Feast of the Archangels

Today is the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. The Church has a rich history-filled archive of devotions, prayers, practices, and liturgical traditions dedicated to these mighty spirits, and a simple Google search will yield a fantastic amount of information and devotions for personal prayer and meditation.

A few ideas for your consideration:

Read the Book of Tobit. It's one of the shorter books in the Bible and tells the fascinating and charming story of St. Raphael's appearance and guidance to Tobit's son Tobiah and his family.

Recite the Angelus in honor of St. Gabriel. This prayer reminds us of the important role this archangel played in the mystery of the Incarnation, and how Mary's simple response set into motion the greatest event the world has ever experienced.

Read and meditate on G.K. Chesterton's famous poem, "To St. Michael in Time of Peace" (see below), first published in 1929. It will renew your fervor and love toward this Prince of Angels.

Have a wonderful, angel-inspired day!


To St. Michael in Time of Peace

Michael, Michael: Michael of the Morning,
Michael of the Army of the Lord,
Stiffen thou the hand upon the still sword, Michael,
Folded and shut upon the sheathed sword, Michael,
Under the fullness of the white robes falling,
Gird us with the secret of the sword.

When the world cracked because of a sneer in heaven,
Leaving out for all time a scar upon the sky,
Thou didst rise up against the Horror in the highest,
Dragging down the highest that looked down on the Most High:
Rending from the seventh heaven the hell of exaltation
Down the seven heavens till the dark seas burn:
Thou that in thunder threwest down the Dragon
Knowest in what silence the Serpent can return.

Down through the universe the vast night falling
(Michael, Michael: Michael of the Morning!)
Far down the universe the deep calms calling
(Michael, Michael: Michael of the Sword!)
Bid us not forget in the baths of all forgetfulness,
In the sigh long drawn from the frenzy and the fretfulness
In the huge holy sempiternal silence
In the beginning was the Word.

A New School Year and a Lesson From St. Frances

The usual chaos and confusion that accompanies back-to-school week descended on our household right on schedule, this year bringing new and rather unpleasant surprises. For starters, my eight-year-old daughter, who is known to have, well, tear-duct emission issues (okay, she's a bit of a crybaby), came down with pneumonia two days before school started.

Now if there's any child in the world who needs to be there on the first day of a new school year, it's this one. How am I going to know what to do? Where to go? What side of my desk to put my pencil case in? As she asked these questions repeatedly between coughs, sneezes and wheezes, and as Day One loomed ever closer, I sensed panic coming on full bore. It hit her too, but cold medicine kept the edges dulled. Red wine helped with mine.

Well, Day One came and went. My daughter got well enough to go on Day Three, and all is well so far with her. (My teacher is so nice! I guess she was expecting Broom-Hilda.)