Today is the feast of St. Michael the Archangel. It's also the feast of the Archangel Gabriel and the Archangel Raphael (see Catholic Encyclopedia articles here and here ).
Angels are not to be dismissed as trifling, pious whimsy. Not only have angels inspired serious reflection from such fine theological minds as St. Basil, St. Robert Bellarmine and St. Bonaventure, but Catholic tradition has accorded them important offices. For instance, tradition, in accordance with scripture, gives the following duties to St. Michael:
- To fight against Satan.
- To rescue the souls of the faithful from the power of the enemy, especially at the hour of death.
- To be the champion of God's people, the Jews in the Old Law, the Christians in the New Testament; therefore he was the patron of the Church, and of the orders of knights during the Middle Ages.
- To call away from earth and bring men's souls to judgment ("signifer S. Michael repraesentet eas in lucam sanctam", Offert. Miss Defunct. "Constituit eum principem super animas suscipiendas", Antiph. off. Cf. The Shepherd of Hermas, Book III, Similitude 8, Chapter 3).It is fitting, then, on the feast of St. Michael the Archangel to pray:
St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
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