A Litany to St. Michael
Greatest of Archangels,
pray for us
Commander of the heavenly hosts,
pray for us
Angel of fiery appearance,
pray for us
Angel of miraculous beauty,
pray for us
First-formed star of the world,
pray for us
First in boldness,
pray for us
Mighty and powerful,
pray for us
Minister, spirit, and flaming fire,
pray for us
Leader of the thrice-holy hymn,
pray for us
Traverser of Creation,
pray for us
Minister of divine radiance,
pray for us
Minister of glory,
pray for us
Purity of thought,
pray for us
Clothed in robes white as light,
pray for us
Clothed in the beauty of the bodiless powers,
pray for us
Clothed in the splendor of heaven’s radiance,
pray for us
Who stands before the throne of glory,
pray for us
Witness of the mysteries of God,
pray for us
Witness of inexpressible things,
pray for us
Attendant of the Trinity’s counsels,
pray for us
Fulfiller of the Trinity’s judgements,
pray for us
Kindler of God’s fire on earth,
pray for us
Whose strength is like a flash of lightning,
pray for us
Fountain of miracles,
pray for us
Watcher and keeper of the human race,
pray for us
Companion of every Christian,
pray for us
Wise counsellor,
pray for us
Bringer of light,
pray for us
Bringer of strength,
pray for us
Bringer of joy,
pray for us
Bringer of peace,
pray for us
Bringer of consolation,
pray for us
Strength of the weak,
pray for us
Strength of those who suffer,
pray for us
Strength of those who struggle,
pray for us
Enlightener of those in doubt and perplexity,
pray for us
Enlightener of those who sit in darkness,
pray for us
Unfailing guide of those who seek salvation,
pray for us
Illuminator of our way,
pray for us
Leader and fellow-fighter in battle,
pray for us
Guardian with sword of lightning,
pray for us
Indestructible shield and protector,
pray for us
Deliverer from sorrow,
pray for us
Deliverer from sickness,
pray for us
Deliverer from danger,
pray for us
Deliverer from distress,
pray for us
Deliverer from sin,
pray for us
Deliverer from evil habits,
pray for us
Deliverer from oppression,
pray for us
Deliverer from false accusations,
pray for us
Deliverer from the devil’s assaults,
pray for us
Who clothes the weak in the armor of faith,
pray for us
Who raises the humble to heights of power,
pray for us
Who subdues all that contends against us,
pray for us
Who dispels evil intentions,
pray for us
Who brings the cruel to justice,
pray for us
Who crushes the head of proud Lucifer,
pray for us
Who binds him in shame forever,
pray for us
Who will cast all evil into the lake of fire,
pray for us
Who will preserve us at the hour of death,
pray for us
Who will guide us to the mansions of God,
pray for us
St Michael, illumine our minds with the light of God that shines upon your lightning-like brow. You show to all who contend against us that we are protected by God, through His holy Angels.
Pray that we may receive the spirit of true repentance. At the hour of death, lead us to the habitations of Paradise, where there is neither sadness nor sighing, but life without end; and where we will see the light-filled face of our all-good Lord Jesus Christ and, falling at his feet with tears of joy, cry out in gladness:
Glory to You, our dear Redeemer, who in your great love sent your Angel Michael to be a minister of our salvation.
It's a long time ago that I subscribed to your mailing list & site – I think 10 years or so. I was still Christian back then 😉 I could never follow up on everything but I've been reading the emails every now and then. I remember you had good, balanced thoughts on abortion, for instance (yes all abortions are violent, and no mothers who have an abortion are not inhumane, etc). Reading this prayer, of course I remember your orthodox framework of thought (framework of meaning) which runs through all of this. This ritualistic approach – the discipline, to put it in Foucaultian terminology – is also found among Catholics of course – you may perhaps have read Leah Libresco's latest book – she turned from atheist to Catholic and she loves the concept of (ritual) prayer too. I don't practice such things but I know it can be something beautiful. I like an author / thinker like the late Edith Stein, where I see the same things being worked out in very interesting ways.
Even in Psychoanalysis (which is more my kind of thing) we know very well that the "form" of things matters a lot. The form may even reveal more about what real life really is about, more than even spirituality – or, perhaps to put it in a better way: spirituality may probably work even better when it runs through a formal matrix which brings order to things that might otherwise disappear in some emotional void without further notice or reflection.
Well, it's good to have you around, still. Some people have the courage to always go on, one step at a time without giving up. That's a good thing, for sure.
Take care,
B.