The Spiritual Battle
one
Today is the Feast of the Archangels: Michael, Grabriel and Rafael
Recall from yesterday, there are three levels or hierarchies of angels and three groups within each hierarchy – making nine choirs of angels
I. The Seraphim, the Cherubim, and the Thrones.
II. The Dominions, Virtues, and Powers.
III. The Principalities, the Archangels, and the Angels.
There are three things Archangels do:
1. They fight against the powers of evil to defend us
2. Announce the will of God to us
3. Help and Heal us
This corresponds to the Three Angels whose names we know
● St. Michael – who cast Satan into hell
● St. Gabriel – who announced God’s plan to Zechariah and Mary
● St. Raphael – who brought healing to Sarah and Tobit
two
The Archangel Gabriel makes God’s plan known to us
Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, telling him that God’s plan was for he and his elderly wife Elizabeth to have a son and name him John. This son would then go on to prepare Israel and the whole world for the Messiah. Zechariah however does not believe because he has not spent time with God in silence. When God reveals his plan, through the Angel, Zechariah doesn’t get it and he can’t accept it. So, Gabriel silences Zechariah - no hearing or speech for nine months. Zechariah needs silence to hear God.
Soon after, Gabriel comes to Mary in Nazareth to announce God’s plan. She too is to have a son and name him Jesus. He will be the Son of God and save the whole world from sin and death.
Mary believes Gabriel because she has the habit of silent meditation on the word of God.
Would you like to know God’s plan for your life? Ask Gabriel to reveal it to you. But make sure you are spending time in silent meditation on the Word of God each day. Otherwise you won’t be able to hear God and respond. And Gabriel might have to silence you as well…
three
The name Rafael means “God heals”
He is the special Archangel of healing and consolation.
We meet Raphael in the Old Testament Book of Tobit where Raphael takes on a temporary human appearance as “Azarias” to assist Tobit and his son, Tobias. His intercession leads to the spiritual healing of Tobias’ future wife, Sarah, from the demon Asmodeus. The hidden Raphael also directs Tobit to the ingredients necessary for the physical healing of Tobit from blindness.
After the fulfillment of his heavenly mission, Raphael reveals his true identity to both Tobit and Tobias: “I am Raphael, one of the seven holy Angels who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the glory of the Holy One” (Tobit 12:15).
As the “Archangel of healing,” some speculate that St. Raphael may also be the “angel of the Lord” referred to in the New Testament ( see Jn. 5:2-4), who stirs up the waters at the healing pool of Bethezda: “An angel of the Lord went down in certain seasons into the pool, and stirred up the water; whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed from whatever disease that person had” (Jn. 5:4).
Are you or a loved one in need of spiritual, physical, mental or emotional healing?
Ask Rafael to help you, to guide you in seeking healing and to strengthen you to endure cheerfully as you accept your suffering and unite them to the suffering of Jesus to help him save souls.
four
St. Michael is the Archangel who defends us in the spiritual battle.
One morning in 1884 Pope Leo XIII celebrated morning Mass and went to a meeting with the Cardinals. Suddenly he sank to the floor, unconscious. Doctors were called in and they could barely detect a pulse but could discern no cause for the Pope’s collapse. Suddenly Pope Leo awoke and was fresh as ever.
He recounted how he had seen a terrible vision in which the Devil and his demons would gain great power and seem to rule the world in the latter half of the 20th and first part of the 21st century. The goal of Satan’s domination was the complete destruction of the Church and humanity. Pope Leo XIII then saw St. Michael the Archangel appear and cast Satan with all his demons back into Hell.
Seeing that we needed the help of the Angelic Army and especially its leader St. Michael, Pope Leo XIII composed the Prayer to St Michael and then commanded it be prayed at the end of every Mass throughout the world perpetually.
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
The entire Church prayed the prayer of St. Michael after every Mass until about 1968. Then for some unknown, and demonic reason we abruptly stopped, and literally all hell broke loose in the late 60’s with no-fault divorce, contraception, abortion, the sexual revolution, the breakdown of the family, rampant drug use and the rapid inculcation of Marxist ideologies in our government and education system.
five
The Archangels and angels are real persons, more powerful than Satan and all the demons.
The best way to engage them is to develop a friendship with them.
St Faustina experienced the help of St. Michael. In her diary she writes: “On the feast of St Michael the Archangel, I saw by my side that great Leader, who spoke these words to me – ‘The Lord has ordered me to take special care of you. Know that you are hated by evil; but do not fear – Who is like God!’. And he disappeared. But I feel his presence and assistance.” (Diary of St Faustina, 706)
She felt the presence and experienced the assistance of the Archangels because she developed a friendship with them.
They stand ready to help you.
So, build a friendship with them by
· acknowledging their presence,
· speaking with them often,
· thanking them,
· and asking their help in specific situations.