In the Book of Common Prayer on page 726 the Order for Compline includes a beautiful prayer which is an excellent one to add to our treasury of prayers memorized. In my memory it has evolved over the years and goes like this:

Lord Jesus, please visit this place, time, and space, and drive from it all the snares of the enemy; send your holy angels to dwell herein to preserve us in peace; and give us your blessing for evermore.

I especially find comfort in the petition asking for the presence of God’s holy angels to occupy the location from which our Lord has driven the thoughts and plots devised by the Accuser to lead us away from God’s holy presence. Although our mortal life is lived in both the physical and the spiritual dimensions, we believe that God has created all that is seen and unseen. All is in the purview of God Almighty and we have, for the asking, the help we need to safely pass through God’s creation. The angelic host led by St. Michael is part of the help which our Lord Jesus will provide in answer to our prayer.

Today we give thanks and praise to God for St. Michael and All Angels.

Bible Reading: Psalm 103: 19-22; Matthew 26:53; Revelation 12: 7-12.