Feast Day of Michael,Gabriel and Raphael[Michael's Battle With The Dragon]

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.Because she was with child, she wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.Then another sign appeared in the sky: it was a huge dragon, flaming red, with seven heads and ten horns; on his heads were seven diadems. His tail swept a third of the stars from the sky and hurled them down to the earth.

Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, ready to devour her child when it should be born.She gave birth to a son-a boy destined to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod.Her child was caught up to God and to his throne. The woman herslef fled into the desert,where a special place had been prepared for her by God;there she was taken care of for twelve hundred and sixty days.

Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.Although the dragon and his angels fought back,they were overpowered and lost their place in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent known as the devil or Satan, the seducer of the whole world, was driven out; he was hurled down to earth and his minions with him.

When the dragon saw that he had been cast down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the boy.But the woman was given the wings of a gigantic eagle so that she could fly off to her place in the desert,where,far from the serpent she could be taken care of for a year and for two and a half years more.The serpent, however, spewed a torrent of water out of his mouth to search out the woman and sweep her away. The earth then came to the woman's rescue by opening its mouth and swallowing the flood which the dragon spewed out his mouth.

Enraged at her escape, the dragon went off to make war on the rest of her offsprings, on those who keep God's commandments and give witness to Jesus.

St.Michael by Crivelli

St. Michael to the Rescue

What follows is a copy of a letter written by a young Marine to his mother while recovering from a wound suffered on a Korean battlefield in 1950.The Navy Chaplain Father W.Muldy, who had talked to the boy,his mother, and to the Sergeant in charge of the patrol, vouched for the veracity of the story.

Dear Mom,

I wouldn't dare write this letter to anyone but you,because no one would believe it. Maybe even you will find it hard, but I have got to tell somebody.

First off,I'm in a hospital. Now don't worry,you hear me? Don't worry! I was wounded, but I am okay. The doctor says that I will be up and around in a month. But that's not what I want to tell you.

Remember when I joined the Marines last year? When I left, you told me to say a prayer to St. Michael every day. You really didn't have to tell me that...ever since I can remember, you always told me to pray to St. Michael the Archangel. You even named me after him. Well,I always have! But when I got to Korea I prayed even harder.

Remember the prayer that you taught me?..."Michael,Michael of the morning,Fresh corps of Heaven adorning..."You know the rest of it. Well, I said it every day...sometimes when I was marching or sometimes resting. But always before I went to sleep. I even got some of the other fellas to say it.

Well, one day I was with an advance detail way up on the front lines. We were scouting for the Commies. I was plodding along in the bitter cold...my breath was like cigar smoke.

I thought I knew every guy in the patrol, when alongside of me comes another Marine I never met bfore. He was bigger than any other Marine I'd ever seen. He must have been 6'4" and built in proportion! It gave me a feeling of security to have such a body nearby.

Anyway,there we were trudging along. The rest of the patrol spread out.Just to start a conversation, I said, "Cold, ain't it!" And then I laughed! Here I was, with a good chance of getting killed any minute,and I'm talking about the weather!

My companion seemed to understand. I heard him laugh softly. I looked at him, I have never seen you before.I thought I knew every man in the outfit."

"I just joined at the last minute," he replied."The name is Michael."

"Is that so?" I said surprised. "That's MY name, too!" "I know," he said...and then went on..."Michael,Michael, of the morning..."

I was too amazed to say anything for a minute. How did he know my name, and a prayer that YOU had taught me? Then I smiled to myself:Every guy in the outfit knew about me! Hadn't I taught the prayer to anybody who would listen? Why, now and then, they even referred to me as "St.Michael"!

Neither of us spoke for a time, and then he broke the silence."We are going to have some trouble up ahead."

He must have been in fine physical shape,for he was breathing so lightly that I couldn't see his breath. Mine poured out in great clouds! There was no smile on his face now. Trouble ahead, I thought to myself...well, with the Commies all around us,THAT is no great revelation!

Snow began to fall in great thick globs. In a brief moment, the whole countryside was blotted out. And I was marching in a white fog of wet, sticky particles. My companion disappeared.

"Michael!" I shouted in sudden alarm.

I felt his hand on my arm, his voice rich and strong, "This will stop shortly." His prophecy proved to be correct. In a few minutes, the snow stopped as abruptly as it had begun. The sun was a hard, shining disc. I looked back for trhe rest of the patrol, THere was no one in sight. We lost them in that heavy fall of snow. I looked ahead as we came over a little rise.

Mom, my heart just stopped! THere were seven of them! Seven Commies in their padded pants and jackets and atheir funny hats. Only, there wasn't anything funny about them now. Seven rifles were aimed at us!

"Down, Michael! I screamed, and hit the frozen earth. I heard those rifles fire almost as one. I heard the bullets. There was Michael...still standing!

Mom, those guys COULDN'T have missed...not at that range! I expected to see him literally blown to bits! But, there he stood...making no effort to fire himself! He was paralyzed with fear...it happens sometimes, Mom, even to the bravest. He was like a bird fascinated by a snake!

At least, that was what I thought THEN I jumped up to pull him down, and that was when I got hit. I felt a sudden flame in my chest. I often wondered what it felt like to be hit..now I know!

I remember feeling strong arms around me, arms that laid me ever so gently on a pillow of snow. I hoped my eyes, for one last look. I was dying! Maybe I was even dead. I remember thinking."Well, this is not so bad."

Maybe I was looking into the sun. Maybe I was in shock. But it seemed I saw Michael standing erect again...only this time his face was shining with a terrible splendor!He seemed to change as I watched him. He grew bigger, his arms stretched out wide. Maybe it was the snow falling again, but there a brightness around him like the wings of an Angel! In his hand was a sword...a sword that flashed with a million lights!

Well...that is the last thing I remember until the rest of the fellas came up and found me. I don't know how much time had passed. Now and then, I had but a moment's rest from the pain and fever.I remember telling them of the enemy just ahead.

"Where's Michael?" I asked. I saw them at one another, "Where's who?" asked one.

"Michael...Michael...that big Marine I was walking with just before the snow squall hit us."

"Kid,"said the sargent, "You weren't walking with anyone. I had my eyes on you the whole tlme. You were getting too far out! I was just going to call you in when you disappeared in the snow."

He looked at me curiously. "How did you do it, kid?" "How'd I do WHAT?" I asked...half-angry, despite my wound. "This Marine named Michael and I were just..."

"Son," said the sergeant kindly, "I picked this outfit myself,and there just ain't another Michael in it! You are the only Michael in it!"

He paused for a minute. "Just how did you do it,kid? We heard shots, but there hasn't been a shot fired from YOURrifle..and there isn't a BIT of lead in them seven bodies over the hill there."

I didn't say anything. What COULD I say? I could only look open-mouthed with amazement.

It was then the sergeant spoke again. "Kid," he said gently..."Every one of sthose seven Commies was killed a sword stroke!"

That is all I can tell you, Mom. As I say...it may have been the sun in my eyes...it may have been the cold or the pain.But that is what happened!

Taken from the fall,2002 Circular Letter of OPUS SANCTORUM ANGELORUM

I first heard about this story from Father William Wagner some years ago.I thought it was fantastic then and still do.

St Michael,St Gabriel and St Raphael please pray for us.

What a wonderful story!! Thank you for sharing it. On the Spirit Daily web site was the following story. Thought you might find it interesting.

ARCHANGEL MICHAEL'S PRESENCE IS STILL FELT AT MYSTERIOUS, POTENT CAVE IN ITALY

By Michael H. Brown

This week of the archangels, celebrating the feast day of St. Michael, I'd like to say that I have been to a number of holy places -- spots where there is an especially powerful presence, the actual feeling of something supernatural. Highest on this list would be the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem; the Cathedral of the Holy Shroud in Turin; the chapel of the apparitions at Fatima; the Lourdes grotto; and where I am right now -- apparition hill just outside the village of Medjugorje in Bosnia-Hercegovina.

These are all powerful places and in their midst I would also rank the Cave of the Archangel Michael -- in fact, it is right there at the top. This is a grotto in eastern Italy, and believe me, there is a presence here! There is the real feeling of St. Michael. When I visited the cave in 1990, a disheveled man who had simply walked in and was sitting before the statue of Michael suddenly went through a spontaneous deliverance as a demon that obviously inhabited him screeched and yelled as the Holy Spirit sought to cast it out.

That's power. I urge you all to visit it. Perhaps one day we'll run a pilgrimage. I have a stone from the cave that I treasure as one of my most powerful relics.

And I also have a rare picture of the archangel that I bought at the cave (yes, a cave, not a church). We feel the picture is so potent that we have adopted it, along with the Shroud, as the official devotion for this website (see below).

I have heard from others who have told me about encountering angels on the way to St. Michael's cave or of simply experiencing the kind of feeling that is rare outside of the most famous sites of apparition. But that's what happens at Monte Gargano (where the cave is located): there is a feeling that can only be compared to spots like Mount Krizevac or the Church of the Nativity in Jerusalem, and it only makes sense when we take a look at the history -- the long history -- of this place.

Located in stony hillsides not far from San Giovanni Rotundo (where St. Pio lived), the cave is reached by walking 86 steps subdivided into five flights and interrupted by four landings. It is a mysterious place, the galleries supported by big Gothic arches and ogival vaults, the side walls are illuminated by small windows.

But most mysterious is the history: in 404 A.D. a wealthy man, frustrated when one of his cattle refused to move from the entrance of the cave, took up his bow and sent an arrow toward the animal -- an arrow that then whirled like a boomerang and came back to wound the archer!

So frightened was the man that he went to see the bishop of Siponto, who in praying for an answer experienced the apparition of Michael. The archangel identified himself as the angel "who ever stands before the Lord" and was "keeping this place under my special protection."

Although there is a basilica in the cave, it has never been consecrated by the Church because the Church considers it the only basilica consecrated by an actual angel!

In another instance when Neopolitans decided to wage war on Siponto, Michael appeared again to the bishop assuring him of victory. As soon as the attack began, all of Monte Gargano was enveloped by a dark cloud that shot forth lightning of such strength as to chase away the enemy.

No wonder the power is still felt. Let us take a lesson from it on the archangel's tremendous intervention. Michael! He is the angelic prince of Israel, guardian of Jacob, known in Islamic writing as Mika'il.

In our current day, he figures often into mysticism. Although most don't realize it, it was only after invocation of St. Michael that a child was freed from possession in the real-life case of The Exorcist (this never made it into the movie). I once spoke to a level-headed woman who claimed to have seen Michael as a gigantic being at a time when she and her husband were going through a crisis. She claims she saw him with her eyes open. He was so huge, she says, that she could only see to his knees. He wore strapped sandals, and his feet looked like they had trekked across the earth. She could see the tip of a sword. I also remember the Ukrainian mystic Josyp Terelya seeing Michael as a wise old man who instructed him in a dream.

Michael! A wise man. A warrior. The warrior. Some say the great archangel is the author of Psalm 85.

In Jewish lore it's even believed that the fire Moses saw in the burning bush had Michael's appearance.

Christians invoke him as the angel of deliverance.

This is a mighty intercessor who can help you in many distressing situations. Invoke him. Do his novena. Ask for his help. He is stronger than anything bad. "Who is like unto God?" was Michael's cry against the fallen angels who tried to usurp the throne of God.

Spirit Daily

Removal Of St. Michael Prayer Came As Church Encountered 'Smoke' Of Satan

By Michael H. Brown

It has to be considered a mistake. It has left the Church without a vital safeguard. Someday, it may will be aligned with great smoke that rose in the sanctuary.

We speak here of the Prayer to the Archangel Michael. It's a prayer that was devised by Pope Leo XIII after some sort of mystical experience in which the pontiff was given to understand that Satan was in a special period of aggression. It was then that the prayer was devised, and in 1886 Leo XIII ordered it said at the conclusion of Mass, which was done until the fateful 1960s -- when a torrent of evil suddenly poured into the world. In 1964, in the first wave of post-Vatican II changes -- in what was known as the Instructio Prima -- this magnificent and potent invocation to the archangel who threw Lucifer from heaven was removed from low Mass in the Catholic Church along with a reading of a last Gospel.

Since that time, what have we seen? Priests who have left the priesthood. Pews that emptied. And now, scandal. Across society, Christianity and particularly the Catholic segment has become the focus of disdain in a culture that opened itself to infernal legions. Removal of the prayer-- along with the near-elimination of exorcism -- allowed an influx of evil. In 1972, speaking in the aftermath of Vatican II, Pope Paul VI himself said "the smoke of Satan has entered by some crack into the temple of God."

It was in 1964 that the new standard was directed, and in 1968 that the new liturgy, minus the prayer, was authorized.

What happened in that specific period?

Our youth strayed. The choir was replaced by rock bands. Priests were made to feel outcasts. There were even songs dedicated to the devil. Television replaced the majesty of religion. Free sex. Drugs. Abortion. Instead of public prayer there was now public profanity. In the same chronological window that saw elimination of the Michael prayer, the first Church of Satan rose (1966) in the U.S. and the satanic Bible three years later.

It was against such things that the prayer was potent, as was the practice of deliverance, something Jesus had commanded. Most of the exorcisms were taken out of baptismal rites, and the Church eliminated the minor order of "exorcist" (which young men traveled on the way to priesthood). Exorcism became rare at the same time that the devil became pervasive.

Our current Pope is trying to stem this tide, and on at least two occasions, in 1982 and on September 7, 2000, personally conducted exorcisms. He was accompanied by Father Gabriel Amorth, the official exorcist of Rome, who says:

"I believe that it was a mistake to have eliminated, without a suitable replacement, the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel that we used to recite after every Mass. I am convinced that allowing the ministry of exorcism to die is an unforgivable deficiency to be laid squarely at the door of bishops. Every diocese should have at least one exorcist at the cathedral, and every large parish and sanctuary should have one as well. Today the exorcist is seen as a rarity, almost impossible to find. His activity, on the other hand, has an indispensable pastoral value, as valuable as that of the preacher, the confessor, and those who administer the other sacraments. The Catholic hierarchy must say a forceful mea culpa. I am personally acquainted with many Italian bishops; I know of only a few who have ever practiced or who have assisted during an exorcism or who are adequately aware of this problem."

It's time to bring Michael back. Evil can not stand in his presence. The situation is growing severe -- as we saw on September 11 when the very smoke from the World Trade Center formed demonic images.

I'll always heard about a longer version of this prayer that Pope Leo XIII composed. I'm guessing that this is it. I found it HERE:

PRAYER TO ST. MICHAEL

O Glorious Archangel St. Michael, Prince of the heavenly host, be our defense in the terrible warfare which we carry on against principalities and Powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, spirits of evil. Come to the aid of man, whom God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil. Fight this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist Thee, nor was there place for them any longer in heaven. That cruel, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan, who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men, of his depraved mind, corrupt heart, spirit of lying, impiety, blasphemy, his pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity. These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the Spouse of the Immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where has been set up the See of the most holy Peter and the Chair of Truth for the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be scattered. Arise then, 0 invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate Thee as their protector and patron; in Thee Holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious power of hell; to Thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly conciliate the mercies of the Lord; and beating down the dragon, the ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, do Thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen

V. Behold the Cross of the Lord; be scattered hostile powers.

R.. The Lion of the tribe of Juda has conquered, the root of David.

V. Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord.

R. As we have hoped in Thee.

V O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray.

O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy holy name, and we suppliantly implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin Immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious Archangel St. Michael, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all other unclean spirits, who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and ruin of souls. Amen.

Pope Leo XIII 1888

Is this it? I found it HERE:

CHAPLET OF ST. MICHAEL

Begin by saying the following invocation on the medal:

O God, come to my assistance.

O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory Be to the Father, etc.

Say (1) Our Father and (3) Hail Marys after each of the following nine (9) salutations in honor of the nine (9) 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 vouchsafe to grant us grace to leave the ways of wickedness and to turn 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 subdue our unruly passions. Amen.

5) By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Powers, may the Lord vouchsafe to 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 suffer us not to fall 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 gain the glory of Paradise. 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 hereafter to eternal glory. Amen.

Following the arrow on the diagram, 10-13, say (1) Our Father in honor of each of the following leading Angels:

#10 - St. Michael

#11 - St. Gabriel

#12 - St. Raphael

#13 - Our Guardian Angel

Conclude by saying the following 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, thou who dost shine with excellence and superhuman virtue, vouchsafe to deliver us from all evil, who turn to thee with confidence, and enable us by the gracious protection to serve God more and more faithfully every day.

V. Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ.

R. That we may be made worthy of His promises.

PRAYER

Almighty and Everlasting God, Who by a prodigy of goodness and a merciful desire for the salvation of all men, hast appointed the most glorious Archangel, St. Michael, Prince of Thy Church; make us worthy, we beseech Thee, 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 the August presence of Thy Divine Majesty. This we beg through the merits of Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Promises of St. Michael. Whosoever would practice this devotion in his honor would have, when approaching the Holy Table, an escort of nine (9) angels chosen from each one of the nine Choirs. In addition, for the daily recital of these nine (9) salutations, he promised his continual assistance and that of all the Holy Angels during life and after death, deliverance from Purgatory for themselves and their relations.

- With Ecclesiastical Approval

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