Prayer in Honor of St. Raphael Archangel

 "Angelus Domini Raphael apprehendit et ligavit daemonem.  Magnus Dominus noster, et magna virtus ejus." ("The angel of the Lord, Raphael, took and bound the devil.  Great is our Lord, and great is His power." --Tobias 8:3)  

Holy Mother Church celebrates the feast of St. Raphael the Archangel on October 24.  As is revealed to us in the Bible, St. Raphael is one of the seven who stand before the throne of God; he is the angel who accompanied young Tobias on his journey, who bound the demon in the desert, and who healed the blind Tobit.  In fact, St. Raphael the Archangel's name means 'God heals.'  May we thank God for all of our heavenly helpers, and may we especially remember St. Raphael on his feast day.

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Prayer in Honor of St. Raphael the Archangel 

Vouchsafe, O Lord God, to send unto our assistance Saint Raphael the Archangel: and may he, who, we believe, evermore standeth before the throne of Thy Majesty, offer unto Thee our humble petitions to be blessed by Thee; through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

 Let us pray: O glorious Archangel, St. Raphael, great Prince of the heavenly Court, illustrious for thy gifts of wisdom and grace, guide of those who journey by land or sea, consoler of the afflicted and of sinners: I beg thee to assist me in all my needs and in suffering of this life, as once thou didst help the young Tobias in his travels. And because thou art the “Medicine of God,” I pray thee to heal the many infirmities of my soul, and the ills which afflict my body, if it be for my greater good. I especially ask of thee an angelic purity, which may fit me to be the temple of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Christe, Sanctorum 

(taken from Vespers of the feast of St. Raphael) 

Christ, Thou glory of the holy Angels, The Creator and Redeemer of the human race,  Grant that we may ascend to the happy abodes  Of the Blessed.  As the physician of our salvation  May the Angel Raphael come down from heaven,  That he may heal all who are sick,  And give guidance in the uncertain affairs of life.  May the Virgin, Queen of Peace,  May the Mother of the Light  May the sacred choir of Angels  And also the court of radiant heaven ever assist us.  Grant us this, Blessed Godhead  Of the Father, And Son, and likewise of the Holy Spirit,  Whose glory resounds  Throughout the whole world.			Christe,  sanctorum decus Angelorum  Gentis humanae Sator et Redemptor  Caelitum nobis tribuas beatas  Scandere sedes.  Angelus nostrae medicus salutis,  Adsit e caelo Raphael, ut omnes  Sanet aegrotos, dubiosque vitae  Dirigat actus.  Virgo dux pacis Genitrix-que lucis,  Et sacer nobis chorus Angelorum  Semper assistat, simul et micantis  Regia caeli.  Praestet hoc nobis Deitas beata  Patris, ac Nati, pariterque Sancti  Spiritus, cujus resonat per omnem  Gloria mundum.

God bless!

+JMJ+

In Thanksgiving for Heavenly Helpers

 I pray all of you have a blessed, joyful Thanksgiving Day!  If you are interested in prayers of thanksgiving to God, the following links will provide you with such prayers on Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.

• An Act of Adoration and Thanksgiving
• In Adoration and Thanksgiving

While I realize there are no feasts on the Church calendar this week dedicated to the angels, our heavenly helpers, I feel this week of Thanksgiving Day would be a fitting time to honor them and thank God for them.  It would be wonderful to thank the angels for their continual service to us.  At times we may remember our Guardian Angel who remains with us each moment of our lives, and sometimes the Archangels Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are remembered in passing on their feasts.  However, do we truly recognize all they do for us? What of the other angels?

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God created nine choirs of angels, each angel being distinct from all others.  As Fr. Paul O'Sullivan wrote in All About the Angels,

"The Angels are pure spirits, the mighty Princes of Heaven who stand before God, gazing on His unveiled presence.  They are burning fires of love, filled to overflowing with the plenitude of happiness.  The Angels are the perfect images of God, mirrors of His Divine perfections, reflecting His love, His beauty, His Holiness, His Power, all His Divine attributes and perfections, but each Angel in his own special way.  No two Angels are alike, no two are equal.  God's perfections are infinite, and the countless millions of Angels reflect these perfections in a divinely marvelous way."

To learn more about the nine choirs of Angels, I encourage you to read the information on the following links, which are all part of the Catholic Tradition website.  The information is marvelous and helps the reader began to grasp the immensity of love and aid we receive from these heavenly helpers.

Nine Choirs of Angels: Section 1
Nine Choirs of Angels: Section 2
Nine Choirs of Angels: Section 3

May we take to heart the advice of Pope St. Leo the Great: "Make friends with the holy Angels." These heavenly servants of our Lord possess generosity and love for us like no other, remaining as our constant friends, our protectors against the malice of the devils, and upon our entrance into heaven, our companions amidst the glory of God for all eternity.  May we strive to remember all of the angels, on their specific feast days, on Tuesdays, which are devoted to them, and on the feast of our Lady, Queen of Angels, upcoming in December.  However, may we also strive to be aware of their presence throughout each day, recognizing their help and love, honoring them and honoring God through them.  The following prayer is one devotion we can use to honor all of God's angels.  The details behind the prayer is awe-inspiring, and the prayer is quite beautiful.

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St. Michael, appearing to the Servant of God, Antonia d' Astonac, revealed that he wished to be honored by nine salutations corresponding to the nine choirs of Angels and that an Our Father and three Hail Marys should be said in honor of each of these nine choirs. The Archangel promised that whoever would practice this devotion in his honor would have, when approaching the Holy Table at Mass, an escort of nine Angels from each of the nine choirs. In addition for the daily recital of these nine salutations, he promised his continual assistance and that of all the holy Angels during life and after death for those who have been holy enough to warrant a short Purgatory, deliverance for themselves and their relations.

The Chaplet of St. Michael and the Angels

V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory Be.

I. Salutation --- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Seraphim.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Seraphim, may the Lord make us worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity. Amen.

II. Salutation --- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Cherubim.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Cherubim, may the Lord grant us grace to leave the ways of wickedness and run in the paths of Christian perfection. Amen.

III. Salutation --- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Thrones.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Thrones, may the Lord infuse into our hearts a true and sincere spirit of humility. Amen.

IV. Salutation --- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Dominions.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir Dominions, may the Lord give us grace to govern our senses and subdue our unruly passions. Amen.

V. Salutation --- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Powers.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir Powers, may the Lord protect our souls against the snares and temptations of the devil. Amen.

VI. Salutation --- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Virtues.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Virtues, may the Lord preserve us from evil, and not allow us to fall into temptation. Amen.

VII. Salutation -- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Principalities.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Principalities, may God fill our souls with a true spirit of obedience. Amen.

VIII. Salutation -- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Archangels.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Archangels, may the Lord give us perseverance and Faith in all good works in order that we may gain the glory of Heaven. Amen.

IX. Salutation -- 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys: in honor of the Angels.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Angels, may the Lord grant us to be protected by them in this mortal life and conducted hereafter to the eternal glory. Amen.

Then Recite:
1 Our Father in honor of St. Michael.
1 Our Father in honor of St. Gabriel.
1 Our Father in honor of St. Raphael.
1 Our Father in honor of your Guardian Angel.

Invocation:
O glorious Prince St. Michael, Leader and Commander of the Heavenly Host, Guardian of souls, Vanquisher of rebel spirits, Servant in the house of the Divine King, and our glorious Guide, thou art brilliant in holiness and power.
Deliver us from all evil, for we turn to thee with confidence and enable us by thy gracious protection to serve God more faithfully everyday.
V. Pray for us O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ.
R. That we may be made worthy of His promises.

Let Us Pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, since in Thy infinite goodness and mercy Thou desireth the salvation of all men, Thou hast appointed the most glorious Archangel, St. Michael Prince of Thy Church. Make us worthy, we beg of Thee to be delivered by his powerful protection from all our enemies, that we may not be overcome by them at the hour of death, but that we may be conducted by St. Michael into the holy presence of Thy Divine Majesty. This, we beg through the merits of Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

For the Feast of St. Michael

 On September 29 Holy Mother Church honors St. Michael the Archangel (on the traditional calendar). On the new calendar September 29 is the feast of the three Archangels Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel. In the following prayer, the "Chaplet of St. Michael", we honor St. Michael and the nine choirs of angels as distinguished in Sacred Scripture (in order of highest choir to lowest): Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, and the Angels.

May we remember St. Michael and all of the angels as we face the spiritual battles of life, asking for their protection amidst the snares of the devil so that we may serve God more faithfully each day.  May we also tell God thank you for the great blessings of the angels.

The Chaplet of St. Michael

***O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, etc.

**Say 1 Our Father and 3 Hail Marys after each of the following nine salutations in honor of the 9 Choirs of Angels

1. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Seraphim may the Lord make us worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity. Amen.

2. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Cherubim may the Lord grant us the grace to leave the ways of sin and run in the paths of Christian perfection. Amen.

3. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Thrones may the Lord infuse into our hearts a true and sincere spirit of humility. Amen.

4. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Dominations may the Lord give us grace to govern our senses and overcome any unruly passions. Amen.

5. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Virtues may the Lord preserve us from evil and falling into temptation. Amen.

6. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Powers may the Lord protect our souls against the snares and temptations of the devil. Amen.

7. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Principalities may God fill our souls with a true spirit of obedience. Amen.

8. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Archangels may the Lord give us perseverance in faith and in all good works in order that we may attain the glory of Heaven. Amen.

9. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Angels may the Lord grant us to be protected by them in this mortal life and conducted in the life to come to Heaven. Amen.

***Say 1 Our Father in honor of each of the following leading Angels: St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael and our Guardian Angel.

O glorious prince St. Michael, chief and commander of the heavenly hosts, guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits, servant in the house of the Divine King and our admirable conductor, you who shine with excellence and superhuman virtue, deliver us from all evil, who turn to you with confidence and enable us by your gracious protection to serve God more and more faithfully every day. Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ, that we may be made worthy of His promises.

Almighty and Everlasting God, Who, by a prodigy of goodness and a merciful desire for the salvation of all men, has appointed the most glorious Archangel St. Michael Prince of Your Church, make us worthy, we ask You, to be delivered from all our enemies, that none of them may harass us at the hour of death, but that we may be conducted by him into Your Presence. This we ask through the merits of Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

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We would also do well to return to the practice of reciting the St. Michael the Archangel prayer after Mass and throughout our day.  Traditionally the St. Michael prayer was recited after every Low Mass; this practice ended with Vatican II.  However, during his papacy St. John Paul the Great encouraged the recitation of this powerful prayer, composed by Pope Leo XIII.

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

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,

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.