In today’s first reading, Revelations 12: 7-12, we
are told about the war in heaven, when “Michael with his angels attacked…Satan,
who had led all the world astray...” Satan and his angels were defeated and “hurled
down to earth…” Our salvation had been
won by the Blood of the unblemished Lamb, the Son of God Incarnate, who gave
His life on the cross as a ransom for our sins and rose triumphant over death. Satan, our accuser, “who accused our brothers
[and sisters] day and night before our God, has been brought down. They
[Michael and the good angels] have triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word to which they bore witness…” We are warned, though, that “disaster
is coming—because the devil has gone down to [us here on earth] in a rage, knowing
that he has little time left.” In a prayer
to St. Michael, we pray: 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.
We are never left
alone! God has given each of us a Guardian Angel. Also, the archangels—Michael,
Raphael, and Gabriel--whose feast we celebrate today, continue to work on our
behalf. Michael, whose name means “Who is like God,” continues defending and
protecting us from Satan’s snares and lies. Raphael, whose name means “God has healed,”
continues healing us, as he had healed Tobit’s blindness. Gabriel, whose name
means “God is my strength,” continues, as he did with Mary, to strengthen us in
giving “birth” to Jesus in our world and embracing the will of God for us as
revealed in our everyday life.
May you and I, each
day of our lives, grow more and more aware of the angels at work on our behalf,
ask for their aid and cooperate with them in being sources of healing, protection, and
intensification of a person’s desire to bring forth Jesus, especially in areas
where individuals have striven to cast God out of sight, out of mind, and out of hearts!
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