Theology of the Body: About Those Demons

I cant help it... while hanging out with my Catholic friends in DC last week, the talk was all about Benedict's recent Vatican conference on exorcism, and out it came, so to speak: my Catholic friends say this prayer for themselves and their families all the time. Given that we belong to a people who confess and live as though the unseen were more Real than real itself, I am intrigued by the heavenly battles which Scripture describes. Apparently, this prayer is one way in which the faithful may participate in them (here edited slightly for Protestant inclusion)... Begone, Satan, inventor and master of all deceit, enemy of man's salvation!

(I think the idea is that the baptized should only approach this sort of thing with a very clean conscience, just FYI)

EXORCISM PRAYER AGAINST SATAN AND THE APOSTATE ANGELS
for Clergy or Laity

As issued by Leo XIII, May 18th 1890

RECITE STANDING:

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Let GOD arise and let His enemies be scattered: and let them that hate Him flee from before His Face!

As smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the Presence of GOD (Ps 67:1-2). Judge Thou, O' Lord, them that wrong me: overthrow them that fight against me. Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded that devise evil against me. Let them become as dust before the wind: and let the Angel of the Lord straighten them. Let their way become dark and slippery: and let the Angel of the Lord pursue them. For without cause they have hidden their net for me unto destruction: without cause they have upbraided my soul.
Let the snare which he knoweth not, come upon him: and let the net which he hath hidden, catch him: and into that very snare let him fall. But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord, and shall be delighted in His Salvation (Ps 34:1, 4-9).

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.

The Most Glorious Prince of the Heavenly Armies, Michael the Archangel, defends us in the battle and in our wrestling against principalities and powers against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places (Epheshians 6:12). He comes to the aid of men, whom GOD created incorruptible, and to the Image of His own Likeness He made him (Wis 2:23); and from the tyranny of the devil He bought him at a great price (Cor 7:23). Michael fights the battles of the Lord today with the Army of the Blessed Angels, as once thou didst fight against Lucifer, the leader of pride, and his apostate angels; and they prevailed not: neither was their place found anymore in Heaven. But that great dragon was cast out, the old serpent, who is called the devil and satan, who seduceth the whole world. And he was cast unto the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him (Apoc 12:8-9).

Behold the Cross of the Lord, flee away ye hostile forces. The lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David hath conquered. May Thy mercy, O' Lord, be upon us, since we have hoped in Thee. O' Lord, hear my prayer. And let my cry come unto Thee.

O' GOD and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we invoke Thy Holy Name, and we humbly implore Thy mercy, that by the intercession of the Mother of GOD, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of Blessed Joseph the Spouse of the same Blessed Virgin, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and of all the Saints, Thou wouldst deign to afford us help against satan and all the other unclean spirits and against whatever wanders throughout the world to do harm to the human race and to ruin souls, through the same Christ Our Lord, Amen.

We exorcize thee, O' every unclean spirit, satanic power, infernal invader, wicked legion, assembly and sect; in the Name and by the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ; may thou be snatched away and driven from the Church of GOD and from the souls made to the Image and Likeness of GOD and redeemed by the Precious Blood of the Divine Lamb. Most cunning serpent, thou shalt no more dare to deceive the human race, persecute the Church, torment GOD's elect and sift them as wheat. The Most High GOD commands thee. He with whom in your great insolence, thou still claimest to be equal; He who wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth (1 Tim 2:4).

GOD the Father commands thee, GOD the Son commands thee, GOD the Holy Spirit commands thee. The Majesty of Christ, the Eternal Word of GOD made flesh, commands thee (+); He Who to save our race outdone through thy envy, "humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death" (Phil 2:8). He who has built His Church on the firm rock and declared that the gates of hell shall never prevail against Her, because He will dwell with Her "all days even to the end of the world" (Mat 28:20). The Sacred Sign of the Cross commands thee, as does also the power of the Mysteries of the Christian Faith, the Glorious Mother of GOD, the Virgin Mary, commands thee; She who by Her humility crushed thy proud head. The faith of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul and of the other Apostles command thee. The Blood of the Martyrs and the pious intercession of all the Saints command thee.

Thus, cursed dragon and thee diabolical legion, we adjure thee by the Living GOD, by the True GOD, by the Holy GOD, by the GOD "who so loved the world that He gave up His Only Son, that every soul believing in Him might not perish but have life everlasting" (John 17:1-3); stop deceiving human creatures and pouring out to them the poison of eternal damnation; stop harming the Church and ensnaring her liberty. BEGONE, satan, inventor and master of all deceit, enemy of man's salvation. Give place to Christ in whom thou hast found none of your works; give place to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church acquired by Christ at the price of His Blood. Stoop beneath the powerful Hand of GOD; tremble and flee when we invoke the Holy and terrible Name of Jesus, this Name which cause hell to tremble, this Name to which the Virtues, Powers and Dominations of Heaven are humbly submissive, this Name to which the Virtues, Powers and Dominations of Heaven are humbly submissive, this Name which the Cherubim and Seraphim praise unceasingly repeating: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord, the GOD of Armies!

O' Lord, hear my prayer, And let my cry come unto Thee
GOD of Heaven, GOD of Earth, GOD of Angels, GOD of Archangels, GOD of Patriarchs, GOD of Prophets, GOD of Apostles, GOD of Martyrs, GOD of Confessors, GOD of Virgins, GOD Who has power to give life after death and rest after work, because there is no other GOD than Thee and there can be no other, for Thou art the Creator of all things, visible and invisible, of whose Reign there shall be no end. We humbly prostrate ourselves before Thy Glorious Majesty and we beseech Thee to deliver us by Thy Power from all the tyranny of the infernal spirits, from their snares, their lies and their furious wickedness; deign, O' Lord, to grant us Thy powerful protection and to keep us safe and sound. We beseech Thee through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Amen.

From the snares of the devil, Deliver us O' Lord. Grant that Thy Church may serve Thee in secure liberty, We beseech Thee, hear us. Deign to crush down the enemies of the Holy Church, We beseech Thee, hear us.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Amen.