the battle in our hearts - st michael

The Book of Revelation speaks of the battle between Michael and the dragon.  We are given a glimpse of the battle but we are never really given the reason for the battle.  Some commentators say we can see the reason in the book of the Prophet Isaiah.  “King of Babylon, bright morning star (in some bible this is translated as bringer of the light which in Latin is Lucifer) you have fallen from heaven! You were determined to climb up to heaven. You said you would climb to the tops of the clouds and be like the Almighty. But instead, you have been brought down to the deepest part of the world of the dead.”

Michael fought Lucifer because he wanted to be like the almighty God.

The battle between Michael and Lucifer is a reflection of the conflict that happens in everyone’s hearts because of our struggle to put God first, because of our struggle to live out our faith.  When you live the faith, when you put God in his proper place, many times we will come out bruised and hurting, we will come wounded and broken. There is some degree of violence that happens in every one’s heart – every day, there is a dying to self, there is a sacrifice to be made, there is a cross to be carried, there are things and relationships of value that need to be cut and straightened out.  We need to be courageous, we need to be brave.  That is why St. Michael is not one cute cuddly angel you see up there – he is a warrior, ready to fight for God, ready to stand for God.