 |
| Pope Leo XIII (1810 – 1903) |
Pope Leo XIII was given a vision.
One day, after celebrating Mass, the aged
Pope Leo XIII was in conference with the Cardinals when suddenly he sank to the
floor in a deep swoon. Physicians who hastened to his side could find no trace
of his pulse and feared that he had expired. However, after a short interval
the Holy Father regained consciousness and exclaimed with great emotion:
"Oh, what a horrible picture I have been permitted to see!"
He had been shown a vision of evil spirits who had been
released from Hell and their efforts to destroy the Church. But in the midst of
the horror the archangel St. Michael appeared and cast Satan and his legions
into the abyss of hell. Soon afterwards Pope Leo XIII composed the following
prayer to Saint Michael, which is the original version:
Original Version of the Prayer to St. Michael (shortened version below)
“O Glorious Prince of the heavenly host, St.
Michael the Archangel, defend us in the battle and in the terrible warfare that
we are waging against the principalities and powers, against the rulers of this
world of darkness, against the evil spirits. Come to the aid of man, whom
Almighty God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed
at a great price from the tyranny of Satan.
“Fight this day the battle of the Lord, together with the
holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels,
Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was
there place for them any longer in Heaven. That cruel, ancient serpent, who is
called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss
with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken
courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the
multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of
God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition
souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as
a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and
corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent
breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity.
“These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with
gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the immaculate Lamb, and have
laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself,
where the See of Holy Peter and the Chair of Truth has been set up as the light
of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the
iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be.
“Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the
attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory.
They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as
her defense against the malicious power of hell; to thee has God entrusted the
souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of
peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no
longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers
in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly find mercy in the sight
of the Lord; and vanquishing the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil
and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer
seduce the nations. Amen.
V. Behold the Cross
of the Lord; be scattered ye hostile powers.
R. The Lion of the
tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered.
V. Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord.
R. As we have hoped in Thee.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
Let us pray.
O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy
holy Name, and as supplicants, we implore Thy clemency, that by the
intercession of Mary, ever Virgin Immaculate and our Mother, and of the
glorious St. Michael the Archangel, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan
and all the other unclean spirits who wander about the world for the injury of
the human race and the ruin of souls. Amen.”
[Roman Raccolta, July 23, 1898, supplement approved July 31,
1902, London: Burnes, Oates & Washbourne Ltd., 1935, 12th
edition.]
The well-known short version of this prayer
follows. Pope Leo XIII ordered this prayer to be recited daily
after Low Mass in all the churches throughout the Catholic world. However this
practice was almost completely swept away in the 1960s by liturgical changes
made in the wake of Vatican Council II. Tradition in Action
Short Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel
"Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our
protection against the malice 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,
thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for
the ruin of souls. Amen."
If we don't ask, Michael has to just sit there on a cloud and wait. (No joke!) When we come forward, he gets right "on it" with the power given by God, Himself. The more we ask and the more of us who ask make a definite difference. Let's go, Christians!! Go Michael!! Are we the Church Militant or not? Is Michael our CHAMPION or not? Some day we can sit in clouds and let him rest, too. :)
Love, Jeanne
