Praying for our Priests

As I read this section of Exodus 17, "Moses' hands were heavy, so they put a stone under him and Aaron and Hur held his hands up . . . and Israel prevailed," I thought of the Church

We are embroiled in a terrible spiritual war, a war that becomes more deadly as the months go on. If we ever needed to support the hands of our Pope and our Bishops, it is now. For some, tomorrow may be too late.

As early as April 24th 1994, Pope John Paul II recommended the prayer to St. Michael be used by all Catholics as a prayer for the Church when he said:

"May prayer strengthen us for the spiritual battle we are told about in the Letter to the Ephesians: 'Draw strength from the Lord and from His mighty power' (Ephesians 6:10). The Book of Revelation refers to this same battle, recalling before our eyes the image of St. Michael the Archangel (Revelation 12:7). Pope Leo XIII certainly had a very vivid recollection of this scene when, at the end of the last century, he introduced a special prayer to St. Michael throughout the Church. Although this prayer is no longer recited at the end of Mass, I ask everyone not to forget it and to recite it to obtain help in the battle against forces of darkness and against the spirit of this world."

The Prayer to St. Michael:

Saint 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 Divine Power of God -

cast into hell, Satan and all the evil spirits,

who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.

And amen.