Know Your Enemy

Revelation 12: 7, 9-10, 12 “Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘...rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them. But woe to you, earth and sea, for the Devil has come down to you in great fury, for he knows he has but a short time.’” The first step in any battle is to know your enemy. Evil has two strategies: deceive people into thinking it doesn’t exist or act so big that people are powerless against it. You do, in fact, have an enemy, despite the world calling that a myth. And that enemy is not invincible; you have weapons of great power against it. Saint Paul tells us “our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens (Ephesians 6:12).” Principalities and powers are names for some of the choirs of angels, both in union with God and fallen. So, the unkind things that happen in the world are really rooted in evil, not precisely those humans who were deceived into doing the evil. This is why Jesus asked us to love our human enemies and pray for those humans who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). He knows evil deceives, and He wants those humans to be set free. You have powerful weapons for the battle. The name of Jesus, to which every knee must bow (Philippians 2:9-11) is a very powerful weapon. Remember that Jesus said the Father would give us what we asked if we prayed in Jesus’ name (John 14:13). Scripture is very powerful, “stronger than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12).” Jesus has said that some evils are cast out with prayer and fasting (Mark 9:29). The intercession of Mary is also powerful. Mary is hidden by God, poetically said in Revelation 12:14, “she was given two wings of the great eagle, so that she could fly to her place in the desert… far from the serpent.” The intercession of Saint Michael, as we saw in the first passage, is also most certainly triumphant by the power of God. You have an enemy. And you also have weapons. I pray for the places where you are battling. I know there are battles. They are in ourselves, in our families, in our nation and in our Church. This is exactly why I have written to you for 43 days consecrating them to the Lord. There is a battle. But Jesus always wins. The battle is already won. Revelation 12:10-11 “Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night. They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb…” St. Michael’s Lent Traditional 40 Day Consecration Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel from the Basilica Sanctuary of St. Michael in Gargano, Italy. Prayed daily from Aug.15 thru Sept.29 Oh, most noble Prince of the Angelic Hierarchies, valorous warrior of Almighty God, and zealous lover of His glory, terror of the rebellious angels, and love and delight of all the just, my beloved Archangel Saint Michael, desiring to be numbered among your devoted servants, I, today offer and consecrate myself to you, and place myself, my family, and all I possess under your most powerful protection. I entreat you not to look at how little I, as your servant have to offer, being only a wretched sinner, but to gaze, rather, with favorable eye at the heartfelt affection with which this offering is made, and remember that if from this day onward I am under your patronage, you must during all my life assist me, and procure for me the pardon of my many grievous offenses and sins, the grace to love with all my heart my God, my dear Savior Jesus, and my Sweet Mother Mary, and to obtain for me all the help necessary to arrive to my crown of glory. Defend me always from my spiritual enemies, particularly in the last moments of my life. Come then, oh Glorious Prince and succor me in my last struggle, and with your powerful weapon cast far from me into the infernal abysses that prevaricator and proud angel that one day you prostrated in the celestial battle. Accompany me then to the throne of God to sing with you, Archangel Saint Michael and all the angels, praise, honour and glory to the One who reigns for all eternity. Amen.