May 8th - Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel

[Weedy]

May 8th - Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel
At Monte Gargano, Italy (492)

It is evident from Holy Scripture that God is pleased to make frequent
use of the ministry of the heavenly spirits in the dispensations of
His providence in this world. The Angels are all pure spirits; by a
property of their nature they are immortal, as is every spirit. They
have the power of moving or conveying themselves at will from place to
place, and such is their activity that it is not easy for us to
conceive of it. Among the holy Archangels, Saints Michael, Gabriel and
Raphael are particularly distinguished in the Scriptures. Saint
Michael, whose name means Who is like unto God?, is the prince of the
faithful Angels who opposed Lucifer and his followers in their revolt
against God. Since the devil is the sworn enemy of God’s holy Church,
Saint Michael is given to it by God as its special protector against
the demon’s assaults and stratagems.

Various apparitions of this powerful Angel have proved the protection
of Saint Michael over the Church. We may mention his apparition in
Rome, where Saint Gregory the Great saw him in the air sheathing his
sword, to signal the cessation of a pestilence and the appeasement of
God’s wrath. Another apparition to Saint Ausbert, bishop of Avranches
in France, led to the construction of Mont-Saint-Michel in the sea, a
famous pilgrimage site. May 8th, however, is destined to recall
another no less marvelous apparition, occurring near Monte Gargano in
the Kingdom of Naples.

In the year 492 a man named Gargan was pasturing his large herds in
the countryside. One day a bull fled to the mountain, where at first
it could not be found. When its refuge in a cave was discovered, an
arrow was shot into the cave, but the arrow returned to wound the one
who had sent it. Faced with so mysterious an occurrence, the persons
concerned decided to consult the bishop of the region. He ordered
three days of fasting and prayers. After three days, the Archangel
Saint Michael appeared to the bishop and declared that the cavern
where the bull had taken refuge was under his protection, and that God
wanted it to be consecrated under his name and in honor of all the
Holy Angels.

Accompanied by his clergy and people, the pontiff went to that cavern,
which he found already disposed in the form of a church. The divine
mysteries were celebrated there, and there arose in this same place a
magnificent temple where the divine Power has wrought great miracles.
To thank God’s adorable goodness for the protection of the holy
Archangel, the effect of His merciful Providence, this feast day was
instituted by the Church in his honor.

It is said of this special guardian and protector of the Church that,
during the final persecution of Antichrist, he will powerfully defend
it: “At that time shall Michael rise up, the great prince who protects
the children of thy people.” (Dan. 12:1) Compare this text with
Chapter 10 of the Apocalypse of Saint John.

Reflection. Saint Michael is not only the protector of the Church, but
of every faithful soul. By humility he defeated the devil; we who are
enlisted in the same warfare must adopt his weapons--humility and
ardent love of God. Regarding this Archangel as our leader under God,
let us courageously resist the devil in all his assaults with our
protector’s famous exclamation: “Who is like unto God?”

Sources: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on
Butler’s Lives of the Saints and other sources


Saint Quote:
Consider now the sublime moment when the Archangel Gabriel announces
to the Virgin Mary the plans of the Most High. Our Mother listens, and
asks a question to understand better what the Lord is asking of her.
Then she gives her firm reply: Fiat! Be it done unto me according to
thy word! This is the fruit of the best freedom of all, the freedom of
deciding in favor of God.
-- Saint Josemaría Escrivá

Bible Quote:
See that you do not look down on one of these little ones, for I tell
you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in
heaven. (Matthew 18:10)


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Given the wretched state of the Church and the world this day, perhaps a
novena to Saint Michael for the intention of vanquishing the enemies of the
Church within Her own walls would be in order, especially in unison with
our Mother Mary during her month of May. There are at least three forms of
the prayer to Saint Michael. We offer the short one after Low Mass, there
is the original long form prayer by Pope Leo XIII, and this is the middle form.


A prayer to Saint Michael, Prince of the Archangels:

O glorious Prince of the heavenly host, Saint Michael the Archangel, defend
us in the battle and in the fearful warfare that we are waging against the
principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness,
against the evil spirits. Come thou to the assistance of men, whom
Almighty God created immortal, making them in His own image and likeness
and redeeming them at a great price from the tyranny of Satan. Fight this
day the battle of the Lord with thy legions of holy Angels, even as of old
thou didst fight against Lucifer, the leader of the proud spirits and all
his rebel angels, who were powerless to stand against thee, neither was
their place found any more in heaven. And that apostate angel, transformed
into an angel of darkness who still creeps about the earth to encompass our
ruin, was cast headlong into the abyss together with his followers. But
behold, that first enemy of mankind, and murderer from the beginning, has
regained his confidence. Changing himself into an angel of light, he goes
about with the whole multitude of the wicked spirits to invade the earth
and blot out the Name of God and of His Christ, to plunder, to slay and to
consign to eternal damnation the souls that have been destined for a crown
of everlasting life. This wicked serpent, like an unclean torrent, pours
into men of depraved minds and corrupt hearts the poison of his malice, the
spirit of lying, impiety and blasphemy, and the deadly breath of impurity
and every form of vice and iniquity. These crafty enemies of mankind have
filled to overflowing with gall and wormwood the Church, which is the Bride
of the Lamb without spot; they have laid profane hands upon her most sacred
treasures. Make haste, therefore, O invincible Prince, to help the people
of God against the inroads of the lost spirits and grant us the victory. Amen.