This post is in no way designed to proclaim this Angel higher then others, though my beliefs are my own, and would greatly appreciate some replies on Satayas or Angels from other world faiths. With abiding peace and harmony! Or as Natacuy has said “Until we are One!”
St. Michael the Archangel
Part 1
St. Michael is the most powerful protector of the Catholic Faith and of individual Christians. One of the very few angels mentioned in Scripture, he has played a vital role in Old Testament times and in the history of the Church.- plus he will play a great role at the End of the World. With his tremendous power in conflicts with Satan, St. Michael should be known, loved and invoked daily by every Christian.
"...Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me...."
Daniel 10:13
One of the exciting things about the Archangel Michael is the way in which he has been depicted in art –whether painting, statuary, frescoes or in magnificent stained glass windows. Picture this magnificent Angel in your mind's eye. He often depicted smiting Lucifer with a flaming sword or spear hovering high above on golden wings,taking him down to hell in chains. It is a powerful image that can inspire believers to conquer their inner demons or disperse actual evil forces one is facing in one’s life.
Here are some images of St. Michael the Archangel and many more can be found by typing “St. Michael the Archangel” into a Google Image search. (images edited out for the wiki, please search Google)
Many people do not know that the Archangel St. Michael’s very name is actually a sentence, in fact his name is a battle cry.
Before the creation of the world……
God created the magnificent angels- as immortal spirits of light and love- which in countless hosts surround His heavenly throne, he bestowed upon them the most eminent gifts of nature and grace. However, before admitting the angels to his unveiled vision of His glory in Heaven, he placed them under probation, just as later He subjected mankind to a trial of obedience in their person’s of Adam and Eve. The nature of the trial is not known with certainty. Learned and saintly theologians hold that the Hevenly Father revealed to the Angels the future incarnation of his Divine Son, whom they were to adore in His Sacred Humanity. At the same time He revealed to them the surpassing glory of Mary, whom as the Mother of God, they were to venerate as their Queen.
Lucifer, one of the most glorious and exalted princes of the heavenly court, dazzled by the splendor of his own gifts, rebelled at the thought that human nature should be preferred to his own angelic nature. He would not acknowledge, that a woman, inferior to him in nature, should at some future time be made his Queen, and that the seed of that woman should be preferred to himself for the honor of the hypostatic union. Desiring for himself the prerogatives of the God-man, he raised his battle cry of rebellion: “I will be like the Most High!” (Is. 14:14)
Some have held that, in their pride, a third of angels took up Lucifer’s rebellious cry. This is the origin of the old saying “Pride before the fall.”
At the same instant another great Archangel, equal in beauty and grace to the proud Lucifer, prostrated himself before the throne of God. With an act of profound adoration, he opposed the cry of rebellious angels with his own battle cry of love and loyalty:”Mi-cha-el” – Who is like unto God?”
The fearless and fidelity of this mighty champion roused the faithful Angels who rallied to his standard, repeating with one accord: “Who is like unto God?” Then followed the tremendous battle between good and evil angels that which St. John describes in the Apocalypse:
“And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought with his angels: And they prevailed not, neither was their place found anymore in heaven. And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world.”
End of part 1.
Thoughts?