A real battle

There is a real spiritual battle going on all around us. Our faith teaches us that humans aren’t the only intelligent creatures God made, that God also made angels and that some of those angels fell away in rebellion. The two sides continue to fight for human souls today.

A popular prayer that references this battle very explicitly is the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel. Composed by Pope Leo XIII in the 19th century, there is a short version that many Catholics have memorized, and then a longer version used for exorcisms.

What makes this prayer particularly interesting, though, is its supposed origin story.

Exactly 33 years to the day prior to the great Miracle of the Sun in Fatima, that is, on October 13, 1884, Pope Leo XIII had a remarkable vision. When the aged Pontiff had finished celebrating Mass in his private Vatican Chapel, attended by a few Cardinals and members of the Vatican staff, he suddenly stopped at the foot of the altar. He stood there for about 10 minutes, as if in a trance, his face ashen white. Then, going immediately from the Chapel to his office, he composed the prayer to St. Michael, with instructions it be said after all Low Masses everywhere.

What did he see that inspired the prayer? In one account, he had a vision of demonic forces circling Rome. In another account, Leo actually heard a conversation between God and Satan, in which God allowed Satan to choose one century in which to do his worst work.

When asked what had happened, he explained that, as he was about to leave the foot of the altar, he suddenly heard voices – two voices, one kind and gentle, the other guttural and harsh. They seemed to come from near the tabernacle. As he listened, he heard the following conversation:

The guttural voice, the voice of Satan in his pride, boasted to Our Lord: “I can destroy your Church.“

The gentle voice of Our Lord: “You can? Then go ahead and do so.“

Satan: “To do so, I need more time and more power.“

Our Lord: “How much time? How much power?”

Satan: “75 to 100 years, and a greater power over those who will give themselves over to my service.“

Our Lord: “You have the time, you will have the power. Do with them what you will.“

And what century did the evil one choose? The 20th century.

In 1886, Pope Leo XIII decreed that this prayer to St. Michael be said at the end of “low” Mass (not “high”, or sung Masses) throughout the universal Church, along with the Salve Regina (Hail, Holy Queen); and the practice of the congregation praying these prayers at the end of Mass continued until about 1970, with the introduction of the new rite of the Mass.

At the end of his Angelus message given in St. Peter’s Square, Sunday, April 24, 1994, Pope John Paul II urged Catholics to recite this prayer to Saint Michael once again:

“The prayer can fortify us for that spiritual battle about which the Letter to the Ephesians speaks [of]: “Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.”(Ephesians 6:10). And to this same battle that the Book of the Apocalypse refers [to], recalling in front of our eyes the image of St. Michael the Archangel (cf. Revelations 12:7). Surely, this scene was very present to Pope Leon XIII, when, at the end of the previous century, he introduced to the entire Church a special prayer to St. Michael: ‘St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil… ’

“Even if today this prayer is no longer recited at the end of the Eucharistic celebration, I invite all to not forget it, but to recite it in order to obtain help in the battle against the forces of darkness and the spirit of this world.”

No doubt the 20th century was one of the worst with 2 world wars, attempts to exterminate whole peoples, nuclear weapons and constant fighting, more martyrs than all other centuries combined but in great darkness comes greater mercy. Fatima, Faustina and Divine Mercy, St. Pope John Paul II.

Here’s the Prayer to St. Michael:

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.

Join me in praying this prayer again after every Mass as St John Paul asked. Bring back this ‘tradition. Say it out loud – let the demons hear you and run in fear.