Posted on 09/30/2026 11:43:03 AM PDT by ebb tide
Each year on September 29, the Catholic Church honors St. Michael the Archangel. His name, “Mi-cha-el”, poses the challenge, “Who is like God?” Yet behind that question stands a profound commitment: St. Michael personifies Serviam (“I will serve”), the direct antithesis of Lucifer’s defiant Non Serviam (“I will not serve”). At a time when the Church endures fierce attacks on her priesthood, her pro-life witness from conception, and the reverence due to God alone, St. Michael’s example is more than a pious devotion. It is a rallying banner for the faithful who refuse to compromise.
The story of salvation opens not on earth but in heaven, with an uprising. Lucifer, the most radiant of the angels, was cast down because of pride and a conscious choice to reject serving God.
“Non Serviam”—“I will not serve”—became the anthem of every rebel angel and every soul that followed the devil.
On the contrary, St. Michael did not merely obey but proclaimed God’s supremacy with a warrior’s zeal.
‘Who is like unto God?’ is a battle cry against every being that sets itself above the Creator.Tweet this quote
“Who is like unto God?” is a battle cry against every being that sets itself above the Creator. When Michael cast Lucifer from heaven, he did not act by his own power. He served as God’s instrument—the servant of God whose “Serviam” overcame the devil’s “Non Serviam.”
Such is the blueprint for every spiritual conflict. Pride says, “I will not serve.” Humility says, “I will serve.” Indeed, the devil’s pride manifests in every assault on God’s law. In contrast, St. Michael’s humility can be replicated in every defense of God’s honor.
The Catholic Church is not a human institution. As the Mystical Body of Christ, she stands as the chief target of the devil’s fury. St. Michael is her Guardian, her Defender, and her Advocate in heaven. He is called upon in the Confiteor, in the prayers for the dying, and in the rite of exorcism, for the Church knows she cannot endure without God’s help.
Today, St. Michael’s aid is urgently needed. Priests face assaults not only in the spiritual realm but also in the physical. For example, in Nigeria, over 200 priests have been taken hostage through kidnappings since 2015. In Poland, a priest succumbed to his wounds after being stabbed at a Benedictine convent in September 2026. In the United States, hundreds of attacks on Catholic churches have been recorded since 2020, spanning acts of arson, vandalism, and even shootings.
Such atrocities are not senseless violence but spiritual warfare laid bare. The devil opposes the Catholic priesthood because it is the conduit of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist and the sacraments. When priests are silenced, intimidated, or murdered, the Mystical Body of Christ is also wounded.
That is why the intercession of St. Michael is essential: to shield priests, fortify them in their calling, and inspire new vocations among the faithful. As patron of those who serve at the altar, his declaration—“I will serve”—stands as the exemplar for every priest who embraces the same commitment, whatever the price.
Pride says, ‘I will not serve.’ Humility says, ‘I will serve.’Tweet this quote
The devil’s “Non Serviam” extends far beyond assaults on the priesthood; it permeates the very culture of death that envelops us. From the very moment of conception, human life is sacred, for it is willed by God and bears His image and likeness.
Moreover, the Catechism of the Catholic Church leaves no space for ambiguity: “Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a ‘criminal’ practice, gravely contrary to the moral law.” In response, the Church prescribes excommunication for the abominable offense of abortion.
Yet abortion remains legal in many nations, including the former pro-life strongholds of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Increasingly, Catholics are pressured to accept or tolerate abortion as “compassionate” or “necessary.”
Admittedly, the devil’s deception is to present the killing of the innocent as an act of mercy. St. Michael’s truth stands in direct opposition: every human life, from the moment of conception, must be safeguarded with the greatest vigilance and care.
The same malevolent spirit of death drives the campaigns for euthanasia and assisted suicide across the world. As the Catechism proclaimed , “Intentional euthanasia, whatever its forms or motives, is murder. It is gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator.” Yet nations, including formerly Catholic ones, are legalizing euthanasia, and even some Catholic public figures appear to be wavering on the subject.
In turn, St. Michael’s Serviam demands that Catholics reject these lies promoted by the cult of death. Unequivocally, to serve God is to defend life at every stage. Conversely, to refuse to protect life is to echo Lucifer’s “Non Serviam.”
On this feast of St. Michael, may all faithful Catholics renew their ‘Serviam’ and reject the devil’s ‘Non Serviam’ in all its forms—pride, rebellion, compromise, and apostasy.Tweet this quote
Notably, the devil’s rebellion targets the very fabric of God’s creation. God fashioned humanity as man and woman in His image, ordaining them for marriage and family. Gender ideology, which scoffs at this created order, as well as LGBTQ+ activism, which strives to recast the meaning of sexuality and marriage, are not acts of love. Rather, they are manifestations of pride, an effort to overturn what God has instituted, as well as “Non Serviam” in reality: “I will not serve the Creator’s design. I will create my own truth.”
The ramifications of this “Non Serviam” are spiritual, psychological, and social. Children are confused, families are torn apart, and souls are led astray from the path of holiness.
St. Michael’s “Serviam” summons Catholics to uphold God’s design, even when it is countercultural. It demands clear teaching, courageous witness, and compassionate outreach to those ensnared by error. Yet it does not invite compromise. To serve God is to proclaim His truth and not to accommodate the world’s falsehoods.
In every era, God sustains a remnant—those who declare “Serviam” while others cry “Non Serviam.” Elijah believed he stood alone, yet God revealed that 7,000 had not bowed to Baal. Today, Catholics who defend life, uphold the priesthood, reject gender ideology, and proclaim God’s honor belong to that faithful remnant, with St. Michael as one of their patrons. Thus the feast of St. Michael is a call to arms: to pray, to study, to live the Faith courageously, and to renounce every form of “Non Serviam.”
On this feast of St. Michael, may all faithful Catholics renew their “Serviam” and reject the devil’s “Non Serviam” in all its forms—pride, rebellion, compromise, and apostasy. Let us all stand with this glorious Archangel who casts down the proud serpent and defends God’s honor.
Maria, Regina Angelorum, ora pro nobis.
Sancte Michael Archangele, ora pro nobis.
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Saint Michael, Archangel, defend us in battle.
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