The battle against the devil, which is the principal task
of St. Michael the Archangel, is still being fought today
because the devil is still alive and active in the world.
—Pope St. John Paul II

In our home, the archangel whose intercession we most frequently implore is St. Michael, through the familiar prayer to him. The presence of evil in the world is palpable. It’s as though the devil enjoys rearing his ugly head because he knows sin is glorified by our society.

You can understand, then, the reason for praying to St. Michael daily. Sometimes I pray to him three or four times a day. Encourage your children to pray to St. Michael for protection, especially when they’re tempted or scared.

This is the Prayer to St. Michael given to us by Pope Leo XIII in 1884:

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle! Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into Hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Besides providing protection, the archangels are perfect examples of obedience to God and His plans for our lives. Each, in his own way, contributes to the salvation of mankind:

· St. Michael is the leader of all the holy angels, and he cast Satan and his minions into Hell for all eternity.
· St. Gabriel announced the birth of John the Baptist to his father, Zechariah, and announced the Incarnation to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
· St. Raphael healed Tobias’s blindness in the Old Testament and is recognized as a conduit of God’s healing and mercy.

Oh, how much better the world would be if we all glorified God as these archangels do! Whereas droves of evil spirits were expelled from Heaven for their disobedience, these archangels have been honored for their obedience.

Today and every day, let us choose obedience and faithfulness to God’s will, with the help of the archangels.

Let us pray:

O powerful archangels, Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael,
come to my assistance today.
St. Michael, help me to resist the empty promises of the
devil and to fight for the glory of God’s Kingdom.
St. Gabriel, help me to be attuned to God’s voice and
to live my vocation according to His will.
St. Raphael, help me to be open to the graces given to
me in the sacraments, and cover me with the healing power
of our mighty God.
Faithful archangels, do not leave my side. Amen.

And a shorter prayer you can memorize and pray often:

Powerful archangels, do not leave my side. Amen.

This article is excerpted from “The Prayer Book for Tired Parents: Practical Ways to Grow in Love of God and Get Your Family to Heaven” (c) 2022 David and Debbie Cowden. Please only reproduce with permission.