St. Michael is always ready to defend us against evil. The demons of hell are no match for the great Archangel whose Hebrew name translates to the rhetorical question, “Who is like God?” St. Padre Pio, whose own devotion to the holy angels is legendary, knew this better than anyone.
One day after Padre Pio finished hearing confessions at the church in San Giovanni Rotondo, a distressed mother brought her daughter before him and begged for his help. The mother believed her daughter was possessed by a demon, and given the girl’s frantic thrashings and unearthly shrieks, it appeared to be the case. Several large men had to hold the girl back as she howled pitifully in front of the saintly priest.
“Stop! Enough!” commanded Padre Pio, at which point the girl collapsed on the floor and lay still as if sleeping. Padre Pio then instructed the men, one of whom was a doctor, to bring the little girl to St. Michael at the shrine of Monte Sant'Angelo, about nine miles away.
The shrine is housed inside a large cave, which had once been the site of a pagan temple in pre-Christian times. It is believed that St. Michael himself made four visible visits to the site beginning in the year 490. On the third visit, Saint Michael appeared to the local bishop and stated that he consecrated the shrine himself, since his request years earlier had not been granted. The site, declared Michael, would henceforth be a place where prayers would be answered.
The group accompanying the afflicted girl were desperately hoping their prayers would be heard. Having arrived at the shrine, the girl woke up and began thrashing and howling once again. With a mighty effort, the adults holding on to her brought her close enough where a monk was able to touch her hand to the altar. Immediately the girl dropped to the ground.
A few minutes later the girl woke up and asked her mother, “Could you buy me an ice cream?” With relief and joy, the group returned to San Giovanni Rotondo to thank Padre Pio for his wise instruction to go to the altar of St. Michael. In the blunt manner for which he was famous, Padre Pio drew the mother aside and cautioned her: “Say to your husband not to curse anymore, or else the demon will return.”
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Demons are difficult to get rid of, sort of like lice and cockroaches. But they can never harm us if we live by virtue and make frequent use of the sacraments.
Plus, we have this guy on our side:
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. Amen
