St. Michael's Lent
Published: Friday, September 27, 2024
What is St. Michael's Lent?
As described in The Little Flowers of Saint Francis by St. Bonaventure, St. Michael's Lent is an originally Franciscan tradition started by the founder of the order (And my confirmation saint) St. Francis of Assisi, as a testament to his great devotion to St. Michael the Archangel & the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was actually during one of the first of these that St. Francis received his stigmata (On September 14, to be exact, which is also the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross).
Just like the Lenten season it is 40 days (Ignoring Sundays), and starts on August 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and ends on September 29, the feast of the Holy Archangels: St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael. You can very much start to see how his devotion to the Virgin Mary and St. Michael start to come into play here.
While there isn't a very specific way to practice it, there are a couple different recommended spiritual practices you can do. Just remember, like in the Lenten season, it is supposed to be a time of prayer, fasting, and penance. St. Bonaventure says about St. Francis: “Two years before his death, having begun a Lenten retreat in honor of Saint Michael on a very high mountain called Alverne, [Francisco] felt more abundantly than ever the softness of heavenly contemplation, the ardor of supernatural desires and the profusion of divine graces.”.
Spiritual Warfare
It is important to keep in mind that the enemy is always after our souls, and loathes any kind of prayer, but prayer to the one who cast him out of Heaven he must hate even more. My point being that it might be expected to face some degree of resistance. Just remember to trust in the Lord, and ask Mary and St. Michael to intercede for you especially, from any sort of attacks.
The path our world and country are heading in, it is certainly is important to pray for the intercession of the two saints who have a reputation for going against the enemy. Please pray for the state of the world, and for the souls of all who call it home. Imagine what it must've been like for St. Francis, who started the tradition in the first place.
St. Francis, pray for us.
How to Practice St. Michael's Lent
Ways to observe & practice St. Michael's Lent include, but not necessarily limited to:
Daily Prayers
Litany of St. Michael
Prayer to St. Michael
St. Michael Chaplet
Novena to St. Michael
Consecration to St. Michael
Waking up at a certain time in the early morning to pray the full rosary
Charity
Confession & Mass
"Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: 'Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night. They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; love for life did not deter them from death. Therefore, rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them. But woe to you, earth and sea, for the Devil has come down to you in great fury, for he knows he has but a short time.'" Revelation 12:7-12
Saint Michael, Defend Us In Battle
Our Lady Of The Assumption, Pray For Us
"A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God, that there she might be taken care of for twelve hundred and sixty days. Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it." Revelation 12:1-6 NABRE
"When the dragon saw that it had been thrown down to the earth, it pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she could fly to her place in the desert, where, far from the serpent, she was taken care of for a year, two years, and a half-year. The serpent, however, spewed a torrent of water out of his mouth after the woman to sweep her away with the current. But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth and swallowed the flood that the dragon spewed out of its mouth. Then the dragon became angry with the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring, those who keep God’s commandments and bear witness to Jesus. It took its position on the sand of the sea."
Revelation 12:13-18 NABRE