Angels & Dragons

On this Feast of St Michael and All Angels I'm beginning a new series of  posts on the Angels, written by a Deacon in the Diocese of Austin. I will try to post them daily.

From ATX Catholic

By the Reverend Deacon Guadalupe Rodriquez

“Proclaim a War! Let the weak man say, ‘I am a warrior!’” (Joel 4:9-10)

St Michael by Luca Giordano

In these dark times we must contemplate and understand the spiritual battle we are facing. We must take a step back and ask ourselves, “What is happening to the world and to us?” The answer is that mankind is at the threshold of the greatest combat we have ever faced. The Church and the world are at crossroads. We are under siege! In the words of Pope Benedict XVI on February 17, 2013, “The time of testing is here!”

We must understand the struggle, the weapons, and the tactics of the enemy, but most importantly we must understand without a doubt that, “Our side outnumbers theirs” (2 Kings 6:16) lest humanity loses hope and everyone follows after the beast …yes even the elect if it were possible. (Mark 13:20)

St Michael

Remember God’s holy angels outnumber the fallen angels. Only, “A third of the stars,” (Rev. 12:4) were cast down to the earth. Two thirds of God’s holy angels remained faithful and are now standing by for us to engage them in the fight. Yes, in Book of Revelation, “Stars are angels.” (Rev. 1:20)

St. Thomas Aquinas says, “All have to wage spiritual combat with our invisible enemies.” We must enter the fray; none can stand by dispassionate or idle for, “The ‘spiritual battle’ of the Christians new life is inseparable from the battle of prayer.” (CCC 2725) All have to pick up spiritual weapons (Mass, the Word of God, Confession, Adoration, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Rosary, Divine Office etc) or accept to be taken captive by the red dragon (Rev.13:10), as there will be a time when the whole world will marvel at him (as when a whole country marveled at Hitler).

Dragon VS Angel by David De León Luis

“The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan…has come down to you in great fury, for he knows he has but a short time.” (Rev. 12:9,12) “Like a roaring lion, the devil is prowling around looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) If you are really one of God’s holy and mighty warriors you can feel the strain, the weight, the toll, the strife, the grapple, and most especially the free-for-all that the adversary is engaging us in, in our everyday tasks. Yes, the spiritual warfare has increased! For those who have eyes, the darkness is setting in as in the Lord of the Rings or as St. John Paul II stated on the anniversary of his shooting, “The evil that is spreading throughout the world and menacing the individual human being, the nations, and mankind as a whole… the whole range of menaces gathering like a dark cloud over mankind…” Oh if we could only blow the trumpet to warn the troops saying, “He has been released for a short time!” (Rev. 20:3) The vision of Pope Leo XIII is upon us!

If you are neutral or lukewarm and have not taken up arms, you will not feel the battle as the opponent knows you already belong to him. However when you least expect it, the rival will surround you, envelop you, and bind you as a prey to its victim. When the foe finally attacks those “on the fence,” you will be so surprised that you won’t know where to turn to in the confusion of his mighty attack. By then it will be too late to pick up weapons as you will not have the trust or the eyes to see that “our side outnumbers theirs.” (2 Kings 6:16) In a frightful panic you will think that your only way out is despair and thus believing all the accusations of the dragon for he is, “The accuser of our brothers and sisters.” (Rev. 12:10) You will lose all hope in God’s eternal Mercy because most of the time people “Live as they pray” (CCC 2725) and die as they lived.

Angels of the Apocalypse

If only our civilization would have the eyes of faith to see the fiery chariots (2 Kings 6: 17) around us – then we would not feel so alone in the battle. But this is what will make this generation so great and special. There are some who have eyes of faith to see the invisible reality. These soldiers must, “Proclaim a War!” (Joel 4:9) They must proclaim to the whole world, “Let the weak man say, ‘I am a warrior!’” (Joel 4:10)

Remember what one Desert Father said, all generations have faced the red dragon tethered and tied down but those at the end of time will face him fully loosed over the face of the earth even if it is just for a short while. This is what will make us the greatest saints who have walked the face of the earth. Like the kings and queens that come out at the end of the chess game so we too are the special kings and queens that come out at the end to do battle with the dragon. Yes, we are small, feeble, and frail, but power is made perfect in weakness for when we are weak, God is strong or as St. Paul says, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor. 12:10)

 

If you still are incredulous about your calling in these perilous times, know that you also have a mother advocating, interceding, and fighting at your side, “But the power of Mary over all the devils will especially shine forth in the latter times, when Satan will lay his snares against her heel: that is to say, her humble slaves and her poor children, whom she will raise up to make war against him. They shall be little and poor in the world’s esteem, and abased before all like the heel is by the other members of the body. But in return for this they shall be rich in the grace of God, which Mary shall distribute to them abundantly.” (St. Louis Marie De Montfort)

Know and trust that we are the generation of dragon slayers whether we realize it or not. Whether you believe it or not. You are God’s mightiest warriors! This is our true calling. As Joan of Arc said, “I was born for this!” You too were handpicked and chosen for this moment. You were born for this! The hands you see are hands of warriors! Accept to make the journey and be changed into mighty hobbits as in the Lord of the Rings. This is the Job generation that was found worthy of being tested. This generation is praiseworthy of facing off with the dragon toe to toe. David versus Goliath, “Blessed are your eyes, because they see.” (Mt. 13:16) Oh what all the saints would give to find themselves in this battle of battles!

What will it take? One day seeing the state of his country, St. Martin of Tours, a former Roman soldier whose father was in the famous Imperial Horse Guard, asked the Lord in tears, “What will it take to save my country?” “What will it take?” The Lord responded, “One saint!” And a saint he did become. What will it take to save our present world? One Saint! May that Saint be YOU! May the devil say of you what he said of St. John Vianney, “If there were two of him my kingdom would end!” 

 

Trust and believe wholeheartedly that many souls are on the balance and are dependent on your sanctification. There are souls at stake so you must enter the battle trusting Jesus and Mary, “At the end of the world and indeed presently, because the Most High with His holy Mother has to form for Himself great saints who shall surpass most of the other saints in sanctity as much as the cedars of Lebanon outgrow the little shrubs.” (St. Louis Marie De Montfort) I know all this seems too much and overwhelming but it is who you are destined to be from the beginning of time and all creation: A saint of the end of times! God’s greatest warriors! He has saved the best!

Like Elijah we too must eat, “The bread of angels,” (Psalm 78:25) so that we will have the strength to continue to clash our swords and shields against these beasts. Yes, they will injure you with their fiery breath, jaws, fangs, claws, and talons, injecting a most poisonous venom called mortal sin that deadens and rots the soul for, “The sting of death is sin!” (1Cor.15:56) But remember the remedy – the Blood of the Lamb cleanses, heals, and ennobles the soul in Confession, and the Blood of the Lamb from the chalice strengthens and sanctifies us at Mass! Yes, “They conquered him (the dragon) by the Blood of the Lamb!” (Rev. 12:11) Only in this way will we not give up the fight and join the enemy. Remember the words of Jesus to St. Faustina, “All of heaven and earth is watching you. Fight like a knight!” [1760]

This is the test of tests. This is the generation for whom the words of Jesus should echo in our hearts, “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8) There may come a time when the dragon surrounds you and pins you down even though you have been a faithful warrior. At this point you may be tempted to lose faith and or even join him. When you find yourself arrested by the dragon with nowhere to run, you must not panic. Reach for “The Weapon” (Mary’s word’s to St Dominic when she gave him the rosary) and pray the Rosary…“The angel holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a heavy chain seized the dragon.” (Rev. 20:1) The key is the crucifix and the chain is the rosary beads. Each time you pray it, the angel shackles the dragon. This is how the Woman crushes the head of the serpent for she is the Queen of Angels and they are here to serve her.

How bad will the battle rage? Our catechism says, “Before Christ’s second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers.” (CCC 675) Ok I know I am weak, but if I stay the course will I make it? Jesus promises those who are faithful these words, “I know your works, behold I have left an open door before you which no one can close. You have limited strength, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name…I will keep you safe in the time of trial that is going to come to the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.” (Rev. 3:8-10)

Michael Casts Out Lucifer

I cannot repeat it enough times, “Our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness.” (Eph. 6:12) Keep these words in the back of your minds! “Amid so much darkness, let a shaft of light break through the heavy clouds!” (Pope Francis’ first homily) Open your eyes to the true reality! We represent all of humanity and every generation. Don’t hesitate to enter the fray! “Rouse the warriors to arms,” (Joel 4:4) choose sides, and know that, “Michael shall arise in the time of great distress.” (Dan. 12:1)

Yes, you end times warrior, “Proclaim a war!” (Joel 4:9) “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.” (Isiaih 60:1-2) Your time has come! Let the people know we have entered the time of God, men, dragons, and angels and that “Our side outnumbers theirs!” (2 Kings 6:16)