother of light; may the holy choir of angels; may the bright court of heaven ever assist and protect us."
"May the Godhead ever blessed of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, whose glory is proclaimed through the whole world, grant us this prayer. Amen."
Catholic ping!
The Chaplet of St. Michael
O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be
to the Father, etc.
[Say one Our Father and three Hail Marys after each of the following
nine salutations in honor of the nine Choirs of Angels]
1. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of
Seraphim may the Lord make us worthy to burn with the fire of
perfect charity. Amen.
2. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of
Cherubim may the Lord grant us the grace to leave the ways of sin
and run in the paths of Christian perfection. Amen.
3. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of
Thrones may the Lord infuse into our hearts a true and sincere
spirit of humility. Amen.
4. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of
Dominions may the Lord give us grace to govern our senses and
overcome any unruly passions. Amen.
5. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of
Powers may the Lord protect our souls against the snares and
temptations of the devil. Amen.
6. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of
Virtues may the Lord preserve us from evil and falling into
temptation. Amen.
7. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of
Principalities may God fill our souls with a true spirit of
obedience. Amen.
8. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of
Archangels may the Lord give us perseverance in faith and in all
good works in order that we may attain the glory of Heaven. Amen.
9. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of
Angels may the Lord grant us to be protected by them in this mortal
life and conducted in the life to come to Heaven. Amen.
Say one Our Father in honor of each of the following leading Angels:
St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael and our Guardian Angel.
Concluding prayers:
O glorious prince St. Michael, chief and commander of the
heavenly hosts, guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits,
servant in the house of the Divine King and our admirable conductor,
you who shine with excellence and superhuman virtue deliver us from
all evil, who turn to you with confidence and enable us by your
gracious protection to serve God more and more faithfully every day.
Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus
Christ, that we may be made worthy of His promises.
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who, by a prodigy of goodness and a
merciful desire for the salvation of all men, has appointed the most
glorious Archangel St. Michael Prince of Your Church, make us
worthy, we ask You, to be delivered from all our enemies, that none
of them may harass us at the hour of death, but that we may be
conducted by him into Your Presence. This we ask through the merits
of Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Chosen captain of the heavenly hosts and defender of mankind, we - delivered by you from afflictions -offer this hymn of thanksgiving, and do you standing before the throne of the King of Glory set us free from all distress that we may cry to you with faith and love:
Hail, Michael great captain, with the hosts of heaven!
First Chant
As leader of the fiery choirs of angels, it is right to praise you with angelic tongue, 0 Michael, but until -taught by you - we have become used to the speech of the bodiless powers, hear the praises from thankful lips though they be those of mortal beings:
Hail, first-formed star of the world!
Hail, candle of truth and justice, shining like gold!
Hail, first receiver, in the choir of angels of the rays of the uncreated light!
Hail, head of angels and archangels!
Hail, you in whom the creative glory of the Right Hand
shines!
Hail, you by whom the assembly of all bodiless creatures is made beautiful!
Hail, Michael, great chief captain with all the hosts of heaven!
Kontakion
Beholding the splendor of your spiritual beauty and the strength of your right hand that is like a flash of lightning, we - wrapped as we are in the mortal flesh of this earth - but, filled with joy and thankfulness toward the Creator, cry aloud: 0 Archangel of God, with all the hosts of heaven: Alleluia!
~ PRAYER ~
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 host,
by the power of God,
Thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits
who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+
Explanation of the Prayer of Saint Michael [Father Robert J. Altier]
How The Prayer of St. Michael Came to be Written
THE THREE ARCHANGELS: [St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael]
Feast of St. Michael the Archangel
Act of Consecration to St Michael the Archangel (for the Feast of St Michael, September 29)
Looking at the various depictions of St Micheal, it often amused me that he is pictured as a member of that civilizations idea of a noble warrior. So the Greeks have him as a Byzantine warrior, the Southern Europeans as a Western Roman soldier, and the Northern ones as a knight.
I keep expecting to see an icon of St. Micheal in full BDU’s one of thee days!
I sort of think he’ll be depicted in full Marine Dress uniform, don’t you? < g >
My father was Army back in the day, so something like that.
. . . but my son's enlisting in the USMC as soon as he gets his high school diploma in his hot little hand.
So I guess I'll cheer for his team.
Yes, my Lutheran congregation kept the feast with a sparsely attended Eucharist tonight. Two retired Police chiefs (one a Marine vet, the other an Air Force vet) and an EMT.
Just the right type of congregation.
Years?
Awesome thread.
ARCHANGELS defend us— bump
Freegards
French and Indian, and border skirmishes with the Indians before that. Of course I guess you could say they were in the British army then . . . .
St Michael has always been a great solace to me. I took his name at confirmation and named one of my sons after him.
Thanks for posting this.
Every unit needs SOMEbody like that!
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