CELEBRATE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL

"Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, who fought back with his angels; but the dragon was defeated, and he and his angels were not allowed to stay in heaven any longer" (Revelation 12:7-8) 

On the 29th of September every year the Church observes the solemnity of St Michael the Archangel. This post looks, in retrospect, at the importance of the feast and the significance of its celebration. It also tells how Christians should honor and celebrate Archangel Michael, to get his protection and win the favor of  God. 

MICHAELMAS 

The Feast of Saint Michael is also called Michaelmas. It was first celebrated in the fifth century when a basilica was built in honor of Archangel Michael in Via Salaria, near Rome. Michaelmas celebrates  the three archangels who are venerated in the tradition of the Church. Michael (Who is like God?) was the archangel who fought against Satan and all his evil angels, defending all the friends of God. He is the protector of all humanity from the snares of the devil. Gabriel (Strength of God) announced to Zachariah the birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary, the birth of Jesus. Raphael (Medicine of God) took care of Tobias on his journey, healed Tobit of blindness, and freed Sarah of the démon Asmodeus. 

ARCHANGEL MICHAEL IN BATTLE 

CHOIRS OF ANGELS 

The Angels are pure, created heavenly beings. Their nature is spirit and their office is servant or messenger of God (Hebrews 1:14). Angels exist and act on a higher order than human beings. They do not have bodies and do not depend on matter to operate. Buy they are different from saints, who are holy people made perfect by God in heaven (Hebrews 12:.23). Angels are immortal and intellectual and have a will. There are nine ranks of angels, which in their ascending order, are (i) Angels (ii) Archangels (iii) the Principalities (iv) Powers (v) Virtues (vi) Dominations (vii) Thrones (viii) Cherubim and (ix) Seraphim. 

THE WAR CRY 

The name of the Archangel "Michael" means, in Hebrew, "Who is like God?"  He is also known as "the prince of the heavenly host" and "commander of the Lord's Army". His name is the "war cry" by which he rallied the faithful Angels of God to fight and cast the dragon down from Heaven (Revelation 12:7-9).. His symbol is an angel with wings; dressed in armor; lance and shield; shown with scales; weighing souls; millstone and piercing the dragon or devil; and with a banner charged with a dove; with the colors orange or gold.

MICHAEL AT WORK 

According to the scriptures Archangel Michael performs four main functions. 

The first is to fight against Satan or the ancient dragon (Revelation 12:7-9). The second is to escort the faithfuls to heaven at their hour of death. (Jude 1:9). The third is to defend the faithful and to protect the Church against the attacks and accusations of the Devil. (Daniel 10:13, 21; Zechariah 3:1-7) And the fourth is to call people up at the end of time to face judgment. (Daniel 12:1).

Today, Saint Michel the Archangel is invoked for protection against deadly spiritual and physical enemies. He is  the patron of soldiers, police, doctors, sailors, electricians; and all who deal with emergence or risky operations. In the Church, he défendsr Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. This fact was evident In a recent fire outbreak in the Mamfe Diocese  in Cameroon, where a church building was burnt down but the Blessed Sacrament was safe in the Tabernacle. 

IMITATE ST MICHAEL 

From the foregoing, we understand that Saint Michael is venerated and celebrated by the Church because he  defended the throne and supremacy of God in heaven. As his name implies he led the faithful angels to fight and to cast out the Dragon or Lucifer, who had led a third of the angels to covet  God's throne (Revelation 12:4,7-9). 

For Christians, therefore, to celebrate Archangel Michael is to imitate his love for God, his faithfulness to God, and his submission to the rule of God - who is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. The virtues of St Michael are his firm stand for justice, and his courage and readiness to defend the Truth. That is why and how he fought the battle in heaven and won. And so he was promoted to the highest rank of angels in heaven; and is the Prince of the heavenly Hosts - the angels that help God's people (Hebrews 1:14)

For us to truly honor and celebrate St Michael, we must deny Satan and all the offers by which he seeks to take over the throne of God in our hearts and lives. The Devil tempted Jesus in the desert, after his baptism in River Jordan (Matthew 4:1-11) - in order to take away the throne of God from him. He failed because Jesus told the Truth to defeat him. So he left him and Saint Michael came to strengthen the Lord Jesus (Matthew 4:11). 

SATAN AT WORK 

In the same way Satan is constantly at work, tempting the baptized, here on earth. (Revelation 12:9,12). .As he said to Jesus, so he is saying to the world: "If you worship me, I will give you money, power, men women etc".  But Jesus Christ is our model - and so whoever is baptized in the Holy Spirit is able to defeat Satan who tempts us (1 John 4:4).

God allowed the temptation of Jesus by Satan to give us, the baptized, the warning and the way to defeat Satan, by preventing him from taking over the throne of God in our hearts (Ephesians 3:17). For if we lose the throne of God to Satan, we cease to be citizens of heaven (Phillipians 3:20), and become citizens of hell. It is by his tricky offers that Satan takes over God's throne in the heart of many people. Once you accept his offers he takes ove! For Satan can not rule or command you when he has not yet taken over God's throne in your life. 

In fact he uses things we seek most - wealth, power, women and men - to deceive and to take over. So when the love of such things is about to corrupt your conscience, or tempt you to sin,  be fast to tell them, "I will not worship you; money, man, woman, power etc - because you are not God" . You can do it by the power of the Holy Spirit and prayer to Saint Michael, the Archangel; who assist you to fight against Satan. 

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THE WAY TO VICTORY 

Therefore, the sure way to your victory against Satan is to eject him from God's thrown in your heart. This is done through confession, repentance and prayers. If he has not year taken over, do all to prevent him from taking over -  deny his offers and rebuke  him.

This is a deep secret! Truly, you can not be fighting against Satan, and be accepting his offers at the same time. For through his offers he tempts you to sin, and then he uses the sin you commit to accuse you before God. (Revelation 12:10; Zechariah 3:1). In that case your prayers have no power against him since your sin separates you from God (Romans 3:23), to give him total control over you - until you confess your sins and repent. 

May the veneration of Saint Michael, the Archangel, through our prayer and  imitation of his virtues bring us all to  complete victory against the Enemy of our salvation, in Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen. 

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Author: Aying Godman, is a Catechist, Evangelist & Blogger of the Roman Church; Founder of CATHOLIC FRONT MEDIA™ 

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