A Catholic Land

Prayer to St. Michael.

Holy Michael the Archangel, defend us in the day of battle,
be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the
devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou,
Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust
down to hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander
through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Prayer by Pope Leo XIII (1884)

Pope Leo XIII's prayer to St Michael is said as part of The Leoline prayers which
are said at the end of all Low Tridentine Masses.

The Battle that took place in Heaven between the good Angels and the rebellious angels.

The Battle that took place in Heaven between the good Angels and the rebellious angels:

In their original state, the apostate angels; the fallen angels, as with all the angels, were "magnificent beings of light and love" with "marvellous gifts of nature and grace: wisdom, power, beauty, holiness" What happened to them?

Tradition tells us that God showed the angels that He would create mankind in His own image and likeness, of which likeness the angels themselves are, although in a different form. And that He revealed to them that they were to have a role in helping mankind in our spiritual journey on earth. And of how the rebel angels refused to serve; there being jealousy of mankind amongst them and that, through pride, the apostates regarded the 'serving' of humans to be beneath them. Tradition also tells us that the angels were shown the eventuality of a Woman being born; the Blessed Virgin Mary, who would be the first of all creatures, and whom they were to honour as their Queen, and how God would allow Himself to be born of this Woman in order to help mankind. Lucifer (whom scripture informs us wanted to be all powerful; to rival God (see. Isaias 14:12-14)) and approximately one third of the angels rebelled against all of this.

The rebellion of the angels leads to the great battle in Heaven between the good angels and the bad angels. The good angels are the true friends of mankind and are very much needed by us and very especially our guardian angels. Tradition tells us that the battle was one of psychological warfare and that before it commenced, Saint Michael the Archangel prostrated himself before God's throne and "with an act of profound adoration" he opposed the cry of the rebel angels with his own battle cry of love and loyalty: "Mi-cha-el" - "Who is like unto God?"3 Michael then roused the faithful angels who rallied behind him. The great battle is described by Saint John the Apostle/the Divine in the Apocalypse (Revelation):

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And there was a battle in heaven; Michael and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels. And they did not prevail, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And that great dragon was cast down, the ancient serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, who leads astray the whole world; and he was cast down to the earth and with him his angels were cast down. And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, "Now has come the salvation, and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren has been cast down, he who accused them before our God day and night. And they over came him through the blood of the Lamb and through the word of their witness, for they did not love their lives even in face of death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell therin. Woe to the earth and to the sea, because the devil has gone down to you in great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time. "[Apoc.12:7-13]

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A great expanse of time is contained in one paragraph. Notice the crucial words: "overcame him through the blood of the Lamb" The Lamb being a reference to our Saviour; Jesus Christ. And "and through the word of their witness." Our Lord God and Saviour is the Truth, and the Revealer and Teacher of Divine Truth.