Saint Michael, Defend Us in Battle
“At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people; It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since the nation began until that time. At that time your people shall escape, everyone who is found written in the book.* Daniel 12:1
My husband and I walked into our first ultrasound excited and a bit apprehensive not knowing what to expect. Everything looked good; baby measured the exact size for his projected due date, September 29. On the drive home, we began talking about names and looked up the saint of the day for his due date. September 29 is the Feast of the Archangels. At that moment, we knew our baby’s name would be Michael if he was a boy.
At my 20-week anatomy scan, the ultrasound tech confirmed he was a boy. Then at 2 a.m. on September 28, I began having contractions. Around 3 p.m. we went to the hospital. Around 8 p.m., a nurse came in and said, “this baby will be here tonight!” Then, my labor stalled. Around midnight my doctor started Pitocin because my contractions were getting further apart. Finally, around 4 a.m., Michael was born on the Feast of the Archangels. Less than 4% of babies are born on their due dates, but little Michael was insistent his feast day be his birthday.
There is something so beautiful about the way God has encouraged our family to have a special devotion to Saint Michael. In our area, at the close of every Mass, we pray the Saint Michael prayer. This beautiful prayer not only brings us protection from evil, but reminds us evil is real and we need to be on guard against spiritual attacks.
St. Michael the Archangel, Defend us in Battle
Each and every day, we walk onto a battle ground. Even though Christ already won the war on the Cross, we are called to continue to fight to bring Him to more people in our lives. This looks different for different people and different families. For example, our family has discerned that, for now, our kids are called to attend the public school in our neighborhood. Sometimes, that feels like sending them into battle, but I am reminded that they are protected by the angels and saints.
Every night before bed, we call on Saint Michael to defend them in battle throughout their day, and to defend my husband and I in battle while we go about our days. As a professional woman, how can you call on St. Michael to defend you in the unique battles you face each day?
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil
Each day has unique struggles against the devil. I am reminded of C.S. Lewis’s book, The Screwtape Letters. In it, the devil, or Screwtape, writes to Wormwood: “Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one – the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts…”. If we are not faithful to Christ and vigilant against evil, we can slowly move further and further from the ways of Christ without even realizing it. Instead, as we invoke St. Michael, we are asking to be freed from that slippery slope and continue on the path to union with Christ.
There are other iterations of the Screwtape Letters that float around social media. In fact, Catholic Women in Business’ Editor in Chief Taryn DeLong wrote an article reflecting on a recent book written in the spirit of The Screwtape Letters earlier this year. The iterations I have seen are written about the unique temptations for women or moms. Take a moment to reflect on how the devil might be tempting you right now. Where do you need to ask for St. Michael to protect you?
May God rebuke him we humbly pray
In Hebrews 12:4 and 12:11, we read: “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood” and “At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.”
Sometimes God allows us to be tempted to help us grow. We must endure the trials he allows, for pain has its purpose. However, we can call on God to rebuke the evil and temptations of the devil. In fact, he already has. We may still be fighting the battles, but Christ won the war on the Cross.
Whether it is in your life or the life of someone you love, do not hesitate to call upon our Lord to rebuke the devil. When we recognize that we are being tempted, we begin to win the battle because we know the evil at work and can turn away from it.
And do thou oh prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into Hell Satan and the evil spirits who prowl about this world seeking the ruin of souls
God wants to protect us, but in turn we need to want to be protected. He will not interfere with our free will. Out of love, he allows us to participate in the fight against evil by calling upon Him and his angels and saints to help us.
When one of our children wakes up in the middle of the night scared, we always begin calming them down with the St. Michael prayer. It brings a sense of peace and a reminder that God, His angels, and His saints are always looking out for us. God is in control, and we are loved.
In what ways could you increase your devotion to Saint Michael? Do you feel called to integrate this prayer into your daily habits?
Erica Mathews is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional with Financial Counseling Associates, a family-owned financial planning and investment management firm. She helps relieve financial stress with organization, automation and a plan, helping others manage their finances so they can live as God is calling them to. She lives in Colorado with her husband and four kids; they love CrossFit, rock climbing, gardening, and exploring nature. Erica’s email is erica@fca-inc.com.