The Festival of St. Michael and All Angels
Posted on September 29, 2025 by under
Scripture: Revelation 12:7-12 (NKJV)
12:7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
Devotion
Today we honor a most unusual saint—St. Michael the Archangel, and with him the rest of the angelic host. Michael is one of the few angels who are named in Scripture. Besides being named in this reading, he is also mentioned by name in the book of Daniel, where he is called a prince, even a “great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people,” referring to the nation of Israel (Dan. 10:13, 21, and 12:1). St. Michael also disputes with Satan concerning the body of Moses in Jude 9.
From this we understand that God, in addition to providing for and sustaining our bodies in this life, also gives us these angels, these spiritual beings, with the charge to serve us and protect us. Scripture teaches us that they fight and oppose the devil and his evil angels on our behalf. St. Michael and the angels serve God by protecting us, the inheritors of salvation (Heb. 1:14).
Collect: O Everlasting God, Who hast ordained and constituted the services of angels and men in a wonderful order: Mercifully grant, that as Thy holy angels always do Thee service in Heaven, so by Thy appointment they may succor and defend us on earth; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
O Lord, we beseech Thee, let Thy continual pity cleanse and defend Thy Church; and because it cannot continue in safety without Thy succor, preserve it evermore by Thy help and goodness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
