The Role of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Angels, and the Saints in the Battle for the Salvation of Souls

6. The Role of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Angels, and the Saints in the Battle for the Salvation of Souls

It is not rare to hear Non-Catholics and perhaps even well meaning Catholics of belittling the role of the Holy Ones of God --the Angels, the Saints most especially the Virgin Mother of God in the ministry of spiritual liberation and exorcisms. But we have to insist that those Catholics who dismiss them do not know their faith and therefore do not know what they are talking about. And the non-Catholics, well, whatever you do they will reject the argument no matter how sound. It is only the Eastern Christians who would never dispute with the Catholics regarding the important role in the battle against the evil one in the salvation of souls They have this wonderful prayer in honor of the Great Protectress of the Christian people:

"We your servants, ascribe to you, O Mother of God, thank-offerings of victory, O Champion Leader, for we have been liberated from terror; but as you have that invincible power do you free us from every kind of danger, so that we may cry out to You: Hail, O Virgin and Bride Ever-Pure!"

And again

"Triumphant leader, to you belongs our prize of victory! And since you saved us from adversity, we offer you our thanks. We are your people, O Mother of God! So, as you have that invincible power, continue to deliver us from danger that we may cry out to you: Hail, O Virgin and Bride Ever-Pure!" 

Meanwhile, the Catholics have this prayer

"O august Queen and our Lady of Angels, who received from God the power and mission of crushing the head of Satan, we humbly beg you to send us heavenly legions, with Saint Michael the Archangel as head so that under your orders they may chase the demons, combat them everywhere, repress their boldness, and drive them back into the abyss. “Who is like God?” O good and tender Mother, you shall always be our love and our hope. O Divine Mother, send your holy angels to defend us, and to drive away from us the cruel enemy. Holy angels and archangels, defend us and guard us. Amen."

Sacred Scripture is full of texts that give us proof that the Holy Ones of God, though they be dead on earth, are truly present with God in heaven. The Old Testament attests to that when God calls himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 3:6). And Our Lord Jesus himself in citing that text boldly proclaimed: "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living." (Matthew 22:33). Meanwhile, on the cross, Jesus promised the repentant thief of being brought to paradise: Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43). Then in the Book of Revelations, heaven is full of the multitude of the Saints interceding in behalf of the people on earth (Rev. 6:10).

The solemn teaching of the Catholic Church on the Communion of Saints and their intercession in behalf of us all is consistent.

The intercession of the saints. "Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness. . . . They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus . . . . So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped." (CCC 956)

And the pre-eminent role of Our Lady in the salvation of our souls is clearly articulated in the CCC 9676-968:

By her complete adherence to the Father's will, to his Son's redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church's model of faith and charity. Thus she is a "preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church"; indeed, she is the "exemplary realization" (typus) of the Church.

Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. "In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior's work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace.

In simple terms, I understand it this way: Our Lady loves God above all. She loves her Son Jesus, above all. She loves what He loves. Jesus loves us. She therefore loves us. Hence, in this manner if she is alive in Christ in God's Kingdom then she intercedes for us.

Catholic and Orthodox Exorcists are witnesses of Our Lady's maternal love and protection in the exercise of the ministry of spiritual liberation and exorcisms. This is one truth we see and experience in a most special way. We can never deny it.