Tag: stmichaelthearchangel

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering

Our Morning Offering – 29 September – Hail, bright Archangel!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 29 September – The Feast of the Dedication of the Archangel St Michael

Praise to St Michael, the Prince of the Celestial Army

“At that time shall Michael rise up, the great prince,
who standeth for the children of thy people.“” –Dan. 12:1.

Hail, bright Archangel!
By Fr F W Faber CO (1814-1863)

Hail, bright Archangel!
Prince of Spirit divinely strong!
To whose rare merit hath been given in Heaven!
To head the Angelic throng!

Thine the first worship was, when gloom
Through Heaven’s thinned ranks did move,
Thus giving unto God the bloom
Of young creation’s love.

O trumpet-tongued! O beautiful!
O force of the Most High!
The blessed of the earth look dull
Beside thy majesty.

First servant of the Ineffable!
The first created eye
That ever, proved and perfect, fell
On the dread Trinity!

O Michael! worship Him this night,
The Father, Word and Dove,
Renewing with strong act the might
Of thy first marvellous love.

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Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, The HOLY EUCHARIST

Saint of the Day – 29 September – The Feast of the Dedication of St Michael the Archangel

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 29 September – The Feast of the Dedication of St Michael the Archangel

Saint Michael, the Guardian Angel
of the Blessed Sacrament
By Fr Francis Xavier Lasance (1860-1946)

“Michael,” or “Who is like to God?” Such was the cry of the great Archangel when he smote the rebel Lucifer, in the conflict of the heavenly hosts and from that hour, he has been known as “Michael,” the Captain of the Armies of God, the type of of divine fortitude, the champion of every faithful soul, in strife with the powers of evil. Thus he appears in Holy Scripture, as the guardian of the children of Israel, their comfort and protector in times of sorrow or conflict. He it is, who prepares for their return from the Persian captivity, who leads the valiant Machabees to victory and, who rescues the body of Moses from the envious grasp of the Evil One.

And since Christ’s coming, the Church has ever venerated St Michael as her special Patron and Protector. She styles him “the Chief of the Angelic Hosts set over paradise, whom the citizens of Heaven delight to honour; the messenger of God to the souls of the just.” She invokes him by name in her confession of sin, summons him to the side of her children in the agony of death and chooses him, as their escort, from the chastening flames of Purgatory to the realms of Holy Light. Lastly, when Antichrist shall have set up his kingdom on earth, it is Michael, who will unfurl once more, the standard of the Cross, sound the last trumpet and, binding together the false prophet and the beast, hurl them for all eternity into the burning pool.

Although the Blessed Sacrament is the property of the souls of men and belongs to them, in a way and with an intimacy, which the spirits of the Angels cannot share, there is, nevertheless, a great connection between the Angels and the Blessed Sacrament. It is the especial mystery of that human nature, in which Jesus is head of the Angels. It is one of the Mysteries they adore and humbly desire to look into. They admire it with a special admiration and follow it all over the world–in the Priests’ hands, on the throne, in the Tabernacle, round the Church, on its obscure visits to the sick–as if they were attracted by it, which they are. It is called Angels’ Food and the Bread of Angels and, although they cannot enjoy the proper Sacramental union, with the Flesh of our dearest Lord, they doubtless feed on it, in their intelligences by a kind of spiritual Communion. St Thomas says that the Angels see Christ in clear vision and enjoy Him in His own proper species and this, is their spiritual Communion, which precludes their receiving, by a spiritual Communion, this Sacrament, where He is seen only by faith and enjoyed only under the Sacramental Species. “They feed not on the Sacrament but on Him ,Who is in the Sacrament.”–(Summa. p. 3., q. 80, a. 2, c).

It is said that St Michael revealed to St Eutropius, the Hermit, that he had been chosen to be the Guardian Angel of the Blessed Sacrament . . . and there are also on record, several revelations of his to various Saints concerning the worship of the Blessed Sacrament. Some have supposed him to be the Angel of the Mass, referred to in the Canon; he is spoken of at the beginning of the Mass in the Confiteor and again, in the second incensing at the High Mass and also, in the Offertory of Masses of Requiem.

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, GOD the FATHER, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE

One Minute Reflection – 29 September – Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 29 September – The Feast of Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Readings: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 or Apocalypse (Revelation) 12:7-12, Psalms 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, Gospel: John 1:47-51

“Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and it’s angels fought back …” … Apocalypse 12:7

REFLECTION – “We must not think that the devil and his angels dared to fight in heaven, since he could not even tempt Job without God’s permission. Rather by “heaven” he quite manifestly indicates the Church, where each one of the faithful constantly contends against spiritual evils. Therefore, the apostle says, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers and against the world rulers of this present darkness.”

And so he says here, that Michael with his angels fights against the devil because by praying according to the will of God, for the Church in this world and, by granting her his aid, he is properly understood to be fighting for her. And so the apostle says, “Are not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?” Indeed, the name of Michael himself is interpreted to mean “the helper of God” and so, this work is properly assigned to him. Also Daniel said, that in the last distress, [Michael] would come for the succour of the church: “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who stands for the children of your people. And there shall be a time, such as has never been since the nations first began to be. And in that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who shall be found written in the book.” The angels are said to be his by a certain manner of speaking, such as we read, “For their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.”

And so it speaks of those who, by believing, began to be citizens in Christ and thus are His angels, because they are regarded as protected by one guardian king and as made glad by one life-giving spirit. The devil and his angels are not only those who are similar to him in nature and will. They are also as men, who after being caught in his traps, became pursuers of such things. Indeed, because of the qualities of his wil,l it is said about the devil, “An evil man has done this” and about Judas, “[One of you] is a devil.” The devil is said to express himself by way of a twofold body. When he is conquered, he is said to be thrown out by those who have renounced him and have received faith in Christ and so no longer copy his errors. Rather, in them “love [remains] from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith.” Or, since the Church is already separated from any admixture of evil and is glorified by the future blessedness, no place is given to the devil and to his angels to seduce the evil, or to tempt the good. The psalm refers to him and says, “I passed by and lo! he was not and I sought him, but his place was not found.” … Primasius of Hadrumetum Bishop (Died c 560) – Commentary on the Apocalypse, 12

NOTE: Primasius (died c 560) was Bishop of Hadrumetum and primate of Byzacena, in Africa. One of the participants in the Three Chapters Controversy, his commentary on the Book of the Apocalypse (Revelation), is of interest to modern scholars for it’s use of the lost commentary of Ticonius on the same book of the New Testament.

PRAYER – Dear and Holy God, let us offer You all our daily struggles against sin and evil. Grant us the strength to resist all forms of idolatry, to seek only You and never to allow the material goods of this world to seduce us. Sustain us ever more with Your word and help us to find in it, the source of life. Grant that the angels who always minister to You in heaven may defend us during our life on earth and protect us from evil. Grant this, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 8 May – Apparition of Michael the Archangel at Monte Gargano, Italy (492)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 8 May – Apparition of Michael the Archangel at Monte Gargano, Italy (492)

michael

It is evident from Holy Scripture that God is pleased to make frequent use of the ministry of the heavenly spirits in the dispensations of His providence in this world.   The Angels are all pure spirits;  by a property of their nature they are immortal, as is every spirit. They have the power of moving or conveying themselves at will from place to place and such is their activity that it is not easy for us to conceive of it.   Among the holy Archangels, Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are particularly distinguished in the Scriptures.   Saint Michael, whose name means Who is like unto God?, is the prince of the faithful Angels who opposed Lucifer and his followers in their revolt against God.   Since the devil is the sworn enemy of God’s holy Church, Saint Michael is given to it by God as its special protector against the demon’s assaults and stratagems.st michael at gargano

Various apparitions of this powerful Angel have proved the protection of Saint Michael over the Church.   We may mention his apparition in Rome, where Saint Gregory the Great saw him in the air sheathing his sword, to signal the cessation of a pestilence and the appeasement of God’s wrath.   Another apparition to Saint Ausbert, bishop of Avranches in France, led to the construction of Mont-Saint-Michel in the sea, a famous pilgrimage site.   8 May, however, is destined to recall another no less marvellous apparition, occurring near Monte Gargano in the Kingdom of Naples.

In the year 492 a man named Elvio Emanuele Gargan was pasturing his large herds in the countryside. One day a bull fled to the mountain, where at first it could not be found.   When its refuge in a cave was discovered, an arrow was shot into the cave but the arrow returned to wound the one who had sent it.   Faced with so mysterious an occurrence, the persons concerned decided to consult the Bishop of the region, St Lorenzo Maiorano (Died 545), his feast day being 7 February.  He ordered three days of fasting and prayers.   After three days, the Archangel Saint Michael appeared to the Bishop and declared that the cavern, where the bull had taken refuge, was under his protection and that God wanted it to be Consecrated under his name and in honour of all the Holy Angels.

Accompanied by his clergy and people, Bishop Lorenzo went to that cavern, which he found already disposed in the form of a Church.   The divine mysteries were celebrated there and there arose in this same place a magnificent temple where the divine Power has wrought great miracles.   To thank God’s adorable goodness for the protection of the holy Archangel, the effect of His merciful Providence, this feast day was instituted by the Church in his honour.Grotto where the Archangel Michael is said to have appeared in 492Grotto where the Archangel Michael is said to have appeared in 492 - 2

It is said of this special guardian and protector of the Church that, during the final persecution of Antichrist, he will powerfully defend it:  At that time shall Michael rise up, the great prince who protects the children of thy people. (Dan. 12:1)   Compare this text with Chapter 10 of the Apocalypse of Saint John.Monte_Santangelo_San_Michele_DSC_7156bSantuario_san_michele_arcangeloapparition of st michaelGiordano St. Michael