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Nancie_Lew
Guest
Why do Catholics pray to the archangel Michael? From what I have read about Michael he is the protector of Israel … not a personal Rambo to be used at everyones beck and call.
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mommyof4
Guest
September 29th is the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, a feast observed from the time of Constantine the Great. The Heavenly Powers are spirits sent to serve “those who inherit salvation”. They are guardians and guides both to individual human beings and communities. St. Michael, whose name means “Who is like unto God?”, is their great captain. In tradition, he is said to be an interceder for men, a healer, the one who records their deeds in the Book of Life and conducts them into the holy light, and who casts the evil spirits into hell. He is the guardian spirit of the Chosen People and of the Catholic Church and is often believed to be the archangel who will blow the trumpet at the Last Day.
The Old Testament
St. Michael is mentioned in the book of Daniel as “one of the chief princes” and as the special protector of Israel who will rise up as “the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people”. In Chapter 10, an angel, speaking in a vision to Daniel, says “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me…and there is none that contends by my side against these except Michael your prince.” In chapter 12 of Daniel, there is a reference to Michael’s role in the great confrontation at the end of history - “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people…” St. Gregory Nazianzen believed that Michael was the angel speaking for God from the burning bush. Tradition associates him with being the angel who guards the closed gate of Eden, who performed the plagues in Egypt and spoke for God on Sinai and whose sword halted Balaam’s ***.
The New Testament In the Epistle of Jude we read - “But when the archangel Michael, contending with the Devil, disputed about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a reviling judgment upon him, but said: ‘The Lord rebuke you’”, thus the traditional belief that Michael guards the body of Moses.
In the Apocalypse of St. John in Chapter 11 it says that “there was a great battle in Heaven. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels; and they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in Heaven.”
St. Michael plays a large part in a number of non-canonical books, such as “The Shepherd of Hermas”, the “Testament of Abraham” and “The Assumption of Moses”. .
The Old Testament
St. Michael is mentioned in the book of Daniel as “one of the chief princes” and as the special protector of Israel who will rise up as “the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people”. In Chapter 10, an angel, speaking in a vision to Daniel, says “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me…and there is none that contends by my side against these except Michael your prince.” In chapter 12 of Daniel, there is a reference to Michael’s role in the great confrontation at the end of history - “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people…” St. Gregory Nazianzen believed that Michael was the angel speaking for God from the burning bush. Tradition associates him with being the angel who guards the closed gate of Eden, who performed the plagues in Egypt and spoke for God on Sinai and whose sword halted Balaam’s ***.
The New Testament In the Epistle of Jude we read - “But when the archangel Michael, contending with the Devil, disputed about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a reviling judgment upon him, but said: ‘The Lord rebuke you’”, thus the traditional belief that Michael guards the body of Moses.
In the Apocalypse of St. John in Chapter 11 it says that “there was a great battle in Heaven. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels; and they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in Heaven.”
St. Michael plays a large part in a number of non-canonical books, such as “The Shepherd of Hermas”, the “Testament of Abraham” and “The Assumption of Moses”. .
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mommyof4
Guest
More Perspective on St. Michael St. Basil and other church fathers believed Michael is Prince of the other angels. The Eastern tradition has always had a great reverence for him. Early apparitions of St. Michael increased this devotion - first at Chonae in the mid-lst century, where he split a rock by lightning to cause a spring to change its course and sanctified the waters, as a group of pagans were attempting to destroy a site dedicated to him.
He was also associated with a shrine at Chairotopa near Colossae, a healing spring. Other healing springs in Asia Minor were dedicated to Michael.
He was said to have appeared to Constantine at Sosthenion, whereupon the emperor built the great Michaelion, a shrine dedicated to the archangel and credited with many miracles of healing.
In the West, homage was given to Michael following his four appearances at Monte Gargano in Italy beginning in the 5th century (and to whose appearance there Padre Pio was especially devoted). Pope Gregory witnessed St. Michael atop the tomb of Hadrian during a procession to pray for the end of the plague in Rome in 590; soon after Pope Boniface IV built a shrine on top of the building to St. Michael to commemorate the end of the plague at his appearance.
Another great shrine to St. Michael is at Mont Saint Michel, a tiny island off the coast of Normandy, where the archangel appeared to St. Aubert in 708.
St. Michael has appeared to some of the great saints of our church - St. Wilfrid, St. Bertrand, St. Hubert, St. Francis of Paola and St. Joan of Arc. Many believe that St. Francis of Assisi received the stigmata from the archangel, during his vision of a seraph while he was fasting for 40 days in honor of St. Michael. Pope Leo XIII’S Vision
At the end of the 19th century, following Mass in the Vatican, Pope Leo XIII collapsed. When he revived, he related a vision he had of Satan attacking the Church more viciously than in the past and of St. Michael defending it. Following that vision, he composed the prayer to St. Michael which was said after every Mass until Vatican II and is still a popular invocation - “St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, Prince of the Heavenly Host, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through this world seeking the ruin of souls.”
We give thanks to God for his ministering angels who guide and protect us and who join us in every celebration of the Divine Liturgy and in our prayers. The angels are constantly worshipping and praising God, standing around His throne and singing the Thrice-Holy hymn.
He was also associated with a shrine at Chairotopa near Colossae, a healing spring. Other healing springs in Asia Minor were dedicated to Michael.
He was said to have appeared to Constantine at Sosthenion, whereupon the emperor built the great Michaelion, a shrine dedicated to the archangel and credited with many miracles of healing.
In the West, homage was given to Michael following his four appearances at Monte Gargano in Italy beginning in the 5th century (and to whose appearance there Padre Pio was especially devoted). Pope Gregory witnessed St. Michael atop the tomb of Hadrian during a procession to pray for the end of the plague in Rome in 590; soon after Pope Boniface IV built a shrine on top of the building to St. Michael to commemorate the end of the plague at his appearance.
Another great shrine to St. Michael is at Mont Saint Michel, a tiny island off the coast of Normandy, where the archangel appeared to St. Aubert in 708.
St. Michael has appeared to some of the great saints of our church - St. Wilfrid, St. Bertrand, St. Hubert, St. Francis of Paola and St. Joan of Arc. Many believe that St. Francis of Assisi received the stigmata from the archangel, during his vision of a seraph while he was fasting for 40 days in honor of St. Michael. Pope Leo XIII’S Vision
At the end of the 19th century, following Mass in the Vatican, Pope Leo XIII collapsed. When he revived, he related a vision he had of Satan attacking the Church more viciously than in the past and of St. Michael defending it. Following that vision, he composed the prayer to St. Michael which was said after every Mass until Vatican II and is still a popular invocation - “St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, Prince of the Heavenly Host, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through this world seeking the ruin of souls.”
We give thanks to God for his ministering angels who guide and protect us and who join us in every celebration of the Divine Liturgy and in our prayers. The angels are constantly worshipping and praising God, standing around His throne and singing the Thrice-Holy hymn.
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Randy_Carson
Guest
Do you believe we are all in the midst of a spiritual battle?
1 Peter 5:8-9
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith
Hope this helps. :tiphat:
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justasking4
Guest
Where in Scripture are Christians ever taught to pray to Michael? In fact where it does speak of spiritual battles (see Ephesians 6:10-18) Paul never exhorts anyone to pray to any angel or saint for help.
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Fidelis
Guest
Paul never exhorts anyone to own their own Bible or to go on the Internet and participate in religious discussions – yet here you are.
The Bible was never meant to be a comprehensive catechism of everything a Christian is to do or not to do. If you show me in the Bible where it teaches that it is, I’ll become a Protestant.
Why limit yourself to Paul? Isn’t there anyone else in your Bible – like maybe Jesus?
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justasking4
Guest
Paul never exhorts anyone to own their own Bible or to go on the Internet and participate in religious discussions – yet here you are.
What does this have to do with praying the Michael?
Where in the gospels for example does Jesus teach us to pray to any angel or saint?
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melensdad
Guest
Many of the gospels were written before the saints were named saints! However if you read the Catechism and other writings of the Church you will notice we pray to Saints to intercede for us, not to worship them.
Michael the Archangel is a Patron Saint to many things, including the sick:
Profile Archangel. Leader of the army of God during the Lucifer uprising. Devotion is common to Muslims, Christians and Jews with writings about him in all three cultures. Considered the guardian angel of Israel.
The feast of the Apparition of Saint Michael commemorates the 6th century appearance of the archangel on Mount Gargano near Manfredonia in southern Italy. Michael requested a church built in his honor at the site. If you find medals or holy cards with ‘relics’ of Michael, they are probably rock chips from the cave, or pieces of cloth that have touched it.
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Born* not applicable
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Died* hasn’t
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Canonized* Pre-Congregation
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Name Meaning* Who is like God? (the battle cry of the heaven forces during the uprising)
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Patronage* against temptations; ambulance drivers; artists; bakers; bankers; banking; battle; boatmen; coopers; danger at sea; dying people; emergency medical technicians; EMTs; England; fencing; Greek Air Force; greengrocers; grocers; haberdashers; hatmakers; hatters; holy death; Iklin, Malta; knights; mariners; milleners; paramedics; paratroopers; police officers; radiologists; radiotherapists; sailors; security forces; security guards; sick people; soldiers; Spanish police officers; storms at sea; swordsmiths; watermen
The feast of the Apparition of Saint Michael commemorates the 6th century appearance of the archangel on Mount Gargano near Manfredonia in southern Italy. Michael requested a church built in his honor at the site. If you find medals or holy cards with ‘relics’ of Michael, they are probably rock chips from the cave, or pieces of cloth that have touched it.
*
Born* not applicable
*
Died* hasn’t
*
Canonized* Pre-Congregation
*
Name Meaning* Who is like God? (the battle cry of the heaven forces during the uprising)
*
Patronage* against temptations; ambulance drivers; artists; bakers; bankers; banking; battle; boatmen; coopers; danger at sea; dying people; emergency medical technicians; EMTs; England; fencing; Greek Air Force; greengrocers; grocers; haberdashers; hatmakers; hatters; holy death; Iklin, Malta; knights; mariners; milleners; paramedics; paratroopers; police officers; radiologists; radiotherapists; sailors; security forces; security guards; sick people; soldiers; Spanish police officers; storms at sea; swordsmiths; watermen
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Fidelis
Guest
Absolutely. But again, that does not make it a comprehensive compendium of the Faith. Again, show me in the Bible where it makes this claim for itself.
Nothing! But it has everything to do with your apparent presumption that everything a Christian does must be found explicitly in the Bible.
You didn’t answer my question. Please be polite.
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wanner47
Guest
justasking4 - can you tell me where it says in the Bible that people CANNOT ask saints or angels for their prayers?
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1ke
Guest
We pray to St. Michael for the same reason we pray to any Saint in Heaven.
Christ is the King of the line of David. Christ’s Kingdom, the Church, is the New Israel. Yes, Michael is the protector of Israel in the Old Testament. The NT shows his role as protector of *all *God’s faithful.
The Church does not teach this, and Catholics do not adhere to such an idea.
Your comment is rude in the extreme.
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Subrosa
Guest
Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
J
justasking4
Guest
There is no verse or passage that a Christian is ever exhorted or taught to pray to Mary, an angel or someone who has died. All prayers are to be only to God and never to a created being.
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justasking4
Guest
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Fidelis
Guest
The Bible was never meant to be a comprehensive catechism of everything a Christian is to do or not to do. If you show me in the Bible where it teaches that it is, I’ll become a Protestant… again, that does not make it a comprehensive compendium of the Faith. Again, show me in the Bible where it makes this claim for itself…it has everything to do with your apparent presumption that everything a Christian does must be found explicitly in the Bible.
Gee, no one ever seems to be able to meaningfully reply this. Was it something I said?
J
justasking4
Guest
So we agree that the Scripture never exhort us to pray to them?
Do you give thanks to the saints? to angels? to Mary?
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Todd_Easton
Guest
Indeed. There are actually a few examples of inspired prayers addressed specifically to angels in the Bible:
Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word! (Psalm 103:21 RSV)
Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host! (Psalm 148:2 RSV)
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever. (Daniel 3:58 NAB)
If angels can be collectively addressed in prayer, as indicated above, there is no reason to suppose that they cannot similarly be addressed in prayer individually by name
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Fidelis
Guest
Sure it does. If you are going to challenge Catholic teachings with the question “Where is that in the Bible,” that presumes that the Bible is a comprehensive compendium of the Faith. So I ask again, show me in the Bible where it makes this claim for itself. If you can’t, at least be honest enough to acknowledge it.
I’d be happy to, after you answer the question above, which the basis of your question presumes.
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justasking4
Guest
This came through my email but i don’t see it on the forumm. Here is my response.
The scriptures do teach that they are adequate for us. See 2 Timothy 3:16-17. The Scripotures never appeal to traditions that can do make us also adequate and equiped as the Scriptures do.
Do claim and believe that the doctrines, traditions and practices are inspired and inerrant?
See 2 Timothy 3:16-17. You also may want to read Psalm 119 and Hebrews 4:12 that shows the power and authority of the Scriptures.Again, show me in the Bible where it makes this claim for itself…it has everything to do with your apparent presumption that everything a Christian does must be found explicitly in the Bible.
hope this helps
J
justasking4
Guest
Sure it does. If you are going to challenge Catholic teachings with the question “Where is that in the Bible,” that presumes that the Bible is a comprehensive compendium of the Faith. So I ask again
, show me in the Bible where it makes this claim for itself. If you can’t, at least be honest enough to acknowledge it.
see 2 Timothy 3:16-17 for starters. Remember its your church that is making the claim that it right to pray to angels and the like. Since the Scriptures never teach such a thing, you must turn to what men teach without any grounding in the Scriptures.
I look forward to your response where the teachings of men are on the same level as the inspired-inerrant Scriptures.
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