Archangel Michael. The Myth and The Presence

One of the most important and interesting topics, especially because it invites us to reflect, especially in the Ancient Age of our culture, is that of angels, which we will define to avoid theological complications, as energy that transits freely between physical and metaphysical space, or we can also rationalize them as structures of metaphysical influence that manifest between dimensions. There are also many testimonies of men, saints and mystics, who throughout history have theorized and cataloged the theology of angels, according to what the Fathers of the Church, mystics, scholastics, apologists and others have written about them in such a curious and fascinating field of theological reality.

But he focuses especially on those authors who consider them separate gods or who, at some point in their previous existence, had or will have great importance for the history of salvation. Eschatology, speculative –what will happen to the angels in centuries and centuries– and informative or expository –what the Holy Fathers say about the angelic souls–, as well as their manifestations in history since written and oral revelations are offered to all educated men then, logically, to know what religions transmit to us in the field of angelology.

Under the term “environment”, the Theology of Revelation or Biblical Theology understands all the personal and religious historical context that conditions in one way or another the relationship of the Eternal with history. In the context of the biblical text of Luke, the “environment” is constituted by the Third Gospel, its Prologue and the immediately preceding story of the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist. Gabriel, in these previous stories, and from within the structures of the Temple, is presented to Zechariah with traits proper to the Archangel, although at no time is there a clear presentation of his figure and his functions within the history of salvation.

The historical situation of the “profane setting” that surrounds the scene of the announcement of John’s birth and of the scene of the announcement itself will allow us to understand the cultural background of the text of the visit to Mary. The figure of Mary, the mother who, by giving her personal consent, takes the indispensable channel for the birth and fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation, is emphasized in Luke. Mary, as a wife, is depicted by Luke as a woman given over out of love to the service of man. This situation of the expressed heart appears inextricably linked to the realm of salvation. With it, the author of Acts goes beyond this situation to a much more open realm in that their particular and personal relationship takes on a communal dimension and continues with the work of the Spirit in the history of humanity.

That is to say that the action of the universal spirit comes from within itself to be omnipresent, acting in critical situations within our life, that is why the mind has to be attentive to the processes of synchronicity of the actions that surround us and it is there where the strange presence of details that you would not notice on a normal day, is what tells us that there is an angel on our path.

Archangel Michael is a powerful presence of salvation from injustice and helps us to make our path the best for us. In other words, he is that inner voice that calms us in a very tense and stressful moment. Archangel Michael acts in subtle ways, in details such as tripping before crossing a street, when a car runs a stop sign or a traffic light, otherwise it would have run us over. This is a level of action that we do not notice during the day, but we should thank the angels for having arrived safely to a restful rest. Don’t worry, you can talk to the archangel and Michael will listen to you.

Saint Michael the Archangel, in his best-known representation, is the one with a spear stepping on the head of the demon represented by a dragon and holding the book of destiny. This iconography means that he is a warrior, protector from the hosts of evil that want to rob us of our destiny and keep us from the wonders of returning when it is our time.

Those who are faithful to his presence can turn to him when they need support to combat the forces of evil, the darkness that haunts human beings, psychic attacks, ignorance, negative energies, material and emotional attachments. He can also defend us against physical dangers such as theft and accidents. His role in the fight against evil has given him a special status as a divine protector for many years.

Throughout history, spiritual teachings have provided guidelines on how to connect with Archangel Michael to receive his protection. His energetic representation is the triumph of good over evil. He also represents the internal struggle we have when making decisions of which we have a feeling of their transcendence. The archangel is also a spiritual force, a fighter and victor over evil. He also represents that inner strength that drives us to continue moving forward in this just battle of each day.

For Catholics, September 29, the date on which he is celebrated, is a holiday and an excellent opportunity to feel his divinity. The color associated with this archangel is blue, so you can use a candle of that color to invoke him. Before lighting it, visualize a blue light that illuminates you and when you feel a sense of peace, ask him to protect you from any evil.

The corresponding prayer is the following:

“Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. Be our help, we pray, supplicants. May the Lord grant it to us! And you, prince of the heavenly hosts, with the power that comes to you from God, cast into hell Satan and the other evil spirits who roam the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”